Caution about footwear while driving

[Vapour Trails]

I had an incident today at autocross that involved my foot slipping off the brake pedal and getting temporarily trapped between the brake and gas pedals. I was doing about 60 mph approaching a chicago box that required a big reduction in speed. I got on the brakes harder than usual approaching it and my foot slipped right off the brake.

The cause: my stupid sketcher shoes. They are very new and I never took a close look at the tread, but it is not unlike a field cleat. This reduced the surface area or contact patch with the pedal and with strong braking it slipped off pretty easily. Compounding the problem, the width of the shoe (wider than most) made it easier to get the shoe stuck between pedals.

Wear a narrow, thin soled, flat bottom shoe. If this had happened at a track or even on the street, the results could have been terrible.

 

[Kaldar142]

Been there done that, not fun. I generally tend to wear narrower shoes now, especially when driving the miata. If the shoes are wide i end up hitting 2 pedals at once... No joke lol

 

[DusterRT]

All Stars FTW!

 

[kylecm85]

I have noticed that problem with wide shoes. Hitting the gas and brake at the same time. It can be scary if your trying to slow down fast.

 

[lito]

Now that we are talking shoes, got a piloti sebring cheap and that things are rock hard! have been using them on for about a month and still.

Are they supposed to be this way?

 

[Philostang]

I wear Piloti Sebring shoes for street driving, and like my other Piloti experiences I love them (though they tend to run narrow for my big foot). The Sebring are a bit stiffer than others in their line.

Piloti shoes are generally designed to be pretty stiff, especially on the outside edge of the foot. That makes heel-toe shifting easier for me. The heels are also pretty solid (they're very round for pivoting), so walking around can be a bit stiff at first. I've got a very old pair of Piloti that finally softened up in flex, but I wore them a lot before they were really supple.

You know, way back when I was a little chittlin' I used to wrestle. I wore the cheapest most p.o.s. shoes around and did pretty well against all those split-sole latest-and-greatest wearing opponents, so I always thought "fancy" sports shoes were more gimmick than value. But I have to say, I really like driving with my Piloti shoes far more than with any other non-driving shoe I've worn. Just my 2 cents.

Best,
-j

 

[lito]

For heel-toeing I bought the huge accel pedal from ultimate so I do not have a problem there, is huge! lol.

The other day went to the track with the sebring's the first time, and used to simpson they felt to stiff for me.

Also I have a bad habit on how I heel and toe. I am more a pinky-toe kind of braker, lol.

 

[ClassJ]

I have had the same thing happen in dress shoes of all things. The had an odd foam like bottom and slid right off of the brake coming into my favorite morning commute corner.

In the 944, the footwell is tight, any type of boot on my size 12 foot and it gets uncomfortable.

 

[VTXFrank]

Let it happen with Army boots on. You'll come to a stop from coasting before you get your boot out from between the pedals! Had it happen once in my Trailblazer. From that point on, I was very wary of it. Had to use the shifter and Parking Brake to come to a stop. Luckily, I was able to dodge into a parking lot when it happened.

 

[foolio2k4]

i noticed some of the japanese racers using onitsukas. So i've been rocking those for driving events.

 

[Zexford]

I wear my boots to my base on drill weekends, I certainly not move my feet as fast with them on, they weight probably +/-9lbs, I hate it, I always hit two pedals at once with them. I normally wear my Pumas when driving, very narrow with a curved heel.

 

[RazorbackMustang]

All Stars FTW!

+1. I always wear my Chuck Taylors when driving the Mustang.

 

[Ch4r1ie]

To drive, I only ever wear Puma driving shoes or, when at the track, my Diadora driving boots. Both are pretty much essential for proper pedal feel & to heel-toe.

 

[kevinatfms]

took an old pair of american eagle shoes and removed the rubber portion and added sort of grip tape to them, they are thin and narrow, light, and offer breathing through the tongue area. they look ratty but work like a charm, havent had a single problem...yet

 

[corruptor]

For heel-toeing I bought the huge accel pedal from ultimate so I do not have a problem there, is huge! lol.

Got any pics of your accel pedal setup? I'm having trouble heel/toeing (well, really side to side rolling onto the brake and gas pedal) cleanly when I'm NOT wearing wide shoes cause the pedals are so far apart. I'm a side-to-side roller type, not really heel/toe dude.

 

[Chris B.]

I wear light weight hiking boots for most of my daily driving. I can heel & toe easily in them. I noticed that I usually wear light weight running shoes during HPDE events and I have more trouble with heel & toe in them than when I'm wearing the hiking boots.

 

[Random Asshole]

+2 for the Chucks. But if you have a stiff clutch, you're left foot is gonna be sore at the end of a hard track day the first couple times.

Everyone's got puma speedcats or piloti's and I've gotten too lazy to swap into my retro pimpin' adidas 70's f1 styled shoes. They're pretty slick, though. Got a very stiff and narrow tire tread sole and goodyear sidewall. (adidas tuscany)

 

[RedMustang]

+2 for the Chucks. But if you have a stiff clutch, you're left foot is gonna be sore at the end of a hard track day the first couple times.

Everyone's got puma speedcats or piloti's and I've gotten too lazy to swap into my retro pimpin' adidas 70's f1 styled shoes. They're pretty slick, though. Got a very stiff and narrow tire tread sole and goodyear sidewall. (adidas tuscany)

 

[HellsBells]

What if you have wide feet to begin with?

 

[Daniel Day]

Puma Speedcats here.