Crocs Are Dangerous
by Suzanne Hadley on 09/18/2007 at 2:31 PM
In my unrelenting quest to bring you the latest on footwear safety, I submit to you a new danger: first flip-flops, now Crocs. I have to admit, I have a personal vendetta against the awkward-looking shoes (sorry if you love them). But according to Fox News, Crocs are the common denominator in a rash of adults and kids getting their toes stuck in escalators.
One of the nation's largest subway systems -- the Washington Metro -- has even posted ads warning riders about wearing such shoes on its moving stairways. The ads feature a photo of a crocodile, though they don't mention Crocs by name.
Four-year-old Rory McDermott got a Croc-clad foot caught in an escalator last month at a mall in northern Virginia. His mother managed to yank him free, but the nail on his big toe was almost completely ripped off, causing heavy bleeding.
Rory's mom discovered Crocs as the culprit when she did an Internet search. Countries as far from the U.S. as Singapore and Japan have reported similar incidents. Most of these accidents involve children as young as 2. The Washington subway is one clear example:
During the past two years, so-called "shoe entrapments" in the Washington subway have gone from being relatively rare to happening four or five times a week in the summer, though none has caused serious injuries, said Dave Lacosse, who oversees the subway's 588 escalators, the most of any U.S. transit system.
If you must wear them -- and I recommend you don't -- keep this in mind:
Washington Metro's Lacosse and other escalator experts say the best way to prevent shoe entrapments is to face the direction the stairs are moving, keep feet away from the sides and step over the teeth at the end.
Lacosse, of the Washington subway system, said he is personally skittish of Crocs and other soft-soled shoes.
"Would I wear them? No," he said. "And I tell my children not to wear them either."
That's a sentiment I fully support.
1. Jacob MT said the following at 3:16 PM on Sep 18
I've never tried Crocs. The foam-plastic design looks like it would be uncomfortable once it encounters sweat and dirt. I suppose part of my dislike is my inner counter-culturalist not wanting to wear something that is trendy.
I usually wear lace-up leather boots, aqua socks (basically rubber soled moccasins, which normal people wear at the beach), or mudboots (the clunky molded black rubber calf-length boots)
2. Jacob said the following at 3:35 PM on Sep 18
I think they're ugly anyway...
3. Jess said the following at 3:57 PM on Sep 18
I, too, have a personal vendetta against crocs (they're so ugly!), but as someone who had a traumatic childhood run-in with an escalator (heavy bleeding is right), I would steer clear of any shoes that raise your incidence of getting your foot stuck in one.
4. Katherine said the following at 4:08 PM on Sep 18
I still don't understand how you get your foot caught in an escalator.
5. Sara said the following at 4:59 PM on Sep 18
I've never heard of calling what I call rubber boots 'mudboots'. Is that Australian or something?
I wear them, too, cut off when I'm in the city and normal ones at home.
6. Jesse said the following at 5:55 PM on Sep 18
I personally wear Crocs almost every day. I must admit, I don't wear them for looks - function over form, no doubt. I wear them because it's easier to go from one place to another and not have to worry whether my shoe is untied or not or if they're going to get wet somehow (I DESPISE wet socks.. sorry!). Anyways, the way the radio presented this story was that the only reason they were getting stuck on the escalators was that the foam in the crocs get stuck in the teeth of the escalator steps - that's what crocs do, they conform. Just another reason to be healthy and use the steps..
7. James said the following at 7:41 PM on Sep 18
I think they simply look silly and are just the latest of feminine-footwear fads (I've only seen girls wear them), like flip-flops that will also ruin your foot (bad arch support, putting stresses on all the wrong places, etc.).
Personally, if I have to wear a light, open-toed shoe, I wear the latest tevas...they're a mix between a sneaker and a sandle: they support the foot, close off the toe, have strong rubber soles, and don't put undue stress on the foot due to minimal shoe-to-foot retention, but are also light, breathable, and good-looking (and of course comfortable).
Then again, I also live in Phoenix, AZ but still wear long pants and full shoes to work. I only need these kinds of shoes if I'm too lazy to want to tie my shoes, or if I'm at the lake.
8. Meredith said the following at 8:45 PM on Sep 18
I also wear crocs almost everyday in the fall/winter...not because they are a fad, but because they are sooo lightweight and easy to wear. I can't remember the last time I was on an escalator, I second the suggestion to take the stairs! If you haven't tried them, you should!
9. Natasha said the following at 10:29 PM on Sep 18
I knew it! There is some reason besides their seriously ugly appearance and (according to people who I've asked who do actually wear them)discomfort to not get these. Oh wait, I forgot to mention the 'overpriced' factor. ;)
I'll be the third person to suggest the stairs option for people who are that desperate to be in fashion.
Myself, I'd rather be comfortable and not look like I'm wearing recycled tires.
10. Jessica said the following at 11:02 PM on Sep 18
I love crocs. I wear them to work (I'm a nurse) and my feet actually feel better after I wear them--I've tried all kinds of nursing shoes and supports and these are the best! They are also really great water shoes. I took them to Vermont and they were great in the rocky streams. They actually protected my feet better than teva type sandals (so there). Also some people have a rigid foot type and do not need as much support but rather need more cushion. I am one of those people and so crocs are great for me. However, I will agree that they are kind of funny looking.
