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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that people who HAVE to drive in bare feet are a bit odd?

102 replies

GetOrfMoiLand · 02/07/2010 09:15

Why? They didn't learn or pass their test in bare feet did they?

I don't really care what other people do, to be honest, but I went on a trip with some colleagues yesterday, and the woman driving made such a bloody fuss about taking her shoes off 'ooh I sinply can't drive with shoes on, I have to have bare feet to feel the pedals with'

Just made her look daft.

OP posts:
DetectivePotato · 02/07/2010 09:17

I have a friend who does this. I don't like being in a car with her full stop as she is a bad driver, but that probably doesn't have anything to do with the lack of shoes.

I tried the pedals once with no shoes on and it was awful. Don't understand how they can do it.

TheChicOfIt · 02/07/2010 09:18

YANBU

I've never heard of this before but it really reminds of the Alan Partridge episode when he had a nervous breakdown and drove to Dundee in his bare feet.

Makes you wonder at what point they decided to take their shoes off to drive?

I once tried driving in bare feet as I had very high heels on and it is impossible.

Original poster
GetOrfMoiLand · 02/07/2010 09:20

I don't either - I had to move my car once in the middle of the night as was blocking DPs in - did it in my dressing gown in bare feet. It felt distinctly odd.

I don;t understand the argument - fair enough can understand if someone doesn't want to drive in heels, but ballet flats would be all right surely.

I think it's just another extension of silly women driving behaviour 'ooh I can't park/drive on motorways/drive in London' etc'

OP posts:
Alibabaandthe40nappies · 02/07/2010 09:22

How weird. I have driven in bare feet in the past and actually found it quite uncomfortable.

Bizarre to make a fuss about something so straight forward though.

TheChicOfIt · 02/07/2010 09:24

It does make you wonder how some of these people passed their tests...

funkychunkymunky · 02/07/2010 09:25

When I was learning to drive my instructor told me about all sorts of people he had come across whilst waiting for his students to take their tests.
One woman took her shoes off to drive and the examiner told her she needed to be wearing them. She refused to put them on then refused to get in the car to take her test!
Another woman was asked to read the car reg on her way to her vehicle. The woman refused saying she wanted him to measure the distance out to prove it was the right amount. The examiner assured her it was less than the required amount but she kept refusing to read it. In the end he failed her before she even got in the car.

FioFio · 02/07/2010 09:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

darksideofthemooncup · 02/07/2010 09:29

I took my test in bare feet and passed! I can drive in shoes but not in flipflops or Birkenstocks, although I wouldn't make a fuss about it.....maybe I'm just weird

Jamieandhismagictorch · 02/07/2010 09:29

When I was an inexperienced driver I could only wear very thin-soled shoes, to feel the biting point. I still find it harder to drive in flip-flops, for instance.

So I do sort of understand. But bare feet - no ...

MrsBadger · 02/07/2010 09:29

yanbu
however I sometimes prefer to drive in bare feet if I am wearing something with inflexible soles eg Birkies, or shoes whose heels scuff easily

it's also lovely in the summmer when you can set the aircon to blow cool air over your toes (mmm)...

TrinityRhino · 02/07/2010 09:30

I would htink it odd to insist that you need to take your shoes off to drive but I do drive in bare feet sometimes
if I leave the house shoeless then I'm gonne drive shoeless

Lionstar · 02/07/2010 09:30

LOL at bear feet (I'm imagining some big fluffy things)

I can't drive in bare feet either, I need the rigidity of a shoe sole to help push the pedal down, I can only imagine these people have very 'loose' pedals?

AmazingBouncingFerret · 02/07/2010 09:32

giggles stupidly at the thought of bear feet!
FioFio

insertwittynicknameHERE · 02/07/2010 09:33

I don't drive but if I did I think I would probably do so bare foot, but then again I would go everywhere bare foot if I could lol.

I hate having to wear footwear.

FioFio · 02/07/2010 09:33

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Message withdrawn

TheChicOfIt · 02/07/2010 09:34

These drivers give women a bad name

HowAnnoying · 02/07/2010 09:35

If I'm wearing flip flops I take them off and drive bare foot. But have no problem driving in all other types of footwear. DP tells me off driving bare foot he says its illegal. I think its illegal to drive in flipflops!

Poledra · 02/07/2010 09:35

I have driven in bare feet, as other have said, when I'm wearing crap shoes for driving.

Like Jamie, when I first passed, I also found it hard to drive in, say, hiking boots, as I couldn't feel the biting point and would kangaroo the car out of the car park in front of these these hearty hiking types.....

FioFio · 02/07/2010 09:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
GetOrfMoiLand · 02/07/2010 09:38

I don't drive in flip flops - think it is probably dangerous.

Prefer driving in heels as you can pivot your foot on the heel, however it scuffs your shoes.

Driving in platform shoes takes a bit of getting used to.

OP posts:
Debs75 · 02/07/2010 09:38

I drive barefoot sometimes. I also wear shoes as little as possible and will happily wander around our estate with my shoes off.

I can however drive in most shoes, heels, trainers, flipflops. Maybe I am just a bit weird

Jamieandhismagictorch · 02/07/2010 09:41

lol at bear feet Fio

Poledra · 02/07/2010 09:41

FioFio, I want those! I'll keep them in the car as my driving shoes.

Yes, I used to be anal enough to keep a knackered old pair of shoes in my car to drive in, so I didn't scuff the heels of my nice shoes. The only reason I don't do it now is because the driving position in my mum-truck is such that I don't scuff the heels any more.

Original poster
GetOrfMoiLand · 02/07/2010 09:43

I am completely with keeping a pair of driving shoes in the car - i have a pair of ballet flats in the boot which I wear if I wam wearing nice heels.

But I would NOT take them off in front of 3 colleagues I barely (bearly ) knew, whilst simpering. Silly caaaa.

OP posts:
thumbwitch · 02/07/2010 09:43

I think driving barefoot is a bit dangerous, tbh. If you need to do an emergency stop, how are you going to stamp on the brake with bare feet? While it's not technically illegal, if you're in an accident the police might take into consideration that you were driving barefoot to say that you didn't have full control of the car.