# Whatever happened to "No shirt, no shoes . . . NO DICE!"?! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 9, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384 "2009-09-09T03:20:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![St.Anger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@St.Anger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Anger)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/1 "2009-09-09T03:20:44Z")
OK, I couldn’t resist one of my favorite lines from “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” but I’ve noticed an odd trend recently. In the past few weeks, on 3 separate occasions, I have witnessed people walking barefoot into convenience stores and a Dunkin’ Donuts. Now, frankly, it doesn’t upset me to the point I need to Pit them, but it seems peculiar: 1. It’s a violation. I have been conditioned, and raised, to never, EVER walk into a public establishment without shoes or a shirt. None of these three places were even at the beach, or a resort, where maybe that might be acceptable. Most places even make it clear on the door that shirt and shoes must be worn. During high school and college I worked on construction crews where it got hot to the point we would work shirtless in the summer and then go to a 7-11 or Wawa for lunch, and as we got out of the car in the parking lot, put our shirts on because we all knew it just was not cool to not wear them in the store. And I would never DREAM of walking in with no shoes. 1. Its a safety and health hazard. Not for me, since I’m wearing shoes. But why on God’s Green Earth would you want to walk into a convenience store or a Dunkin Donuts with no shoes knowing people have been walking in all kinds of stuff all day then standing where you are now standing? Not to mention the danger of broken glass, etc etc. There’s a reason many health codes prohibit bare feet in stores, restaurants, etc. etc. 2. I know there are some Bohemians that like to walk barefoot, but is it really THAT much of a hassle to slip on a pair of flip flops for 5 minutes so you can pick up your groceries or donuts? Even more odd, 2 of the people drove up in cars. Did they have any shoes in their cars? If not, then why was it that much trouble to throw on a pair of flip flops back at the house before deciding to drive out for some bagels? Again, not pit-worthy, but it just seems like an odd behavior, to me. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/2 "2009-09-09T07:48:35Z")
It’s not just you. It seems odd to me, too, and mostly for safety reasons. Why would anyone want to take a chance on stepping on a piece of broken glass, then stepping all over a bacteria-covered floor? They must never have seen or experienced a bad staph infection. Hey, Fred Flinstone, the Stone Age is over. Put something on your feet. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/3 "2009-09-09T12:04:20Z")
I’ve been noticing the shoe-less, shirt-less trend starting to pick up as well. In this state, it’s even illegal to drive without shoes (something about sweaty feet slipping off the pedals), so that would imply that people are driving to places, and then taking their shoes off to walk around. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/4 "2009-09-09T13:42:32Z")
> [@Red\_Skeezix](#): > > In this state, it’s even illegal to drive without shoes Not according to [this page](http://web.archive.org/web/20030618105020/http://www.urbanlegends.com/legal/driving.barefoot/driving_barefoot.html) it’s not illegal. Nor does it seem that [it’s illegal](http://www.barefooters.org/health-dept/) in most other places either. Just because someone puts up a sign doesn’t mean it’s true. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/5 "2009-09-09T14:28:00Z")
How about no pants? I was in the dollar store the other day, trying to scrape up enough change out of the bottom of my purse to pay for a bag of trail mix, and there was a group of rowdy teenagers in there. One girl had on a cut off t-shirt and thong bikini bottom, ass hanging out for all the world to gape at! Come directly from the pool, did you? She did have flip-flops on, though, so I guess she wasn’t all that bad. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/6 "2009-09-09T14:38:09Z")
> [@St.Anger](#): > > OK, I couldn’t resist one of my favorite lines from “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” but I’ve noticed an odd trend recently. In the past few weeks, on 3 separate occasions, I have witnessed people walking barefoot into convenience stores and a Dunkin’ Donuts. This is hilarious! Where do you live? ---
**Author:** ![Drygon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@Drygon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drygon)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/7 "2009-09-09T16:26:22Z")
I saw two guys walking around barefoot in a grocery store. One of them looked like he had been playing in the mud as he left a trail through the store. I was leaving at the time, so I didn’t get to see what happened to them. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/8 "2009-09-09T16:43:01Z")
i think the no shirt rule went by the wayside when people started getting better tattoo work. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/9 "2009-09-09T16:43:17Z")
That’s gross. I thought no shoes was at least a health hazard because you can track in all kinds of bacteria that doesn’t stick to shoes. I also read that sometimes hippie types will thread a piece of string through their toes so it looks like they’re wearing some kind of sandal and in reality they’re barefoot. If you’re going to go to all that trouble, why NOT just wear a pair of flip flops? ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/10 "2009-09-09T18:12:31Z")
I once saw a young woman barefoot at the _State Fair_. Do you know what’s on the ground at that place?! ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/11 "2009-09-10T00:04:34Z")
