Driving Barefoot May Noticeably Improve Gas Mileage

With gas prices in the U.S. on the rise and warmer weather becoming more regular, I wanted to revisit a topic I blogged about almost two years ago. I decided to do a little experiment to more definitively find out if the act of driving barefoot has any real impact on gas mileage. I wasn't terribly surprised by the results.

Driving barefoot may improve your gas mileage by double-digit percentages and, although it's believed by many to be against the law, it's perfectly legal in all 50 states, Canada and the UK to drive without shoes. The one exception is in Alabama, where motorcycle riders must don footwear.

Methodology

I conducted a generally unscientific study over the course of a month with my own vehicle, a 2003 Hyundai Sonata GLS with automatic transmission, to see what noticeable difference I might find driving shod versus barefoot. I set up a strict set of rules in order keep everything as equal as possible. This would ensure that the results would be more accurate and better comparisons could be made. The test involved driving on two subsequent tanks of gas. With the first, I drove with minimalist shoes on almost the entire tank and with the second, barefoot almost the entire tank.

While I would have liked to drive every bit of each tank only with shoes or barefoot, the logistics of making this happen were quite unrealistic. For the most part, however, driving with the opposite foot condition was very limited and ended up being only a few miles maximum.

The following rules were used in ensuring near equal conditions for both tanks:

• Both tanks were filled to near capacity, allowing for a few "clicks" of the pump when finished filling.
• I would drive with similar patterns of accelerating and braking with both tanks.
• A very small amount of driving - only a few miles - with the opposite foot condition would be allowed with each tank for logistical reasons.
• I would only record the mileage driven up to the point that the gas indicator light came on while in the process of driving. (The gas indicator light comes on when approximately two gallons of gas remain in the 17.2-gallon tank.)
• Similar routes would be used for driving to and from work each day.
• A near identical mix of city and highway driving would be attempted.
• No maintenance would be conducted on the vehicle during the test. (e.g. No car washes, oil changes, tire pressure adjustments, etc.)
• The same brand and grade of fuel would be used for each full tank.
• I would use the air-conditioning unit, radio and other ancillary systems for a similar number of miles.

And so I proceeded to drive. It took approximately 2 weeks to burn through each tank of gas. When all miles were driven and the test was complete, I did see a difference.

Results

Driving barefoot showed an improvement of 2.1 miles per gallon, a difference of +11.3%. In total, I drove 31.7 miles farther on a tank of gas without shoes.

This may not seem like much, but over time the savings would add up. According to AAA's Website, the national average for a gallon of gas in the U.S. on Wednesday, April 20, was $3.84 per gallon. When you figure out the difference in cost per mile (two cents, based on the MPGs from the results) and extrapolate that out to annual savings based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's annual mileage data, an average American could save about $284 a year, or almost $11 per bi-weekly paycheck, just from driving barefoot in a car similar to mine. That doesn't include any other fuel-saving measures that could save additional money. What could you do with an extra $11 in each paycheck?

Conclusions

The apparent increase in fuel efficiency from driving barefoot makes sense for a couple of reasons. I can tell you from experience that driving barefoot gives the best feedback from pedals to foot that anyone can achieve. Wearing shoes, I only feel the inside of my shoe. When barefoot, I'm able to use the thousands of nerve endings and dozens of bones, joints and soft tissues in the foot and ankle to add or remove the slightest degree of acceleration or braking that is necessary. With shoes on, much of this sensation and movement is limited or eliminated, and then I must use only larger groups of bones, joints and muscles to make adjustments. Essentially, if you can feel the pedals better and exert only the exact pressure necessary, you will use only the gas you need and save fuel over time. Think of it as kind of very intelligent cruise control.

Based on all this, I have a few thoughts on my results and what they mean for the "bigger picture."

