# Legal question about "footwear" while driving... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 15, 2011, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970 "2011-05-15T08:17:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/1 "2011-05-15T08:17:40Z")
Not a particularly important question, I realize. And no, I haven’t received a ticket for it. I live in Texas. (specifically, Houston) I can’t recall where or even when, but I’ve heard that it is illegal to drive “shoeless” (ie:with bare feet).:dubious: Any of the teeming millions out there have any knowledge upon the subject?😕 ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/2 "2011-05-15T08:20:45Z")
Back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth and Usenet was still a thriving part of online life, Jason Heimbaugh researched this question on behalf of the newsgroup alt.folklore.urban. His conclusion: driving barefoot is legal anywhere in the United States. [Here’s a summary of what he found out.](http://tafkac.org/legal/driving.barefoot/driving_barefoot.html) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/3 "2011-05-15T11:34:48Z")
This has been discussed many times and every year on these boards. Yes you can drive barefoot. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/4 "2011-05-15T13:05:22Z")
In fact, I feel I have better control when driving barefoot; a slippery sole cannot slip off a pedal, nor an oversize boot cause me to hit two pedals at once (which has happened). ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/5 "2011-05-15T15:03:01Z")
Barefoot driving is legal in the US. [http://www.barefooters.org/faq/18.html](http://www.barefooters.org/faq/18.html) ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/6 "2011-05-15T16:25:15Z")
I’d often drive with my left shoe off when I was driving a manual–felt like I had _much_ better control over the clutch that way. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/7 "2011-05-15T17:50:36Z")
> [@JBDivmstr](#): > > I can’t recall where or even when, but I’ve heard that it is illegal to drive “shoeless” Well, I guess I need to stay off the roads then. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/8 "2011-05-15T17:58:55Z")
My brother in law was ticketed for it in the 50’s on Presque Isle in Pennsylvania. Current Huston law? ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/9 "2011-05-15T18:28:09Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > I’d often drive with my left shoe off when I was driving a manual–felt like I had _much_ better control over the clutch that way. What is this “clutch” of which you write? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/10 "2011-05-15T19:20:38Z")
> [@KlondikeGeoff](#): > > What is this “clutch” of which you write? 😃 I think he uses a small purse as a footrest. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/11 "2011-05-15T20:22:30Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Well, I guess I need to stay off the roads then. ☹ Only if someone is driving you. ---
**Author:** ![Nightfall1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@Nightfall1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightfall1)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/12 "2011-05-16T01:07:47Z")
I have a friend who is a police officer. He said you REALLY don’t want to drive barefoot. Any car accident involves broken glass and sharp pieces of metal. You don’t want to crawl or walk over either of those things when you’re trying to get out of your car. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/13 "2011-05-16T16:12:00Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > This has been discussed many times and every year on these boards. Yes you can drive barefoot. My sincere apologies for _ **not** _, “doing my homework”. ☹ I feel properly chastised. :smack: Nightfall1 brings up an excellent reason for not driving barefoot! ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/14 "2011-05-16T16:23:22Z")
> [@thelabdude](#): > > My brother in law was ticketed for it in the 50’s on Presque Isle in Pennsylvania. Current Huston law? I’m curious about this, and not doubting your word. Barb and I used to be friends with a guy who was convicted in a New York State town justice’s court of having sex with his girlfriend (both being of age and consenting) in other than the missionary position, so it’s not impossible it happened even if it was legal under PA state law. Can you get any details? Local ordinance? Reduced charge? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/15 "2011-05-16T16:38:36Z")
I think it was last season’s “Canada’s Worst Driver” where the instructors told a woman that she should wear proper flat shoes for driving, not the stilettos she was always wearing. I don’t think it was a legal thing but a “drive without hitting other cars and people” thing - high-heeled shoes get in the way of working the pedals properly. It seemed sort of relevant here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gymnopithys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@Gymnopithys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gymnopithys)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/16 "2011-05-16T16:44:59Z")
In Switzerland, and probably other European countries, U.S. and Canada, it is illegal to drive with ski boots on (wonder why :)) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/17 "2011-05-16T16:56:17Z")
The only thing you need to be aware of is making sure you don’t leave your disembodied shoe on the floor of the driver’s side. If it slides underneath the brake pedal, things could go south very quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/18 "2011-05-16T17:01:29Z")
[QUOTE=JBDivmstr] Pardon a noob’s faus paux… [/QUOTE] Noob? Crikey! You’r a 99er. That’s only one step below the First Ones: The Revered AOLers. [bowing head as I write that name] ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/19 "2011-05-16T17:15:59Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > I’m curious about this, and not doubting your word. Barb and I used to be friends with a guy who was convicted in a New York State town justice’s court of having sex with his girlfriend (both being of age and consenting) in other than the missionary position, so it’s not impossible it happened even if it was legal under PA state law. Can you get any details? Local ordinance? Reduced charge? Sorry I was a kid then. I believe the area is a state park. It has extensive beaches on Lake Erie, a favorite playground. As a kid, that was where my family spent their vacations. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970/20 "2011-05-16T18:33:58Z")
I dont have a link to the relevant rcw (Washington state laws) but I believe its illegal to drive in flip flops or other shoes with no heel or heel strap as they can fall off. I prefer driving barefoot but keep sandals handy so I dont know why I would be running around barefoot at the scene of a crash under most situations. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-question-about-footwear-while-driving/581970.md?page=2)