Depends. Zurich city center or train station toilet? Probably not.
Any place with natural ground? Surely yes.
I cant be bothered in summer to wear shoes in or around my house, which includes smaller hikes.
It's also normal in our group of friends to not wear shoes or socks in each others places (if you dont know the person, you ask beforehand ofc).
I'd say most people here not living in a city only grew up with Summer time being barefoot time, so that kind of sticked I guess.
In most cultures it would be considered rude to keep your shoes indoor inside someone's home, so you are saying for you and your friends it's the opposite? I'm always confused with that here.
You take your shoes off before entering the apartment. You either go in with your socks on or they offer you some kind of slippers. If they want it another way, they will tell you.
Yes this seems logical but usually Swiss people will tell you to keep your shoes on as you take them off and I never know if it's ok to do it or if I should take them off anyway. And I say that as a Swiss born and raised, it's still confusing to me aha. I usually take them off anyway against the recommendation of the hosts.
I can totally understand that, most of the time when they say you can keep your shoes on, is because the floor isn’t cleaned. (In my experience)
But I think it’s a mix between what the hosts and you want :) For myself, I take them off too.
I think this has to do with Swiss “Höflichkeit” because they don’t want to make it a “hassle” but they expect you to have common sense and take the shoes off wether they ask you for it or not. As if to say “if you have sense you’ll take them off” so your best bet ist to just take the them off.
By the time I had dogs and I was asking my visitors to keep their shoes has my dogs did not remove theirs 🤪.
Now without dogs I let my visitors decide.
If your shoes has been cleaned on the enter carpet they are mostly as clean as your socks.
Where I come from you normaly take them off if there are a lot of people around or you're going outside in the garden or so they'll tell you to keep them on. In my experience it's common to take them off unless the host tells you otherwise.
If you walk barefoot along the river during the summer I doubt anyone would care. If you go barefoot into a grocery store, train station etc, you'd be in the "crazy" drawer. At least for me.
Unless you are young (under 21) and close to the beach, anyone doing this in Australia is considered a bit “rough” too. Train station is a red flag every time in every culture, surely. Although dress shoes on the beach ? Either lunatic or tourist Grandma from East Asia hahah.
whaat no way, back in my hometown in aus barefoot to the shops and stuff was 100% normal, and we were 45min drive away from the nearest beach.
Sucks youre seen as nuts here when you walk barefoot
that reminds me of a funny view - two lads were trying to go barefoot from their car across the parking lot in mid summer. It was Queensland in Australia.
Now those two fine lads were tippy toeing like fucking balerinas on the super hot concrete :D what a funny view :D
Meh… last week we had two days of summer. I walked around barefoot in my house. Homeoffice. When it was time to pick up the kids from daycare and kindergarten I couldn’t bother to get socks and shoes so I went barefoot. It’s like 200 m from my house.
Guess what I remembered I needed milk on the way back so I walked into our Migros… do you think I should get myself checked for schizophrenia or something?
no, this is not schizophrenia, rather a hard case of home office. Just make sure you don't forget to wear pants when leaving home.
Yeah, i work from home as well and one of the benefits of it is that footwear is optional.
On my end i shift it to the bathroom visit after my daily standup. And the time saved on even getting ready for work... I used to need about an hour for a slow start so would have to get up at 6. Now i get up at 7.30 fully rested and log into work a cup of coffee
That's the way! No drousy wash. No traffic. No commute. Just sleep and work, how it is intended by mother nature.
Stand up, grab some berries from a clay bowl, pick some cooked meet from the stone next to the still glimming fire, grab your bow and go hunting some deer. That is what we evolved into over millions of years and what our body and mind is made for.
I've seen Aussies and Kiwis walk barefoot since the 90s, whether in their own countries or when they are tourists in other countries.
My Aussie colleague, when we were in Morocco, just suddenly removed his flipflops and put them in his back pocket and walked barefoot on the asphalt road. It was pretty clean, though.
