# Can you walk a straight line heel to toe for 25 paces? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 4, 2014, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609 "2014-11-04T12:41:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/1 "2014-11-04T12:41:00Z")
And don’t just answer ‘yes’ because you think you can. Step back from your computer, do it, and get back to me. 🙂 I only ask this indulgence because a coworker of mine was making fun of me because I couldn’t do it. Not on the first attempt anyway. I then asked my coworker to show me how it’s done and to his surprise, he failed too! (On the first attempt.) ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/2 "2014-11-04T12:48:59Z")
_\_ That was harder than I thought, but I managed on my second try. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/3 "2014-11-04T12:55:03Z")
I did twenty quite easily, then hit the wall (not metaphorical - the room’s just not that big). So I very much suspect yes, but can’t prove it. Interestingly, my next thought was “well, I’ll just turn around and finish”, so I swivelled on my toes (with no problem), did three steps (with apparently no problem) and then unexpectedly fell right off the line on the fourth. Not quite sure what happened there, but the effect was repeatable. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/4 "2014-11-04T13:13:39Z")
Yep, and it was easy. I had one minor bobble when the dog bonked me right behind my weight-bearing knee, but even so I just marched along in teeny tiny heel-toe steps 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/5 "2014-11-04T16:03:40Z")
My room is only 13 steps long, so I swiveled at the end and turned around. Seemed easy enough. The rest of you need to lay off the bottle. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/6 "2014-11-04T16:34:34Z")
Yeah, easy. I’m surprised that some people find this difficult. I wonder what’s going on there. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/7 "2014-11-04T17:46:27Z")
Never tried before and found it harder than I expected. My knees still feel it and will for a bit, I’m betting. ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/8 "2014-11-04T17:54:54Z")
I can do it, but it was easier when I stopped looking at my feet and looked ahead. ---
**Author:** ![jayrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/47e85d/32.png) [@jayrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayrey)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/9 "2014-11-04T18:35:17Z")
Yes, I could do it, but I got a bit wobbly at about step 16, then settled down again. And, I’m not going to set any land speed records. Oddly enough, now my left knee hurts. What is up with that?! ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/10 "2014-11-04T19:31:51Z")
I just tried it. No problem. ---
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/11 "2014-11-04T20:59:11Z")
I did it, but I can’t say it was, or looked, effortless. I think that test is designed to make people look drunk even if they are cold sober. Most people, I suspect, can’t do it without looking tipsy. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/12 "2014-11-04T21:14:48Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > Yeah, easy. I’m surprised that some people find this difficult. I wonder what’s going on there. Tandem gait can be impaired due to dystaxia, or lack of motor coordination. Your typical klutz will have problems with it. People who have visual problems may also not be able to do it. To address the poll, no, I can’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/13 "2014-11-04T22:15:48Z")
Never been able to do it. I can’t even do it with my arms held out for balance. If a cop ever wanted me to walk a line to prove I wasn’t drunk (not that I drink and drive, but I do speed at times), I’d be sitting in the drunk tank faster than it took me to type this post. ---
**Author:** ![Aangelica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Aangelica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aangelica)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/14 "2014-11-04T22:24:45Z")
I can only do it if I’m not having a bad joints kind of day. It stresses my knee joint in a way that the joint Does Not Care For, which can cause a loss of joint stability for me. My balance is fine, but my knees are pretty shot (have been since my teens) so this kind of thing is sometimes unpredictably nasty for me. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/15 "2014-11-04T22:37:02Z")
Yes. In fact, I can even do it in heels (don’t ask). ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/16 "2014-11-05T00:23:25Z")
I can roll a wheelchair in a straight line, does that count? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/17 "2014-11-05T00:31:29Z")
Yes, pretty easy. My shoes are always almost exactly 12 inches long, so I practice a lot, measuring rooms or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Reyemile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@Reyemile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reyemile)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/18 "2014-11-05T01:39:48Z")
Harder than I expected. Made it on the first try, but it kinda doesn’t count since my shoulder hit the wall of the narrow hallway I was in and there’s a fair chance I would have fallen without the support ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/19 "2014-11-05T01:56:23Z")
The slower I walk the line, the more challenge I’ll have. If I can allow a little sloppiness in foot placement to keep my speed up, then my momentum does help me to stay upright and moving straight ahead. If I’m essentially standing still and moving one foot at a time, I’ll have a fair bit of trouble staying on it precisely. For anyone worried about passing a police inspection: I understand that they’re pretty lenient on little mistakes. People who are really drunk don’t just slip up once or twice. The expression “falling-down drunk” isn’t just an expression. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2014, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609/20 "2014-11-05T02:01:51Z")
Easy. Did balance beam as a kid and still walk curbs and parking blocks when occupying myself waiting for buses or friends in stores or whatever. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-walk-a-straight-line-heel-to-toe-for-25-paces/703609.md?page=2)