My heel-toe is weak today

"Decay buys too many beaters" (decay) 05/07/2014 at 13:12 • Filed to: None

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I usually try using my rather monotonous drive in to work as an opportunity to practice some heel-toe downshifting. I was actually becoming quite good at it, but my company recently decided that all employees (even keyboard jockeys like me) must wear ESD safety shoes. Going from my super thin converse hi tops, to these safety shoes is like taping 2x4s to the bottom of my feet and it has totally fucked up my driving ch'i. I miss timed just about every other downshift this morning.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 13:15

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You will adjust. I wear Keen boots like this pretty regularly and have managed to make the adjustment.

KirkyV > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 13:16

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I've found that, if you're used to Converse, pretty much any other common variety of shoe will bugger up your pedal control. I learnt to drive in them, and I've hated wearing anything else behind the wheel ever since.

thebigbossyboss > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 13:18

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When I used to have to wear steel toed boots that refused to fit into my cars footwell, I just kept a pair of sneakers in the trunk for driving usage.

Worked perfect: Wear sneakers into car, drive to work, get out take off shoes, put on steel toes, work, put steel toes in trunk put on shoes drive home get out and carry on.

Decay buys too many beaters > KirkyV 05/07/2014 at 13:19

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That's my problem, been wearing converse since high school. I've gotten too used to being able to actually feel the pedals through the sole of the shoe.

Decay buys too many beaters > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 05/07/2014 at 13:22

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I hope so, right now I'm just trying to figure out how to comfortably get both my feet into the foot well.

KirkyV > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 13:22

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I recently bought my first ever pair of low tops, purely because I was fed up of having to fiddle around with laces every time I went out to get food on a whim. This is in spite of my owning several pairs of non-Converse shoes that can be slipped on easily.

jvirgs drives a Subaru > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 13:23

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Its like an art form. Just so cool and mesmerizing

Mattbob > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 13:25

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is that a double clutch heel toe in the gif that I see?

banjo cat ghost of oppo past > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 13:25

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I have Fred Flintstone feet.... not unlike your 2x4's so it was always more of a pinky-thumb toe technique that saved time instead of trying to contort my heel fast enough.

A given with any boots but what sucks is the extra sole rubber adding more gas/brake and less feel. Driving to my former construction job with steel-toes in my Audi CQ was interesting... with any manual VAG product I've owned say what you will about their endless clutch travel but at least they spaced the gas& brake correctly

Forgetful > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 13:25

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Crash.

Blame safety shoes on incident report.

Piloti driving shoes mandated.

Lekker > KirkyV 05/07/2014 at 13:25

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I was used to them until i got my flat Vans. Basically converse without laces and low tops. They're so comfortable and although I have huge feet, still let me sort of hell-toe

MINI COOPER POWAH! > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 13:28

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I heel toe in my Nike Shox, hard, but it works!

KirkyV > Lekker 05/07/2014 at 13:28

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I like Vans, but I prefer the look of Converses. I think it's mainly to do with the toe-cap.

Decay buys too many beaters > KirkyV 05/07/2014 at 13:29

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I've actually found myself liking PF flyers more than Converse in recent years, same look and construction, but it doesn't do that annoying "disappearing tongue" trick that Converse shoes are so good at.

But yeah, I totally know the annoying amount of time it take to put on high tops, I have started not lacing up the top two holes at all. Ends up saving a good amount of time.

Decay buys too many beaters > Forgetful 05/07/2014 at 13:32

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Sadly this would probably work given my company's borderline obsessive "safety culture"

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 13:35

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I've got small feet (8 US) so that helps, but I've got no trouble fitting these into an STi. Do you drive something with a tiny foot well, or is the pedal spacing just that tight?

Lekker > KirkyV 05/07/2014 at 13:35

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I stopped caring about the look to be honest. While I still have two pairs of converse, my dailies are these in another color:

Basically black instead of white. Easier to put on and comfortable. haha.

Decay buys too many beaters > banjo cat ghost of oppo past 05/07/2014 at 13:35

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If there is one thing I think VW absolutely got right on my beater MKiii Jetta, it's the pedal placement.

KirkyV > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 13:36

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Yeah, the tongue thing is deeply annoying.

Nibbles > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 13:39

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I heel-toe in my Dakota while wearing cowboy boots.

Justin is driven > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 13:42

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Keep at it man. It's a pain in the nuts for a few days, then you start to get used to it.

Decay buys too many beaters > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much 05/07/2014 at 13:47

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It's pedal spacing (MKiii Jetta) , the distance between the gas and brake is around 1.5 to 2 inches. You know if the pedal spacing on the STI is similar to the BRZ? If so the VW is way more tightly spaced.

Decay buys too many beaters > Nibbles 05/07/2014 at 13:51

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but seriously, that's awesome

It's a "Porch-uh" > KirkyV 05/07/2014 at 13:55

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I just wear full race gear on my way to work.

KirkyV > It's a "Porch-uh" 05/07/2014 at 13:56

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Nibbles > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 13:58

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The Dakota's pedal location makes it surprisingly easy to heel-toe in boots. I can do it in the Saab (C900) as well, but not as easily.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 14:02

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No idea, haven't actually been able to sit in a BRZ. Now I'm curious about the pedal spacing in the STI, but don't have it handy today.

brakesnow > Decay buys too many beaters 05/07/2014 at 17:00

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Heel toeing with thick soled boots is tough at first, but you get the hang of it pretty quickly. I wear thick logger-soled Tim's to the ski hill, and to take advantage of the great roads on the ~1hr drive there I learned to heel toe in them very well, although I use more of a side-step ankle roll motion to blip the throttle instead of using my actual heel. Maybe that would be worth a try?

Decay buys too many beaters > brakesnow 05/07/2014 at 17:03

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That's kind of what I do with my normal sneakers. Either way, It's likely just something I have to get used to over the next week or so.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Decay buys too many beaters 05/16/2014 at 11:07

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I actually took a picture after this and forgot to post it. I didn't actually measure the spacing or anything though. With my big toe on the brake I use the side of my foot on the gas. The spacing works pretty good for that, even with the boots on. It's much easier with shoes though.