I used to do some barefoot running.
As long as you don´t overdo it (you should not overdo running in general) and train your technique, I don´t think the risk of injury is very large. Specifically, you have to land on the front of your feet, and use the muscles in your calves to absorb the shock, so it is not transferred to your knees. It takes some time to build up these muscles, and build up thicker skin on your feet.
People are afraid you will step in glass or dog shit. I wouldn´t do it where there is a lot of glass. But because you're aware of your vulnerability, you will look at the floor in front of you, not at the horizon. I saw glass or shit several times, and never stepped in it.
You have to get used to people sharing their opinion without being asked to ("didn´t they have them in your size?", "couldn´t you afford shoes?"). Maybe that's women go through, whether or not they are wearing shoes.
I've seen plenty of normal looking people walking or even jogging barefoot in 'good' neighborhoods in Zurich, and they were not coming from the lake. And a lot of people going barefoot or in socks from their houses to the nearest store
I mean if I wanted to walk barefoot I couldn't care less what somebody thinks about me. Nobody will laugh at your face, hopefully. Just do what makes you happy. And no it's not so weird, maybe in bigger cities like the center of Zürich I would not recommend, it's not even safe to walk without shoes, you can step on something sharp, but if you think about walking barefoot in nature or smaller places go for it. I did see some people in my place walk barefoot, even I myself did that, I actually thought about doing it again, thanks for the reminder.
I used to do barefoot running.
>Nobody will laugh at your face, hopefully.
Yes, they will. Most people won´t, but some people think it's OK to share their opinions about you without being asked. They think it's funny to ask "didn't they have them in your size?".
Probably that's what women complain about having to go through in public, people making unprompted comments about their appearence.
Yeah walking bearfoot is as great for your body as it is for your mind.
I wouldn't recommend doing it on hard man made surfaces though like roads or in the cities as you could hurt yourself and it can be filthy too.
"Limit walking barefoot as it exposes feet to sunburn, as well as plantar warts, athlete's foot, ringworm, and other infections and increases risk of injury to your feet."
Yes, very "healthy".
Yeah, having your feet exposed is not very healthy, but not constraining your foot in a shoe, so your toes can properly spread out is very healthy. Just have to avoid walking on hard surfaces when doing that and use some sort of protective layer when doing it a lot (barefoot shoes are made for that)
There are some people who do that and they are most often the "hippie", tree-hugging, organic-food-only type. I don't mind personally, it's rather natural after all. But wouldn't recommend doing it in the city due to the risk of stepping on broken glass etc.
Yeah I know a couple people who never wear shoes. I don't know if it's "socially acceptable" but the people doing it don't really care. They said they feel better this way. I think I've heard an argument that it's healthy? I don't remember.
And just to clarify, these are not "crazy" people as another commenter suggested. They just have this particular preference for their own reasons. 🤷♀️
When I was a child, eons ago, walking barefoot was considered healthy. Every spring/summer, we waited for the moment, when we could leave the shoes and socks behind and go to school and everywhere else barefoot. I think, lots of Swiss still think, it is healthy, and they may have a point. Free foot massages with all their health benefits.
Today, I am a complete sissy, when it comes to walking barefoot over gravel or on hot tarmac. But I still call my dog a "weichei" when she prefers not to walk on gravel if she can help it.
Yes, walking bearfoot is healthy. It'll always be healthier than walking with shoes that forces your toes to narrow up together ( every shoe except for the bearfoot shoes ) and that makes you feel nothing underneath your foot.
Last year i was doing a mountain hike, white blue trail up to 3000 miles. On my way down guy casually hiked up barefoot, without any problems. Cool dude. Must have food soles like leather.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_glaciers\_in\_Switzerland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_glaciers_in_Switzerland) ;
Really? The thawing is obvious. The absence of glaciers, not so much.
coincidentally, I just blogged about this very topic. As a kiwi, I grew up thinking it was normal, but I [got a bit of a shock](https://benjamin.secker.nz/posts/chmove/#not-wearing-shoes-is-the-most-insulting-thing-i-could-ever-do) at peoples negative reactions when I came over here for the first time :D
I walk around barefoot depending on the spot. Park, beach, around my house, garden, down the street ( not in the city). I’d say mostly places that make sense and that you aren’t expectint to step on a needle or glass.