• Was this experiment scientifically valid and can we make solid scientific conclusions based on this information? Absolutely NOT. Don't flame me because I didn't do this or that to conduct a proper scientific experiment. This was a test conducted by one person in one car with two tanks of gas. I'm no Mythbuster. That said...
• This data and my previous experiences driving shod vs. barefoot all do point in the direction that driving barefoot does provide better gas mileage. Though I've never kept solid numbers except for this experiment, I can tell you that I notice an uptick in my mileage the more often I drive barefoot. I really do think there's something to this.
• A person who begins driving barefoot after using regular (read: non-minimalist) footwear could see even bigger numbers than I did. Remember that I only wore minimalist footwear during the shod test. These types of shoes provide better ground feedback than regular shoes do, so it's not far fetched to say that going to barefoot from regular dress shoes or sneakers with thicker heels and less flexibility could show an even bigger improvement. Heck, there might even be cause to say that just switching to minimalist shoes for driving would provide it's own uptick in gas mileage.
• With current gas prices as high as we've seen them in three years, why not try whatever you can to save gas? If a combination of fuel-saving measures, including driving barefoot, can show at least some noticeable positive difference in mileage, it seems prudent to try them out and see what it can do for your pocketbook. Remember, driving barefoot is absolutely LEGAL.
• I really want to see someone scientifically study this. There's a lot of anecdotal evidence and vague postings out there to support the idea that driving barefoot saves gas, but my study is the closest thing to scientific analysis that I've seen on this topic. Maybe this very blog entry will spark some auto club or group to look further into this. I think it's safe to say that there's plenty of people who drive barefoot when flip flop weather comes around. Now let's see some real data to find out if they happen to be saving themselves money. Maybe I should ask the Mythbusters...

What do you think? Do you drive barefoot and, if so, have you gotten better gas mileage because of it? Can having direct skin-to-pedal contact really allow for finer sensation and adjustment of the pedals? If you disagree with my assertion that there's something to this, why so and what do you really think the difference is between driving shod or barefoot? Please leave your comments in the section below.

Don't Get Cold Feet About Bare Feet As Cooler Months Approach

Many people are open to the idea of going without shoes in the summertime, but get "cold feet" about the idea of baring their feet in the fall and winter months. It's true that we humans would typically prefer to be warm instead of cold. That said, there are still ways that you can get yourself -- and your feet -- more comfortable with the idea of going without shoes as the days get shorter.

Among questions regarding broken glass or fungal infections, another concern that we barefooters regularly hear about is cold feet. "Don't your feet get cold?," one person may ask. Another may state, "I'd like to go barefoot more often, but I can't stand for my feet to get cold," or "My feet get cold really easily."

For someone who truly is open to the idea of going barefoot in the cooler seasons of the year, my top advice would be this: "Get used to it." At a glance, that statement could come across as calloused and uncaring, but it's meant with all respect, sincerity and kindness.

Going barefoot when it's cooler is really an exercise in preparation and acclimation before the thermometer dips. Just as Rome wasn't built in a day, you can't expect to be able to walk barefoot outside on the chilly sidewalk and immediately feel all right about it. Preparing your feet for the winter months and acclimating them is the best way to stay barefoot as much as possible until Spring springs forth again next year.

Now obviously, a lot of this is dependent on where you actually live and what the thermometer is doing. The longer and colder that your winter is, the harder this is going to be. You also must realize that there will be times when going barefoot just isn't smart. Just as there are occasions when you feel it's best to wear gloves outside, there will be occasions when you should wear shoes outside. These factors are so variable depending on your geography and personal tolerance to cold that I will leave much of this to your personal discretion.

Here is some general advice on how to stay barefoot as long as possible during the next several months:

Go Barefoot NOW

To successfully go barefoot in winter, you must work your way into it. Barefoot runners don't start off running marathon distances and you shouldn't start going barefoot in winter. The sooner that you adopt more barefoot activity, the more likely it is that your winter barefooting will be successful.

I truly believe that the more an individual goes barefoot, the more comfortable they become with the sensations from going barefoot. That goes not only for what's underfoot (i.e. concrete, carpet, toys, rocks, etc.), but also the surrounding temperature. The more your feet get used to experiencing all the sensations of going without shoes, the better they will be set up to get through the winter as bare as possible for as long as possible.

Keep Going Barefoot Outdoors

Find opportunities to go barefoot outside while the weather is still generally warm right now. Walk in the grass. Play in the dirt. Stroll along the pavement. As the thermometer begins to fall over the coming weeks, KEEP going barefoot outside. Your feet will adapt to the cooler ground temperatures over time. The trick is to be consistent. You can't expect your feet to react as you'd like when you haven't prepared them for new sensations.

Stay Active

The winter months are often attributed to higher rates of deaths, outbreaks of the flu and even the occurrence of a seasonal depression known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). These are all caused by -- or at least attributed to -- the fact that people are more sedentary in winter. It makes sense. If it's cold outside, you do more things inside. If you're inside more, you tend to sit around and do less.

Keep your bare feet warm by increasing the blood circulation in them via activity. If you own a treadmill, use it to at least walk barefoot. Run if you can. Exercise regularly to keep your whole body feeling healthy. Give your feet regular massages -- or better yet, have your partner do it for you -- to keep the blood circulating better in your feet and your muscles warm.

