Would it be possible for me to go barefoot 24/7/365?

Question

I am a taken man, and have very tough feet. After extensive research, I have found that there is no law prohibiting bare feet anywhere except in places where you work when there is a danger of falling or rolling objects, and such footwear need be approved for safety. I am happy with the idea, and choice, and i have been barefoot for the past 3 months, do you think I can do it for a year? or longer?

Answer 1

It would depend a bit on where you live and what your job is, but I am always barefoot, have been for more than eleven years, and it's working just fine for me!

You are correct, there are no laws requiring footwear, even at many places of work and certainly not for customers. However unfortunately a lot of places in the US set their own dress codes, either because they believe in the urban legend that it is against Health Department codes or because they simply dislike bare feet (they can require any kind of dress regardless of whether it's required by law, just like a restaurant can require suit and tie -they could require their customers to wear a red clown's nose if they wanted to). So if you're in the US you'll probably run into that kind of thing some of the time, and then it depends on how much you need that particular business if you can just go elsewhere or have to wear shoes to get what you want. In a small town you'll have less options, in a city you'll probably be able to purchase anything you need or eat out etc just by patronizing a business that does not discriminate based on appearance. In other countries --not just third world countries where health and safety rules are often ignored, but also Canada, Western Europe, Australia- signs and dress codes prohibiting bare feet are rare. I've never even seen a 'no shoes, no shirts, no service' sign here in the Netherlands, nor on my trips to Belgium and Scotland.

Driving barefoot is legal too; see source. Some cops are convinced it's unsafe and even though they know it's not illegal may try to write you up for unsafe or reckless driving, however please see the further links in the source, for two sites (one from the Michigan PD, one from an Australian newspaper) making it clear that driving barefoot is no more unsafe than many types of footwear that are regularly worn and could even be considered safer than many kinds of shoes.

As for the weather, many people believe we need footwear to protect our feet from the heat or the cold. Now while managers and other people can be argued with, it's no use arguing with nature, so if you live in a place where it gets very hot in summer or very cold in winter, it may be a good idea to carry backup footwear on hot or cold days just in case. However, as your feet get tough and your body gets used to going barefoot, you may find you need it rarely or eventually not at all. Our limits are much further apart than most people who regularly wear shoes think (or than you should attempt suddenly, without giving your feet time to adjust!). Think of how the aboriginals walk barefoot in the Australian desert, and I've seen pictures of Asian sherpa's walking barefoot in the deep snow on a mountain. Myself, I have little experience with heat (we hit 104F/40C for the first time ever in 2006, most summers only have a few days over 86F/30C), but by keeping the rest of my body warm I can go barefoot in temperatures well below freezing and I've even worked outdoors for several hours at a time in snow without any numbness or pain when warming up. I describe in more detail how I did this in an older question here: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;... (this was written at the start of the winter before last; my body is still getting more used to it. I haven't even needed my barefoot gaiters in the last two winters at all)

If you have any more questions feel free to ask, I do have email turned on but I don't check my Yahoo account that often so it may take a while to get back to you.

Answer 2

as already said, it depends on the climate conditions where you live.

There are indeed no laws against it in any country that I know of, and anyone trying to deny you entry based on a claim that there are may in fact be breaking the law by doing so (in my experience most stores won't deny you entry if you look smart overall, so no torn shirts, dirty trousers, unwashed hair, and other things that make you look like a street bum).

They don't care your bare feet as long as they have the expectation that you're a customer rather than a shoplifter.

Workplace can be more difficult. Most companies have unwritten rules (or written ones) dictating that staff look "representative", which usually means you have to look like everyone else (and in some cases means you have to wear a suit and tie with dress shoes even if you're never going to see a customer).

Answer 3

depends where you live- is it going to snow in the winter? hehe. also, while it's not prohibited, i'd say there are a fair amount of places that reserve the right to kick you out with the 'no shirt no shoes' policy.

Answer 4

sure just as long as u watch where u walk

Answer 5

You will go through many arguments with store and bussiness owners, many do not allow barefoot/shirtless customers and will kick you out pronto. GREAT IDEA THOUGH!