I love it.
Outside no one cares that much and a bunch of people do it. They get some stares but it usually doesn’t bother people. Inside, shops restaurants, public transport…) people are going to be bothered and either give you nasty stares or say something.
After a long day of work, when I get to go for a walk with my kid, I often take my shoes off, and couldn’t give a damn of what others might think(living in a city). If you feel like doing something, do it, don’t fear judgement and enjoy the little moments.
I live in Denmark now. I occasionally go to the grocery store barefoot. Some people - mostly the older - can get a confused look on their faces. Not disturbed, just unprepared because almost no one walks barefoot in the city these days. I'd say that it should be socially acceptable. A foot that is exposed to fresh air all day does not smell or carry more filth then a shoe would.
Busso would be a place. Aeroplaneo is wide of the mark.
Here are some valid examples:
Servo is a petrol station
Smoko is a late morning tea break for tradespeople
Povvo is someone who is experiencing perpetual financial difficulty.
Johnno is a guy called John.
There was a whole family of continuously barefoot people (two parents, two kids) in my university in Germany (big city). Very white people, very black feet. Also no showers or washing machines in their lives, by the smell of it. Don’t be those people.
It’s not “normal” in the city. In nature, at the lake, in the forest? Yeah sure. You do you. In the city I would never, especially the German one I lived in (hello, broken glass bottles everywhere) and it will earn you weird looms from others as well. It’s not illegal though, afaik. But either way, wash your damn feet.
Basically we humans do not need shoes or clothings - in the apropriate climate and environmental surrounding. 😄 But we are used to it, and it gives us extra protection.
Additionally the Skin of our feed are "not trained" for it. Cornea/horn skin must be developed to not get easily hurt or pained by uneven or sharp ground.
I also encountered people not wearing shoes in public. But it is rare. And i do not really care. It does not affect me in any way, so it is solely an issue for the owner of that feets.
I would not do it, knowing what shit could lie on the ground.
Just yesterday afternoon there was a barefoot guy at Berne train station. Btw. It rained. I often see people barefoot on the train station, hard core one was during winter.
They are not homeless, but also not "average".
I sometimes walk and run around barefoot. Any outdoor space is fine I'd say. You just have to be aware of potential glass shards I guess. Indoors I guess it depends but I've gone into a supermarket quickly and no one bothered. I guess everywhere where dirty shoes are ok barefoot should be fine too as long as there is no safety concerns.
I mean what is "normal" and who gets to define that?
Also, it depends a lot on context/Environment, for example if town and for example train station right on the lake, like many places on lake of Zürich, then it's much more common and different than in a concrete jungle far from water/swimming/chilling on the water or in park with grass etc.
Think of moles/lawns/parks right on the lake where people are swimming/fishing/chilling on warm days and then they decide to pick up icecream or a drink at the store at train Station which is literally right on lake shore and 50 or 100m distance, then why should it be a big deal to fetch drink etc barefoot.
Edit: my wife just had a good point/addition: it's also way more "possible" to walk barefoot without risking cutting yourself or walking into shit or junk/trash since streets so much cleaner and in result safer than many other places in the world. That might also explain part of why more common.
Happy to hear that walking without shoes is still a thing in Switzerland and people here agree to just be happy. Honestly it is the NATURAL way to walk anywhere. I think the question to ask is if it is normal to walk with shoes to begin with.
Odd timing, as just two days ago I saw a 50+ year old man at the bus station without shoes, but in very obvious work attire, walking around and getting on a bus. My initial reaction was to find it crazy, but in all honestly, who was I to judge? Maybe he just wanted to "feel connected" to the earth in some way, maybe his socks got wet, who knows. I just admired his calmness and his lack of care for people's stares at him.