Wear Socks If Preferred

My purist barefooter friends may frown on this recommendation, but I give it as an alternative to keeping your shoes on inside the house all the time this winter. Socks will generally allow you to move your feet as freely as going barefoot while still adding a layer of warmth to them. Toe socks are the best for this. Avoid the temptation to put on big, thick, tight and/or fuzzy slippers. They often alter your walking gait and can even be as restrictive as shoes.

Cover Up When Sitting Down

I'm all for a warm, snuggly blanket and see no problem with covering my lap, legs and feet with one while I'm sitting around in the winter. The advantage to barefooters doing this is that it keeps our feet warmer without having to do a whole lot of work. Keep blankets around where you regularly sit in your house and tuck your feet inside to keep your piggies free, but toasty.

Wear Minimal Footwear When Necessary

Again, I'll probably have some disagreement with me on this one, but the last thing you want to do is turn yourself off to going barefoot. When it really is too cold or uncomfortable to bare it all (below the ankles, friends), minimal footwear can often provide just the right amount of warmth or protection to get you through to the next opportunity to go unshod.

For example, I usually wear flip flops out to the car when the temps dip below freezing -- even with light snow on the ground. While my feet might get a bit chilly for that short trek, I always remember that my car heater works well and that the floorboard will get nice and toasty very soon. The flip flops then might get worn into wherever I'm going but quickly come off once I'm back indoors.

If wearing sandals outside in the winter is a bit too adventurous for you, choose minimal footwear instead of big winter boots when there's no heavy snow cover on the ground and you'll be outside for short periods. Keep your feet as flexible and free as you can while keeping them just as warm as you'd like.

Don't Worry About Your Feet

Some might think that going barefoot in cooler temperatures is dangerous. I can assure you that if the thermometer is indicating temperatures above freezing, you WILL be okay to go barefoot. If the air isn't freezing, your feet can't freeze either.

Dry, cracked feet are a concern for some in the wintertime. Just as shoes cause many ailments of the feet due to their warm, moist conditions, they also do so in the winter. Sweaty feet in the colder months can lead to cracked skin once shoes are removed. If your feet are regularly allowed to breath and not sweat inside shoes in the winter, they'll be that much ahead of the game. Now, the drier months of the year do increase the risks for dry feet. To alleviate this problem, regularly use a moisturizing cream on them. Notice I said "cream" and not "lotion." Creams are thicker and contain less alcohol than lotion. The less alcohol, the better.

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Again, this is all subject to personal comfort and the climate in which you live. Certainly do what YOU feel is best for YOUR feet. I'm not responsible if you do something stupid or get hurt because you pushed your limits too far. That said, I do think that taking this advice will help you stay barefoot as much as possible while we wait for the warmer temperatures to return in Spring.

Do you plan on going barefoot this winter? Have you gone barefoot in wintertime before? If so, what tips would you add to this list? Please leave your comments in the section below.


Photos: Thermometer: http://hillsteadblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/thermometer.jpg; Autumn Leaves: Image: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net; Flip flops in the snow: http://nikkigsblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/flip-flops-in-snow.jpg

An Autobiography of the Beginning of a Barefooter

During my time as a "barefooter," I've thoroughly enjoyed getting to know others who like to go sans shoes. Through Twitter, Facebook, this blog and other sites I've been able to connect with and get to know lots of people who go barefoot in one way or another. For some it's just going barefoot around the house. For others it's a way to improve their running and decrease injuries. For many it's a lifestyle that crosses real and figurative boundaries.

As I've come to know others there have been some requests for me to tell my story and how I got into barefooting. I thought, as the weather gets colder and many of us take a "break" from barefooting for the autumn and winter months, that this would be a good time to fill you in. Now let me see...

(Cue flashback and harp sounds.)

It was the Spring of 2005. I was living with an old buddy from church and college activities to help him pay the mortgage on his new house. In the summers previously I'd come to embrace wearing sandals and flip flops. Before then I'd mostly worn shoes during the summer. The thought of exposing my feet was undesirable for quite a while, but one day -- like my acceptance of drinking ice tea -- I just decided I'd enjoy life and summers more wearing sandals.

Ever since I started wearing flip flops I drove barefooted. I "knew" at the time that it was "illegal," like so many people are told, but I found that I didn't feel as safe driving with flip flops on. The flops would slide around on my foot causing me to feel unsure about my grip on the pedals or my ability to have enough control over them.

At some point in late May or early June of '05 I put in a Web search: "driving barefoot illegal." Though I can't say for sure, I may have questioned the law or wanted to read it for myself. Lo, and behold, right there near the top of the search results was a link to the Society for Barefoot Living's Web site.

