Is it illegal to drive barefoot in SA?

Ooshp · **Posted:** 3 Nov 09, 12:22 pm

There's no law specifically against driving barefoot. I thought there was one about loose footwear, but I could be wrong. If they really don't like you or your choice of footwear they can give you a fine for failing to maintain proper control of a vehicle.

Either way a slap on the wrist from a copper is not what you should be worried about. If you run over a kid and their insurance company finds your choice of footwear hindered your control of the vehicle, you are in very deep poo indeed.

Admiral_Bayls · **Posted:** 3 Nov 09, 12:25 pm

Ooshp wrote:

If you run over a kid and their insurance company finds your choice of footwear hindered your control of the vehicle, you are in very deep poo indeed.

TBH, I'd be more concerned that I'd killed a child than the insurance implications of my choice of footwear.

Sygate666 · **Posted:** 4 Nov 09, 1:36 pm

I've also been told several times that driving barefoot is indeed illegal.

One time I was driving (barefoot) and pulled up into a servo and noticed a cop car at another pump with a female cop filling up. I walked up to her and asked if it was actually illegal.

The first thing she did before even replying was looked at my feet to see no shoes, looked back up at me and said "Nah it's perfectly fine driving barefoot".

She also had a bit of a laugh about the fact I wasn't sure whether it was illegal or not but I was still driving and would even stroll up and ask an officer without shoes on.

jpeyper · **Joined:** 22 Aug 07, 2:59 pm **Posts:** 782

its never ever occurred to me to drive barefoot. if im going somewhere ill need shoes when i get there... and if i take them off ill have to put them back on, and thats just a waste of time.

plus its usually way to cold in tassie to go around barefoot.

R3-5eNn · **Posted:** 5 Nov 09, 8:00 pm

Sygate666 wrote:

One time I was driving (barefoot) and pulled up into a servo and noticed a cop car at another pump with a female cop filling up. I walked up to her and asked if it was actually illegal.

Walking around a servo bare foot?

Derros these days... :dodgy:

TheScientist · **Posted:** 6 Nov 09, 2:06 pm

jpeyper wrote:

its never ever occurred to me to drive barefoot. if im going somewhere ill need shoes when i get there... and if i take them off ill have to put them back on, and thats just a waste of time.

plus its usually way to cold in tassie to go around barefoot.

more useful consideration if wearing thongs. to me thongs = unsafe for driving.

if it's shoes i wouldn't bother taking them off either unless it was really hot

Lurk · **Posted:** 6 Nov 09, 5:35 pm

R3-5eNn wrote:

Derros these days...

One word: Perth.

TheScientist wrote:

thongs = unsafe for driving.

Agreed.

Barefoot you actually have really good grip, but thongs are loose and flop around and can be a hazard.

R3-5eNn · **Posted:** 6 Nov 09, 5:49 pm

Lurk wrote:

TheScientist wrote:

thongs = unsafe for driving.

Agreed.

Barefoot you actually have really good grip, but thongs are loose and flop around and can be a hazard.

I'm another one who agrees with this and frequently tell my dad off for it

Thongs can get caught around the pedal, it isn't worth the risk.

I prefer driving barefoot than wearing shoes, I've had shoe laces get caught around pedals also... kinda scary when it happens.

Tagert · **Posted:** 6 Nov 09, 5:53 pm

Jeeze. Couldn't imagine driving without shoes, to be honest.

And people saying how they need their shoes off to feel their clutch: 0_o

(I perhaps understand the people who say it's easier, but I'd prefer to learn to do it with shoes on so I know what it feels like with something in the way.

)

Cut Throat · **Posted:** 6 Nov 09, 5:58 pm

I drove without shoes to learn my clutch the first time i drove a manual for about 2 months but then i just got in and forgot about it and was like "oh"

Don't get how you can still need to not wear shoes to feel it

Batesy · **Posted:** 6 Nov 09, 6:28 pm

Its not illegal to drive barefoot. You're not allowed to have anything (shoes) in the foot well whilst driving tho.

Marshy919 · **Joined:** 6 Nov 09, 9:05 pm **Posts:** 5

Id say it would be fine barefoot, just not thongs

Jez · **Posted:** 6 Nov 09, 11:36 pm

I don't see why it would be, I haven't tried driving barefoot, but my Dad does it all the time and it doesn't seem to impair his driving ability. I'd imagine some types of footwear might actually interfere, like high heels or thongs.

lanklock · **Posted:** 7 Nov 09, 4:32 pm

Word of advice:
When driving barefoot, don't leave your shoes in the foot well as they may become lodged under the brake pedal and hinder your ability to stop.
Sounds silly but things like this do happen.

rieper47 · **Joined:** 9 Aug 09, 2:56 pm **Posts:** 5

Yes i do believe it is illegal but i've no source, I'm pretty sure its been like that for a long time. They may easily have changed it, I'm never upto date..

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