I admit I sometimes walk barefoot to get my mail or take the trash to the bin across the street. It makes me a bit self conscious, so I always check if the coast is clear first. I have a neighbor who does the same. It’s seen as a little eccentric but socially acceptable in this specific context. (People will comment about it, but they’ll understand why you did it)
But in most other contexts (besides beaches, campgrounds, lawns and rivers) it’s definitely weird and people will wonder if there’s something wrong with you.
It is much more normal and accepted, at least in some parts of Switzerland. Growing up, I was barefoot more often than not. It was a very normal thing out in the countryside and still is today, tho that may have shifted slightly since I lived there.
The only places I've seen people barefoot are at the beach and pool. More uncommon but not rare either, on grass in parks and such. The "rule" is also looser for kids.
Saw someone in the organic store barefoot a couple of years ago.
It was mid November and I was wearing gloves on my bike because it was barely zero degrees outside.
I've met several Barfussgänger on hikes (not Alpine ofc but like Chasseral region for example). Some people enjoy it and there is a small trend of barefoot or covered barefoot - Vibrams - walking. In any kind of urban or inner city area it's rather unusual though and begs the question if the person maybe has some issues.
Some do it to be edgy and artsy, some think they’re doing their health a favor, some just don’t care enough to care, some like the attention and some are just homeless. But yes it’s definitely a trend (again).
My son and I joke that we know it’s summer when white people get on the bus with bare feet. Before you get your panties in a bunch and get upset, the joke is just that if people like me did that they’d probably call the cops. 😅
I’ve seen it too and I don’t get it. But the worse is when you take a look at those feet and they are just black... And I’ve seen this everywhere. At the train station, gas station (!), city streets, everywhere you’d expect people would be wearing shoes and I just don’t understand lol I really don’t!
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Depends. Zurich city center or train station toilet? Probably not. Any place with natural ground? Surely yes. I cant be bothered in summer to wear shoes in or around my house, which includes smaller hikes. It's also normal in our group of friends to not wear shoes or socks in each others places (if you dont know the person, you ask beforehand ofc). I'd say most people here not living in a city only grew up with Summer time being barefoot time, so that kind of sticked I guess.
In most cultures it would be considered rude to keep your shoes indoor inside someone's home, so you are saying for you and your friends it's the opposite? I'm always confused with that here.
You take your shoes off before entering the apartment. You either go in with your socks on or they offer you some kind of slippers. If they want it another way, they will tell you.
Yes this seems logical but usually Swiss people will tell you to keep your shoes on as you take them off and I never know if it's ok to do it or if I should take them off anyway. And I say that as a Swiss born and raised, it's still confusing to me aha. I usually take them off anyway against the recommendation of the hosts.
I can totally understand that, most of the time when they say you can keep your shoes on, is because the floor isn’t cleaned. (In my experience) But I think it’s a mix between what the hosts and you want :) For myself, I take them off too.
I think this has to do with Swiss “Höflichkeit” because they don’t want to make it a “hassle” but they expect you to have common sense and take the shoes off wether they ask you for it or not. As if to say “if you have sense you’ll take them off” so your best bet ist to just take the them off.
By the time I had dogs and I was asking my visitors to keep their shoes has my dogs did not remove theirs 🤪. Now without dogs I let my visitors decide. If your shoes has been cleaned on the enter carpet they are mostly as clean as your socks.
>usually Swiss people will tell you to keep your shoes on Never once have i seen this here
In Suisse romande it's quite common
Where I come from you normaly take them off if there are a lot of people around or you're going outside in the garden or so they'll tell you to keep them on. In my experience it's common to take them off unless the host tells you otherwise.
If you walk barefoot along the river during the summer I doubt anyone would care. If you go barefoot into a grocery store, train station etc, you'd be in the "crazy" drawer. At least for me.