Besides being comforted to discover that driving barefoot is perfectly legal, I was fascinated by this group which I'd just run across. "These people hike barefooted?" "They go in public without shoes?" "Isn't THAT illegal?" So many questions, and all the answers were laid out right there. The site showed that going barefooted is a good thing and can be very safe.

A certain photo album on the SBL's site got my attention. It was of a small group of folks who decided to go barefooted around New York City. I thought to myself, "If they can do that, why couldn't I go barefoot other places besides home?" It was time for me to give barefooting a try.

My nephew's birthday party was on a weekend in early June of 2005. I decided to spend that entire weekend barefooted, and I did! Well, I technically was barefooted all weekend, however I didn't do much. I mostly stayed home, but I did go out in the driveway barefooted to get in the car, drove unshod and attended the kiddo's party sans shoes as well (pictured). I was proud of myself. Despite the questions from family at the party as to why I didn't have shoes on, I had a positive barefooting experience for an entire weekend.

Over the next four years leading up to 2009, I explored barefooting off and on. I never started going barefooted in earnest, but I would go unshod around the house and other "safe" places more often than I previously would have. When I shopped at Target -- I don't know what it was about that store -- I would slip off my flip flops and shop barefooted (all while staying in the more out-of-sight aisles to avoid being spotted). At summer Middle School Camp, where I was staff, I would walk barefooted around our lodge and do other tasks in "safe" places without shoes. Any time I wore flip flops I would drive while they sat unused on the floorboard. All in all, you might say I was a "closeted" barefooter.

Well in early 2009 my feet came out of the closet, so to speak.

It was late February or early March of this year when I somehow rediscovered the SBL's Web site. Knowing that it's comfortable, and after reading up on the health benefits of going barefoot, I decided that I was going to become a tried and true barefooter...as much as possible. I posted to my Facebook status on March 4, "Michael is officially ready to stop wearing shoes ALL the time. Bring on the nice weather 'cause my feet need to breathe!"

It had begun. On March 20 I posted to Facebook, "I'm thinking that with the weather being so nice this weekend, I might go barefoot most of the time. Even out and about in public. Who's with me?" And I generally did. Though it was a rainy weekend, I wore flip flops into wherever we shopped or went and then would slip them off.

Over the course of this Spring I grew in my barefootedness. I began posting to Twitter about going barefoot. I'd kick off my flops at various places and started going into places without shoes on at all.

It was at my son's school carnival on May 2 that I feel like I cemented myself as a "barefooter." Except for the muddy petting zoo at the very beginning, I walked around the whole event barefoot. At the end of the day, two of my wife's co-workers -- she worked in the same district -- began talking to me about why I wasn't wearing shoes. After explaining myself and sharing its benefits, one of them said, "I think it's really great that you're doing that. You're doing what you feel is best for you, no matter what anyone else thinks, and I really admire that." Two days later I changed my Twitter username to "barefootmichael," and the rest is history.

(More harp sounds. End flashback.)

Today, I go barefooted or wear minimalist footwear about 99% of the time. At home or other people's homes I go 100% barefooted, indoors and out. When out and about I go either barefooted or wear my Vibram Fivefinger Sprints. They are usually worn in places that have a policy prohibiting bare feet. Occasionally, if I don't feel like taking the time to put on the Sprints, I'll wear flip flops for very brief trips into stores when I don't feel like or have the time for being hassled. That's the other 1%, because I don't consider flip flops to be minimalist footwear.

There's one hitch in my giddy-up: Unfortunately, I am required by policy to wear shoes and socks at work. That said, I have switched to wearing Terra Plana Vivo Barefoot shoes exclusively there. I hope to transition to Vibram Fivefinger KSO Treks over the coming year or so as finances allow. I work in a hospital where people regularly wear strange footwear (e.g. clogs, Crocs, Z-Coils, MBTs, etc.), so I think I'll be able to get away with them.

I hope that you've enjoyed reading a bit about how I got into going barefoot. I challenge you, even though it's a bit cool outside, to try going barefoot one step more than you're used to. Pick sometime when you'd normally wear socks or shoes and just take them off. See what you think. Rediscover the feet that the good Lord gave you. Reconnect with the sensations of the floors and ground all around you. Give it enough time and you will be positively transformed.

I welcome your questions or comments below.

Frugal Feet

I realized today that the shoe industry must really dislike barefooters. Why? Not only do we put down their products for being confining and unnecessary, but we also don't buy their shoes as much. This got me thinking: From an economical standpoint, going barefoot can be very recession friendly...for the consumer, that is.

