You wouldn’t believe how many features barefoot shoes and electric cars have in common.
Honestly, before we won the South Bohemian Company of the Year, where one of the prizes was the loan of a Volkswagen ID.5 electric car, we didn’t even think about it…But now that we’ve been testing it for a month, we thought we’d share our experiences driving it in barefoot shoes.
How to drive an electric car?
What does an electric car have in common with barefoot? First and foremost, comfort without limits. You come, sit and go. There's no inserting of the key or starting up, no clutch, no first gear, and hopping forward. We don't need to mention the stylish interior and exterior. Just like when you put on barefoot shoes, your toes feel the luxury of free space.
When you hit the road, there is silence! Unless, of course, children are screaming in the back. And the engine certainly won’t be louder than your favourite pop, rock, or folk star. Similarly, you won't hear the light gait in barefoot shoes, especially if you can tread sensitively.
And the acceleration! Electric cars accelerate even faster than formula 1. At least, it seems that way to us. :-) In the same manner, the foot bounces off the big toe when stepping and shoots forward, thanks to the functional arch.
We feel safe in an electric car and barefoot shoes, but there is one difference. While barefoot shoes force the foot to work actively and strengthen the muscles, in an electric vehicle, you can lounge around. Thanks to a load of helpful systems, such as automatic braking when entering a village or a heads-up display that turns the windshield into a screen, you can enjoy a tranquil journey. Safety systems keep an eye on you, so don’t drift from all the comfort into another lane. The seat automatically shifts for easier getting out, ambient light helps you customise the interior to your liking, a route planner picks a charging station during your trip, and a panoramic roof provides a beautiful view. Volkswagen spoils you with these little things. Everything has intuitive controls, and if you don’t feel like pressing anything on the touchscreen or steering wheel while driving, voice control is there to save you.
As we’ve grown accustomed to the comfort of barefoot shoes, we wouldn’t want any other. For the same reason, we are not looking forward to the last loading of the kids and their school bags into the ID.5 because we have to return the Volkswagen in a few days. We got used to it quickly. And I’m not a person who enjoys new things, especially electronics, because of the change in settings and controls. But, after the first drive, I felt like I’d known the car for a long time.
Can you drive in barefoot shoes?
Look at the motorsport shoes, how thin the soles are! The minimal sole thickness gives the maximum pedal sensitivity. If you’ve ever tried driving in stiff boots, you know how they take away the ability to feel the clutch, accelerator, or brake.
Many drivers, therefore, keep flip-flops in the car to change into, but beware, they don’t stay on your feet very well, so safe driving is out of the question! Although perhaps better than stilettos, where the foot can easily twist and cause trouble.
Or drive completely barefoot? For us, far better, at least in sock shoes, which you can easily roll up into a glove compartment, and you can be sure that they won’t slip and protect your feet from the dirt road or parking lot where you get out after the ride. Oh, and if you happen to worry about the cold from the pedals in the winter like our permanently frozen marketer Ondra, put on your winter barefoot boots and go! Or maybe the car manufacturer will start making the heated pedals when cars like ID.5 already have heated seats, steering wheels, windshields, and wing mirrors.
We’ve been driving in barefoot shoes for years, so we can only recommend them as footwear for drivers. Would you like to try it?