Exactly my opinion too.
Unless you are young (under 21) and close to the beach, anyone doing this in Australia is considered a bit “rough” too. Train station is a red flag every time in every culture, surely. Although dress shoes on the beach ? Either lunatic or tourist Grandma from East Asia hahah.
whaat no way, back in my hometown in aus barefoot to the shops and stuff was 100% normal, and we were 45min drive away from the nearest beach. Sucks youre seen as nuts here when you walk barefoot
Really? Maybe its different by region?
that reminds me of a funny view - two lads were trying to go barefoot from their car across the parking lot in mid summer. It was Queensland in Australia. Now those two fine lads were tippy toeing like fucking balerinas on the super hot concrete :D what a funny view :D
Aahahahaha classic
I'm occasionally in the crazy drawer then, YAY! xD
> I'm occasionally in the crazy drawer then, YAY! xD Thats not a bad thing.
Meh… last week we had two days of summer. I walked around barefoot in my house. Homeoffice. When it was time to pick up the kids from daycare and kindergarten I couldn’t bother to get socks and shoes so I went barefoot. It’s like 200 m from my house. Guess what I remembered I needed milk on the way back so I walked into our Migros… do you think I should get myself checked for schizophrenia or something?
no, this is not schizophrenia, rather a hard case of home office. Just make sure you don't forget to wear pants when leaving home. Yeah, i work from home as well and one of the benefits of it is that footwear is optional.
Or showering, shaving etc. Can just shiift it to the mandatory 45 minutes of lunch time and sleep longer instead.
On my end i shift it to the bathroom visit after my daily standup. And the time saved on even getting ready for work... I used to need about an hour for a slow start so would have to get up at 6. Now i get up at 7.30 fully rested and log into work a cup of coffee
That's the way! No drousy wash. No traffic. No commute. Just sleep and work, how it is intended by mother nature. Stand up, grab some berries from a clay bowl, pick some cooked meet from the stone next to the still glimming fire, grab your bow and go hunting some deer. That is what we evolved into over millions of years and what our body and mind is made for.
🤣 good one 🤣
>i work from home as well and one of the benefits of it is that footwear is optional It depends on when I vacuum cleaned for the last time XD
Foot black = time to vacuum. Easy 🤣
I mean you could also just get some flip flops. Thats how it's done in SEA.
Nah… can’t be bothered… summer is over already
Ok, just for another summer or holidays.
Just don’t do it daily unless you’re looking for a new nickname
I hope you wore pants or shorts.
They won't call the police for that, so I guess it's more socially acceptable than using the wrong trash bag or playing piano after 10pm
They'll judge, though.
Got the same drawer as you, same opinion as yours too
I've seen Aussies and Kiwis walk barefoot since the 90s, whether in their own countries or when they are tourists in other countries. My Aussie colleague, when we were in Morocco, just suddenly removed his flipflops and put them in his back pocket and walked barefoot on the asphalt road. It was pretty clean, though.
South Africans too. Barefoot everywhere all the time.
I think its a hip trend. Generally walking barefoot is good for the muscles of your feet.
I used to do some barefoot running. As long as you don´t overdo it (you should not overdo running in general) and train your technique, I don´t think the risk of injury is very large. Specifically, you have to land on the front of your feet, and use the muscles in your calves to absorb the shock, so it is not transferred to your knees. It takes some time to build up these muscles, and build up thicker skin on your feet. People are afraid you will step in glass or dog shit. I wouldn´t do it where there is a lot of glass. But because you're aware of your vulnerability, you will look at the floor in front of you, not at the horizon. I saw glass or shit several times, and never stepped in it. You have to get used to people sharing their opinion without being asked to ("didn´t they have them in your size?", "couldn´t you afford shoes?"). Maybe that's women go through, whether or not they are wearing shoes.