Think about it:

If you go barefoot most of the time, that means that whatever shoes you DO buy (for any number of safety or other reasons) last longer. The less you wear them, the less you wear them out, right?

Shoes - Wear = Longer Usage = Buy Shoes Less Often

Okay, but the savings go deeper than that!

Let's assume that a person who wears shoes is more prone to health issues, whether it's foot problems, knee pain, or back issues. If you go barefoot -- which has been shown in studies to be better for our bodies -- then in the long run we could save money on health care costs because we're taking preventative measures not to mess ourselves up as much.

(Feet - Shoes) x Body = Better Health = Lower Health Care Costs

I've mentioned this in a previous blog post, but the benefits of driving barefoot can't be overlooked. From everything I've been able to find and determine on my own -- no "real" research has been done on the issue -- barefoot driving yields better gas mileage. No joke. A bare foot is able to sense the pedals and respond with a finer degree of pressing/releasing. Imagine barefoot driving like using cruise control (a proven gas saver) all the time. As a result, I've personally found up to 30% improvement in my gas mileage when I drive barefoot.

(Feet - Shoes) + Driving = Better Fuel Efficiency = Lower Fuel Costs

All of these savings are automatic, making NO other lifestyle changes whatsoever. You can still keep whatever shoes you already have, however many there may be for whatever outfits they match (ladies). You can still drive just as many miles as you normally do each week -- though it's always good to drive as "green" as possible -- and in the end you will likely even save money at the doctor's office. The final tally:

(Feet - Shoes) + Buying Shoes Less Often + Lower Health Care Costs + Lower Fuel Costs = More $$$ In Your Pocket =

A More Financially Sound You

And it all could come from just kicking off your shoes and enjoying the feet the good Lord gave you!

(Image from WiseBread.com)

Bare Your Sole While Driving to Save Gas

I've recently discovered something quite wonderful and amazing about going barefoot. It can save you money and help out the environment. I'm not talking about the benefits of minimized shoe wear and tear by going unshod more often. This blog post is all about driving barefoot.

I'm an active user of the micro-blogging site Twitter. On there I'm known by almost 200 followers as @barefootmichael. Because I'm a fan of going barefoot I'm always interested in what others have to say about the subject, so I use Twitter's search feature to follow the terms "barefoot" and "bare feet." Sometimes it results in very interesting posts, or "tweets."

One tweet caught my eye in May. It was from user @kenman345 and read: "Checked out the fuel consumption on my car and I've been getting better gas mileage driving barefoot...awesome"

Really? Could exposing your bare soles to the brake pedal and accelerator cause your engine to be more fuel efficient?

Then I got to thinking: I have noticed my car being able to drive much farther on a tank of gas lately (Up to 360 miles from around 300 miles per fill-up). I'd never thought very hard about why that was, but then I realized the savings began about the same time I started driving home barefoot from work each day. I did some rough calculations and found that my car now gets about 24 mpg versus the 19 I was getting before. Big difference.

I have no scientific proof that driving barefoot helps you get better gas mileage, but the idea makes sense. Each foot has 26 bones, numerous joints, and dozens of muscles and ligaments. It is attached to a very versatile joint at the ankle. Combine that with the high concentration of nerve endings on the sole of the foot and you get a very sensitive part of the body, capable of subtle, calculated movement.

It would then make sense to presume that driving barefoot gives you a fuel advantage because you have direct contact with that which makes a direct impact on the car's movement. Instead of using your ankle and limited foot movement inside a shoe to feel the pedals and make not-so-subtle changes in acceleration and braking, the bare foot is capable of tiny, precise operations. We tweak one muscle or another to add just a little more or less pressure on the pedals as necessary. In the end, a much more efficient operation of the vehicle is taking place.

For more information on this topic, do a Web search for "driving barefoot gas mileage." You'll find lots of resources for saving fuel and lots of mentions of hypermiling. While it's hard to find true scientific evidence that driving barefoot saves gas mileage, the anecdotal evidence is overwhelming.

"But Michael!" you shout. "Driving barefoot is illegal!" Actually, it's not in the U.S. except for motorcyclists in the state of Alabama. So no worries.

Give driving barefoot a chance for a while. The summer is a perfect time to do it since so many people wear flip flops and sandals that are easily removed and stowed on the floorboard near your seat. See what kind of distance you get out of a full tank of gas. Your mileage may vary.

(Photo from Flickr, user angela b.:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/angelarb/1227582563/)