I always thought it was more of a way to keep “undesirables” out of the premises. Though health code sounds reasonable, too. A bar I used to go to had a sign that read: “If your armpits aren’t shaved, your shirt must have sleeves.” I thought that was a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/12 "2009-09-10T00:06:54Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > I always thought it was more of a way to keep “undesirables” out of the premises. Though health code sounds reasonable, too. Some Burger King manager took it too far last month and tried to eject a baby for not wearing shoes. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/13 "2009-09-10T00:10:49Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > I once saw a young woman barefoot at the _State Fair_. Do you know what’s on the ground at that place?! Bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/14 "2009-09-10T04:56:20Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > Not according to [this page](http://web.archive.org/web/20030618105020/http://www.urbanlegends.com/legal/driving.barefoot/driving_barefoot.html) it’s not illegal. Nor does it seem that [it’s illegal](http://www.barefooters.org/health-dept/) in most other places either. Just because someone puts up a sign doesn’t mean it’s true. I stand corrected. ---
**Author:** ![tetranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@tetranz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tetranz)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/15 "2009-09-10T11:25:57Z")
I think the health hazards of bare feet are overrated. We’re much more relaxed about bare feet in New Zealand. You can go barefoot into fast food places and most shops etc and nobody is likely to stop you. I’ve seen whole families walking around a supermarket barefoot. I haven’t heard of doctors or health department or anyone making a fuss about it. In the early days of the internet, I remember when someone posted something on the nz.general newsgroup that “In Georgia, USA, it’s illegal to drive without shoes”. The online laughter when on for days. We’d never heard of such a ridiculous law. I now know it’s not true in Georgia or anywhere else but a lot of people think it is. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/16 "2009-09-10T11:55:26Z")
> [@tetranz](#): > > I think the health hazards of bare feet are overrated. We’re much more relaxed about bare feet in New Zealand. You can go barefoot into fast food places and most shops etc and nobody is likely to stop you. I’ve seen whole families walking around a supermarket barefoot. I haven’t heard of doctors or health department or anyone making a fuss about it. > > In the early days of the internet, I remember when someone posted something on the nz.general newsgroup that “In Georgia, USA, it’s illegal to drive without shoes”. The online laughter when on for days. We’d never heard of such a ridiculous law. I now know it’s not true in Georgia or anywhere else but a lot of people think it is. I think it depends where in NZ you are- I grew up in Christchurch and people just didn’t go around without shoes. Wasn’t done, unless you were from one of the “disadvantaged” areas. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/17 "2009-09-10T12:09:46Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Bullshit. Dude, I would go barefoot into the animal exhibits a LONG time before I’d go barefoot into the rides area. Bullshit is the least of what you find on the ground at the Fair. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/18 "2009-09-10T17:03:40Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > That’s gross. I thought no shoes was at least a health hazard because you can track in all kinds of bacteria that doesn’t stick to shoes. > > I also read that sometimes hippie types will thread a piece of string through their toes so it looks like they’re wearing some kind of sandal and in reality they’re barefoot. If you’re going to go to all that trouble, why NOT just wear a pair of flip flops? Shoes bring in just as much bacteria. Any health concern should be over the person with the bare feet (possibly stepping in crap, or on broken glass or something), not the other people. I’d love to go barefoot everywhere if I could. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/19 "2009-09-10T17:19:16Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Dude, I would go barefoot into the animal exhibits a LONG time before I’d go barefoot into the rides area. Bullshit is the least of what you find on the ground at the Fair. I walked barefoot for a little while at last year’s Bonnaroo because my shoes were killing me, and I wore sandals at the festival the year before, which might as well have been walking barefoot. As long as you watch where you’re walking, I don’t see the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384/20 "2009-09-10T17:23:05Z")
> [@zweisamkeit](#): > > Shoes bring in just as much bacteria. Any health concern should be over the person with the bare feet (possibly stepping in crap, or on broken glass or something), not the other people. > > I’d love to go barefoot everywhere if I could. Are you sure? I was told by someone (not really much of a cite, I know) that living bacteria can attach to feet which they don’t to just shoes. > [@Aesiron](#): > > I walked barefoot for a little while at last year’s Bonnaroo because my shoes were killing me, and I wore sandals at the festival the year before, which might as well have been walking barefoot. As long as you watch where you’re walking, I don’t see the issue. How are sandals like walking barefoot? Your soles are covered. I’m with **Zsofia** –walking barefoot at a State Fair seems gross. I’d be so paranoid about stepping in something. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatever-happened-to-no-shirt-no-shoes-no-dice/509384.md?page=2)