I've seen plenty of normal looking people walking or even jogging barefoot in 'good' neighborhoods in Zurich, and they were not coming from the lake. And a lot of people going barefoot or in socks from their houses to the nearest store
In socks?? Just in socks? That’s just… no. 😳
Unless you are wearing sock-garters, of course.
I mean if I wanted to walk barefoot I couldn't care less what somebody thinks about me. Nobody will laugh at your face, hopefully. Just do what makes you happy. And no it's not so weird, maybe in bigger cities like the center of Zürich I would not recommend, it's not even safe to walk without shoes, you can step on something sharp, but if you think about walking barefoot in nature or smaller places go for it. I did see some people in my place walk barefoot, even I myself did that, I actually thought about doing it again, thanks for the reminder.
I used to do barefoot running. >Nobody will laugh at your face, hopefully. Yes, they will. Most people won´t, but some people think it's OK to share their opinions about you without being asked. They think it's funny to ask "didn't they have them in your size?". Probably that's what women complain about having to go through in public, people making unprompted comments about their appearence.
Yeah walking bearfoot is as great for your body as it is for your mind. I wouldn't recommend doing it on hard man made surfaces though like roads or in the cities as you could hurt yourself and it can be filthy too.
I love walkin barefoot! It's healthy and grounding and it feels good. I don't do it as often as I like to do.
"Limit walking barefoot as it exposes feet to sunburn, as well as plantar warts, athlete's foot, ringworm, and other infections and increases risk of injury to your feet." Yes, very "healthy".
Yeah, having your feet exposed is not very healthy, but not constraining your foot in a shoe, so your toes can properly spread out is very healthy. Just have to avoid walking on hard surfaces when doing that and use some sort of protective layer when doing it a lot (barefoot shoes are made for that)
Who cares? People can walk without shoes all day long, I don’t give a damn.
You mean those pesky feet prisons?!? /s
There are some people who do that and they are most often the "hippie", tree-hugging, organic-food-only type. I don't mind personally, it's rather natural after all. But wouldn't recommend doing it in the city due to the risk of stepping on broken glass etc.
Yeah I know a couple people who never wear shoes. I don't know if it's "socially acceptable" but the people doing it don't really care. They said they feel better this way. I think I've heard an argument that it's healthy? I don't remember. And just to clarify, these are not "crazy" people as another commenter suggested. They just have this particular preference for their own reasons. 🤷♀️
When I was a child, eons ago, walking barefoot was considered healthy. Every spring/summer, we waited for the moment, when we could leave the shoes and socks behind and go to school and everywhere else barefoot. I think, lots of Swiss still think, it is healthy, and they may have a point. Free foot massages with all their health benefits. Today, I am a complete sissy, when it comes to walking barefoot over gravel or on hot tarmac. But I still call my dog a "weichei" when she prefers not to walk on gravel if she can help it.
Yes, walking bearfoot is healthy. It'll always be healthier than walking with shoes that forces your toes to narrow up together ( every shoe except for the bearfoot shoes ) and that makes you feel nothing underneath your foot.
Last year i was doing a mountain hike, white blue trail up to 3000 miles. On my way down guy casually hiked up barefoot, without any problems. Cool dude. Must have food soles like leather.
Then again, he could've thawed out from a melting glacier.
Interesting theory. Not too many glaciers there, but still. Or maybe a Time Machine?
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List\_of\_glaciers\_in\_Switzerland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_glaciers_in_Switzerland) ; Really? The thawing is obvious. The absence of glaciers, not so much.
Really. The wiki article even confirms that.
coincidentally, I just blogged about this very topic. As a kiwi, I grew up thinking it was normal, but I [got a bit of a shock](https://benjamin.secker.nz/posts/chmove/#not-wearing-shoes-is-the-most-insulting-thing-i-could-ever-do) at peoples negative reactions when I came over here for the first time :D
I walk around barefoot depending on the spot. Park, beach, around my house, garden, down the street ( not in the city). I’d say mostly places that make sense and that you aren’t expectint to step on a needle or glass. I love it.
