Barefoot in a public library

[Barefoot Joe]

I was told to put my shoes on at the main Carnegie Public Library in Pittsburgh, Pa in Oakland. He told me he had to kick me out otherwise. So I put on my emergency flips that I keep in my back-bag...Does anyone know if what he said is a law?!

Ironically, I was getting a book about being barefoot.



-Joe

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Now that's ironic! 

Now that's ironic! Hahahahaha! Not the getting kicked out part.

Longboard knows the law. He's not been visiting as much, since understandably, he's taking care of his dad now. From what I understand is there are no laws that prevent bare feet in public, not in public places anyway. If the library is public, he has to let you in. If any business or entity is private, you have to abide by their rules, no matter how uninformed they may be.

 

[NakedSoleNate]

no, there is no law, even for

no, there is no law, even for private enterprises...no health code ordinance, etc....and most places don't actually have any sort of policy...but even with all this "non-law"....we barefooters still get kicked out of places, even after "prooving" no such law exists. It's a fight that many have been fighting....are you a member of the SBL?? there is good support there...I'm a member, don't post much, but find comfort in reading other people's experience. I've been kicked out of several places myself, but, unlike Longboard and others, have yet to actually be arrested....yes, it has happened, as stupid as that is.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

But are you sure they were

But are you sure they were kicking you out because of your bare feet, cousin?

 

[NakedSoleNate]

LOL TJ....yep...I'm a nice,

LOL TJ....yep...I'm a nice, accomodating sort of guy...although, eventually it sometimes just becomes a power issue, as that one time I offered to put on flops and they said I had to have closed toed shoes WITH socks on. If I had offered to do that, they probably would have said I had to have gloves on, if I put them on, they'd probably say I'd have to wear a powdered wig!!!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

People are just ridiculous. 

People are just ridiculous. They act like you walked in their butt naked. Here! Put some clothes on! Geez.

 

[nature runner]

Speaking of non existent laws

Speaking of non existent laws and rules. Today I went to a Scotchman gas Station. I have been there 100 times barefoot. She told me I could not come in there barefoot anymore. She said it was against the non existent health code. I pulled out my papers from the State of Tn Health dept and Agriculture stating no law or health code existed. She said will the owners have that rule. I asked to see the rule in writing, she got mad and said no you cannot see it. Told me I had to leave or she would call the cops lol. I left and went an emailed the corporate offices all the details of the conversation and cut and pasted a copy of the letter about the non existent health code she quoted. I haven't heard back from them yet. No other gas stations in the area have a problem with my barefeet. I was in my gym clothes, which probably made me stand out more. But, you know what, f**k em. Who are they to tell me to put on shoes, freakin freaks. Freakin frak em freakin freaks! I hate people like that. I let her know that I knew it was just a persoanl power trip for herself, and that she wouldn't win because i can always go barefoot somewhere else and burn her a$$ with the corporate people for being so rude to me! Anyway, sorry, had to vent!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Wow, NR!  That bites.  Sorry

Wow, NR! That bites. Sorry you had to go through that. Don't let people like this work up your energy. Just don't patronize them anymore.

 

[Ahcuah]

Yes, it is probably legal.

Yes, it is probably legal. The state has probably given the libraries broad authority to make all sorts of rules. Their rules of behavior are here: .

That said, I've sued libraries for evicting me, and watched various courts just make up evidence, because they just know how dangerous bare feet are. Their favorite excuse: such a rule protects a library's financial integrity because a barefooted person might sue them. However, here in Ohio, libraries have statutory immunity from all but physical defects in their buildings and grounds, and furthermore patrons are considered, by law, to be licensees (not business invitees), which means that to successfully sue, mere negligence is not enough, but the library's conduct must be "wanton and willful". Yet, the judges ignore that.

You can see almost all the court filings on my website: .

In my latest case, still ongoing, the judge was forced by the appeals court to hold an evidentiary hearing, and I lost yet again. Part of his reason: "Pathogens can be deposited on carpeting and other flooring from cuts and lesions on body surfaces, such as feet. Once deposited on carpeting and other flooring, pathogens can enter other persons' bodies through cuts and lesions on persons' body surfaces, such as feet."

 

[NakedSoleNate]

so then why are we not

so then why are we not required to wear gloves and masks in libraries? silly silly people...

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Ahcuah wrote:That said, I've

That said, I've sued libraries for evicting me...such a rule protects a library's financial integrity because a barefooted person might sue them.

Ha! Now that's irony for ya!

Good for you, Ahcuah!

 

[Barefoot TJ]

so then

so then why are we not required to wear gloves and masks in libraries? silly silly people.../quote]

EXACTLY! I've cut my hands more than my feet over the past 2-1/2 years of running barefoot.

 

[Barefoot Joe]

Thanks Ahcuah, I guess it is

Thanks Ahcuah, I guess it is a written rule:

"Customers are expected to maintain an acceptable standard of personal hygiene. Creating a hazardous or physically offensive condition - including unpleasant body odors that may offend other library customers as well as infested clothing or personal effects - is unacceptable. Shirts and shoes must be worn at all times."

Good thing my university does not have such rules, or at least no one has attemped to tell me there is.

Nate, I am not a member of SBL but I will join to support the cause because it is a basic human right to be barefoot.

 

[Barefoot TJ]

Unpleasant body odors?  Have

Unpleasant body odors? Have they not smelled the VFF stink?

 

[Barefoot TJ]

You should wear those

You should wear those bottomless shoes to trick them and see if anyone notices. Then just laugh if they do. Now that would be funny.

 

[nature runner]

NakedSoleNate wrote:so then

so then why are we not required to wear gloves and masks in libraries? silly silly people...

Right on Nate!



Hands breed and transport more germs than any other part of the body. The feet are literally at the bottom of all that! Why do stores not require that we all wear gloves before entering? Since the hands are more dangerous what is the problem? I think it's a social issue and a personal preference with people and not a safety issue! If someone looks at feet and goes oh gross then all of a sudden it's a health dept issue that is literally non existent! It turns in to a personal social issue not a health issue, just a looks thing only! It is very discriminatory! I am challenging that right now with Scotchmans convienance stores!

 

[Barefoot Mary]

You might want to carry one

You might want to carry one of these letters around as leverage:

http://barefooters.org/health-dept/

I have 3 in my wallet...one for Colorado, one for Michigan (my home state), and one for Texas where I will be visiting my brother next year. True, it doesn't account for any private business policies but it does account for the "against state law!!!" common dispute.

Libraries stink I just gotta say. Once a librarian approached me because I'd kicked my shoes off under the computer desk and I was wearing socks under the table. She told me I had to put my shoes back on. I was...uh...SHOCKED. How did she see my stocking feet under the desk? Did she have X-ray vision?? Those librarians...they're trouble-makers!

 

[Barefoot Joe]

That's so true Mary...you

That's so true Mary...you wouldn't want to be in the computer lab on a hot summer day at my library either.

My 2 year old brother is coming to visit me with my mom and I plan on taking him to the kids area in the library to play. This is going to get interesting

 

[NakedSoleNate]

I have the letters...of

I have the letters...of course, no one wants to see them, and they change thier "reasons" on the spot...stupid social norms....

 

[nature runner]

Believe it or not. I got a

Believe it or not. I got a phone call from Scotchmans district manager yesterday apologizing for the manager of the store telling me not to come in there barefoot. They said I was right there aren't any health codes or laws and I am more than welcome to go there anytime, then the same day the lady that persecuted me called me and apologized! I was like geez is this really happening lol. I was so happy that I won my right to go barefoot back! Hopefully that trend will grow and more people will realize that there is really nothing wrong with going barefoot!