Are we allowed to drive our cars with bare feet??

[Renegade]

I just find myself wearing shorts and thongs for most of my leisure time at this time of year and I usually just jump in my car and kick off the thongs and drive bare footed.

Just wondering if I ever got pulled over at a breatho or similar would I get pinged for driving in bare feet?

Anyone here been told by the police whilst been pulled over that you must have shoes on whilst driving?

[XPL37V]

I think at one stage it was illegal but they changed it as wearing thongs was more dangerous, so in NSW and Vic its Legal

[CFOUR]

your not allowed loose items in the drivers footwell even a loose floormat is an offence

[XRGhia]

If I'm wearing thongs, especially if I'm in a manual car, I'll drive bare feet.

Last I was told it's still illegal.

[JC]

Bare feet is fine to drive in - safer than thongs, for sure.

An article explaining some laws and myths - thongs are at the end.....

http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor...817-24bzf.html

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by JC

Bare feet is fine to drive in - safer than thongs, for sure.

An article explaining some laws and myths - thongs are at the end.....

http://news.drive.com.au/drive/motor...817-24bzf.html

There are a lot of things there....

Including driving with arms etc outside windows which I see all the time. I knew that was illegal from when I got my licence 40 years ago, but nobody else seems to know that these days.

But it doesn't say wearing thongs in Vic is illegal while driving, nor bare feet, which I thought was the case. Some slip-ons could be dangerous if they don't bend out of the way easily after getting caught in the pedals.

But it is always the drivers responsibility to have full control of the vehicle at all times, regardless of what footwear they are wearing. If there is an accident due to footwear, that would come under careless driving.

[MITCHAY]

It would be much safer to drive barefoot than in thongs. How often do they slip off not even driving?

I don't think there would be specific legislation but if found to contribute in an accident I guess it would be covered under failure to keep proper control of a vehicle provisions.

I doubt it would be common place unless someone made reference to their footwear or lack of in causing the accident.

[Jack960]

Don't drive barefoot too often. I did it all last summer, didn't drive with shoes for ages. Went to drive with shoes on and found myself stalling etc cause I couldn't feel the peddles near as well as I can barefoot. Since then I haven't driven manual with shoes on, its really quite annoying haha

I have been pulled over and the cop pointed his torch in the foot well, he didn't care about me being barefoot.

[ozpacman]

It's certainly legal to drive barefoot in Queensland. Also legal to drive in thongs - luckily, otherwise we Queenslanders could get a ticket whilst we are are on our way to a wedding or anything!

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by ozpacman

It's certainly legal to drive barefoot in Queensland. Also legal to drive in thongs - luckily, otherwise we Queenslanders could get a ticket whilst we are are on our way to a wedding or anything!

Precisely, same here in Boganville. Plus on long trips i will take my thongs off and stash them under the seat because it is more comfortable.

[Jastel]

JC

What a good reason to have National laws!
Of course there will be decades of argument about who changes to the others laws.

Drive in barefoot often, thongs and high heels is just asking for a crash.

[EgoFG]

Originally Posted by Jastel

JC
...
Drive in barefoot often, thongs and high heels is just asking for a crash.

There was a Mythbusters episode on this that concluded little difference - even when the blokes wore highheels.

I'll try and find a reference.

EDIT: Episode 184 (aired in 2012)

[Franco Cozzo]

I can't drive in runners/light shoes/bare feet, feels weird to me, I'm always driving in my boots.

[Geez Louise]

I have never seen anything saying driving bare feet is illegal, I will keep driving with my little piggies on display I find it easier to drive in bare feet.

Having loose objects in the car is illegal though(or so I have been told) I once was pulled over and had my handbag on the passengers seat. I nearly copped a fine for an unsecured load...I told the lovely policeman that I would fight that one in court and so he let me off with a verbal warning...pfft!

Cheers
Col

[Spurious]

Originally Posted by Geez Louise

I have never seen anything saying driving bare feet is illegal, I will keep driving with my little piggies on display I find it easier to drive in bare feet.

Having loose objects in the car is illegal though(or so I have been told) I once was pulled over and had my handbag on the passengers seat. I nearly copped a fine for an unsecured load...I told the lovely policeman that I would fight that one in court and so he let me off with a verbal warning...pfft!

Cheers
Col

"Unsecured load eh' ", I guess that cop hasn't seen slow mo' vehicle crash tests. Parts of the interior that are screwed down often come off! Should've asked him to define that term.

I was told to never wear thongs or socks whilst driving. The edge of a pedal can easily get wedged between your foot & the thong & socks makes the pedals slippery. Bare feet is A'OK as is secured footwear.

One should also consider the ramifications of having a crash with no shoes on. I've seen drivers ed' photo's of people involved in fatals who weren't wearing shoes. Some fatal because they weren't wearing shoes! TRUE.
One photo featured a young girl who hit a concrete bridge column at 60kph in an older model Corolla, parts of the dash/steering column penetrated her feat causing exsanguination. Shoes would have minimized the damage.
Also smashed glass would be of concern.

[MercurySilver]

So 80% of the population would get done for loose floor mats???

I drive barefoot all summer.
We have a copper visiting the workplace sometime late this month for any questions on road rules etc....I'll ask him if we can drive barefoot in SA.

[Renegade]

Originally Posted by MercurySilver

We have a copper visiting the workplace sometime late this month for any questions on road rules etc....I'll ask him if we can drive barefoot in SA.

Thanks for that.

[Nikked]

I always kick my thongs off when doing a long stretch...

[XR Martin]

Originally Posted by Nikked

I always kick my thongs off when doing a long stretch...

But this is a thread about footwear, not underwear...

[pottery beige]

i steer with my knees all the time when i'm texting

with bare feet

[EgoFG]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

i steer with my knees all the time when i'm texting

with bare feet

I find it easier to text with bare feet than with shoes - neoprene does not activate the touchscreen.

[LG17]

Never drive in thongs - too bloody dangerous.
I've been driving bare footed for over 47 years; best way to drive as it gives you more feel.

[ebxr8240]

Yea I have issues driving in high heels..Lol..

[AU1XLS]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Yea I have issues driving in high heels..Lol..

Pinkbits does too, he has a pair of those jiffy slip on's for driving.
The type you carry in your hand bag when your not wearing them

[blk6t]

surely it has to be legal, can you imagine how many young girls trying to drive in those really high heels they wear at clubs. They are far more dangerous than thongs and I would prefer to see them driving barefoot than with the high heels on.

[ratter]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Yea I have issues driving in high heels..Lol..

but if drag racing, you need the high heels to match the dress

[93EB_SXR6]

I drive barefoot all the time because I practically only ever wear thongs. In winter I usually kick the ugg boots off and drive barefoot too.

Yep, 100% bogan.

[kypez]

I have size 16 feet and have no choice but to drive bare feet. When I have shoes on I tend to hit 2 pedals at once. Much easier driving with my big toe on the brake and little toe on the accelerator.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[GK]

Originally Posted by kypez

I have size 16 feet and have no choice but to drive bare feet. When I have shoes on I tend to hit 2 pedals at once. Much easier driving with my big toe on the brake and little toe on the accelerator.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Size 16! Hooley Dooley!

So I guess you play basketball in your spare time then???

GK

[Vesper Martini]

Lets see what Tracy has to say:
http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/article/84...h-heel-drivers