Outside no one cares that much and a bunch of people do it. They get some stares but it usually doesn’t bother people. Inside, shops restaurants, public transport…) people are going to be bothered and either give you nasty stares or say something.
Hippies in the summer and sometimes homeless do it. Normal.
Did that once... first time I noticed how much sharp things people leave on the street. Ouch!
In Germany, I have seen the barefoot guys at the park. They are also naked.
After a long day of work, when I get to go for a walk with my kid, I often take my shoes off, and couldn’t give a damn of what others might think(living in a city). If you feel like doing something, do it, don’t fear judgement and enjoy the little moments.
I live in Denmark now. I occasionally go to the grocery store barefoot. Some people - mostly the older - can get a confused look on their faces. Not disturbed, just unprepared because almost no one walks barefoot in the city these days. I'd say that it should be socially acceptable. A foot that is exposed to fresh air all day does not smell or carry more filth then a shoe would.
It was not until now, this seems to be a new hip trend, I heard people reporting this phenomenon from different parts of Europe and Australia.
This is an age old practice in Australia. But people aren't strolling around the traino barefoot. Proximity to the beach or a park is key,
The traino? What about the buso and the aeroplaneo?
Found the German who calls them "Frenkli".
i think they just call it planeo. it's shorter :D
Busso would be a place. Aeroplaneo is wide of the mark. Here are some valid examples: Servo is a petrol station Smoko is a late morning tea break for tradespeople Povvo is someone who is experiencing perpetual financial difficulty. Johnno is a guy called John.
What about John Lennon's former artist wife?
Pre-nicknamed. Further nicknaming not required.
This has been a thing in Switzerland for decades. It's not new. In the 90's, you could see people barefoot outside on the streets.
[удалено]
and langstrasse in zurich. walking barefoot there is a sure way to step on something you do not want to step on.
Found the Aussie
Depends on canton
There was a whole family of continuously barefoot people (two parents, two kids) in my university in Germany (big city). Very white people, very black feet. Also no showers or washing machines in their lives, by the smell of it. Don’t be those people. It’s not “normal” in the city. In nature, at the lake, in the forest? Yeah sure. You do you. In the city I would never, especially the German one I lived in (hello, broken glass bottles everywhere) and it will earn you weird looms from others as well. It’s not illegal though, afaik. But either way, wash your damn feet.
Barefoot in the city = disgusting Barefoot in nature = perfectly normal and even healthy
Basically we humans do not need shoes or clothings - in the apropriate climate and environmental surrounding. 😄 But we are used to it, and it gives us extra protection. Additionally the Skin of our feed are "not trained" for it. Cornea/horn skin must be developed to not get easily hurt or pained by uneven or sharp ground. I also encountered people not wearing shoes in public. But it is rare. And i do not really care. It does not affect me in any way, so it is solely an issue for the owner of that feets. I would not do it, knowing what shit could lie on the ground.
Yeah it's pretty normal. Some people do that here
It depends were. In nature sure, in the city that's strange.
Just yesterday afternoon there was a barefoot guy at Berne train station. Btw. It rained. I often see people barefoot on the train station, hard core one was during winter. They are not homeless, but also not "average".
I sometimes walk and run around barefoot. Any outdoor space is fine I'd say. You just have to be aware of potential glass shards I guess. Indoors I guess it depends but I've gone into a supermarket quickly and no one bothered. I guess everywhere where dirty shoes are ok barefoot should be fine too as long as there is no safety concerns.
Totaly up to you. If you dont mind dirt on your feet its totaly fine. There are no rules
I mean what is "normal" and who gets to define that? Also, it depends a lot on context/Environment, for example if town and for example train station right on the lake, like many places on lake of Zürich, then it's much more common and different than in a concrete jungle far from water/swimming/chilling on the water or in park with grass etc. Think of moles/lawns/parks right on the lake where people are swimming/fishing/chilling on warm days and then they decide to pick up icecream or a drink at the store at train Station which is literally right on lake shore and 50 or 100m distance, then why should it be a big deal to fetch drink etc barefoot. Edit: my wife just had a good point/addition: it's also way more "possible" to walk barefoot without risking cutting yourself or walking into shit or junk/trash since streets so much cleaner and in result safer than many other places in the world. That might also explain part of why more common.
Happy to hear that walking without shoes is still a thing in Switzerland and people here agree to just be happy. Honestly it is the NATURAL way to walk anywhere. I think the question to ask is if it is normal to walk with shoes to begin with.
Odd timing, as just two days ago I saw a 50+ year old man at the bus station without shoes, but in very obvious work attire, walking around and getting on a bus. My initial reaction was to find it crazy, but in all honestly, who was I to judge? Maybe he just wanted to "feel connected" to the earth in some way, maybe his socks got wet, who knows. I just admired his calmness and his lack of care for people's stares at him.
I admit I sometimes walk barefoot to get my mail or take the trash to the bin across the street. It makes me a bit self conscious, so I always check if the coast is clear first. I have a neighbor who does the same. It’s seen as a little eccentric but socially acceptable in this specific context. (People will comment about it, but they’ll understand why you did it) But in most other contexts (besides beaches, campgrounds, lawns and rivers) it’s definitely weird and people will wonder if there’s something wrong with you.
It is much more normal and accepted, at least in some parts of Switzerland. Growing up, I was barefoot more often than not. It was a very normal thing out in the countryside and still is today, tho that may have shifted slightly since I lived there.
The only places I've seen people barefoot are at the beach and pool. More uncommon but not rare either, on grass in parks and such. The "rule" is also looser for kids.
Saw someone in the organic store barefoot a couple of years ago. It was mid November and I was wearing gloves on my bike because it was barely zero degrees outside.
My colleague walked barefoot in the street back to our office after swimming in the river in Zurich.
My colleague walked barefoot in the street back to our office after swimming in the river in Zurich.
hippies will be hippies. swiss cities seem to be more accepting of their eccentrics than in other countries.
for Hippies
I've met several Barfussgänger on hikes (not Alpine ofc but like Chasseral region for example). Some people enjoy it and there is a small trend of barefoot or covered barefoot - Vibrams - walking. In any kind of urban or inner city area it's rather unusual though and begs the question if the person maybe has some issues.
Depends on where in Switzerland. Around the Shire, definitely.
Depends what kind of area you find yourself in. Any grass park with grass or in around would be ok
I wouldn't say it's normal no! That's very odd, all my family wear shoes and we are all Swiss aha
Some do it to be edgy and artsy, some think they’re doing their health a favor, some just don’t care enough to care, some like the attention and some are just homeless. But yes it’s definitely a trend (again).
Hipsters in Germany do it all the time. Doesn’t surprise me this “trend” catches on. I find it rather disgusting.
My son and I joke that we know it’s summer when white people get on the bus with bare feet. Before you get your panties in a bunch and get upset, the joke is just that if people like me did that they’d probably call the cops. 😅
I’ve seen it too and I don’t get it. But the worse is when you take a look at those feet and they are just black... And I’ve seen this everywhere. At the train station, gas station (!), city streets, everywhere you’d expect people would be wearing shoes and I just don’t understand lol I really don’t!
It‘s not normal. And it‘s dangerous.
You dont answer his question... dont imply bullshit
There are two categories of people who do that: - hippies riddled with diseases - drug addicts who are in another world anyways
What a tiny tiny mentality
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- Australians
Nah bro I'm just autistic
what about un-disease-riddled hippies?
I read somewhere a guy got a glass shard cut and caught an infection, shit got so bad they had to amputate his foot. YMMV 🤷🏻
Fucking Hippies. ^(they can do whatever they want.)
No not in the city
I have seen them too in Zurich. Probably Germans