11. Jacob said the following at 11:40 PM on Sep 18
James,
I just moved to Phoenix...small world!
12. Leah said the following at 12:00 AM on Sep 19
I don't like crocs, but I don't see how it's physically possible for them to get stuck in escalators. You're more likely to get a shoelace stuck. Does that mean we should stop wearing sneakers?
13. Katie M. said the following at 3:11 AM on Sep 19
James, click this link, and you will be able to say you have seen a man wearing Crocs -- the Commander in Chief, no less: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/21/AR2007062102403.html.
With all due respect to the president, these things are horrifically ugly, and I won't miss them one bit once they *hopefully* recede from trend-dom.
However, Crocs did come up with a slightly more visually appealing form of their shoe for women, anyway; it's a sort of ballet-flat Croc. Not great looking, but not as bad as the glorified garden shoe.
14. Carrie said the following at 8:00 AM on Sep 19
Crocs remind me of garden shoes. Truthfully, I see more males wear them than females. Chocos are a big things with most of my friends, several have tried talking me into buying them.
15. Josh said the following at 8:10 AM on Sep 19
I like Crocs. There I said it. Mine are orange and they match my sons (he's 2). Am I a nerd? Yes. But he likes that our shoes match.
I just have some questions to consider before writing them off completely. Could the problem be the operators of the Crocs and not the actual Crocs?
I absolutely love escalators, but I have a healthy respect for them too. The people involved in these accidents , were they aware of the potential dangers of escalators? Do we need to limit them to stairs only? "Sorry sir, your driver's license says you can't handle an escalator, you can use the stairs or the elevator, have a nice day." Is this article blaming Crocs actually contributing to the delinquency of escalator riders everywhere?
Furthermore, were there other innocuous items that these people were wearing that may have contributed to their demise (soft drinks, puffy coats, jewelry, a Build-A-Bear stuffed animal)?
For the little ones, why are we not blaming their parents? Can we build a case for child neglect? "On the evening of January 23rd were you or were you not allowing your 2yr old to ride the escalator with Crocs? So you admit it?" Case closed.
Sorry, I struggle to buy the argument that it is an inanimate object's fault that we humans do human stuff and hurt ourselves. Sometimes we just need to admit we are clumsy and strive to do a better job paying attention.
16. Lynne said the following at 9:50 AM on Sep 19
Thanks Josh for bringing up the parent's role in this. Many preschoolers have a reasonable healthy fear of escalators, so perhaps taking 2 seconds to help them on or off is a better solution than banning shoes. Just because your child can walk easily, doesn't mean he or she shouldn't get a little extra help (whether they want it or not) around escalators, steps, or other "dangerous" places.
17. marc said the following at 11:54 AM on Sep 19
Shoe Fads. Feh.
Keen and Vasque all the way!
And Red Chili when I"m climbing.
18. DannieA said the following at 12:50 PM on Sep 19
I personally don't see the fascination with Crocs. I'm pretty trendy and these are just plain ugly.
They also look uncomfortable....but that's just me.
19. Laura_mh said the following at 12:56 PM on Sep 19
Hi Jacob and James...I'm a native Phonecian....lived there until three years ago. I didn't realize there was such a strong AZ connection on Boundless!
20. Matthew said the following at 8:37 AM on Sep 20
Can't people just watch where they are stepping? Have parents neglected to teach their children that lesson?
21. Paul said the following at 9:34 PM on Sep 20
2 questions...
1.) How do you get your foot stuck in an escalator?
and
2.) How does wearing crocs = a better chance of getting your foot stuck in an escalator.
Honestly, I'm thinking pretty hard over here, and I can't come up with an answer to either :)
22. Becky said the following at 9:44 PM on Sep 20
Hey all you Croc haters, here's my true Croc testimony:
I used to be the biggest Croc hater on the planet. I made fun of my siblings endlessly for wearing those "ridiculous plastic shoes." Every time I saw them, I'd roll my eyes and think to myself "That's the dumbest fad I've ever seen. Do they realize how awful they look?"
Then last summer I visited Manhattan. We walked. And walked. And walked. And halfway through the day, my feet were killing me. I was wearing my favorite pair of flip flops, and while this might not have provided the most support, they were certainly not uncomfortable. One of the people with us wanted to stop into a shoe store and I took the opportunity to sit down and rest my feet. My sister grabbed a pair of Crocs off the wall and convinced me to put one on "just for fun."
To make a long story short, I tried them on, immediately purchased them, asked the salesperson to cut off the tag, and spent the rest of the time in New York wearing the ugliest, most comfortable shoes I've ever owned. And I haven't stopped wearing them since.
I'm telling you, there's a reason Crocs are so popular. They are very affordable ($30), virtually weightless, easily washable, and easily the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever put on my feet.
I promise you, if you give them a fair try, you will be converted. Take it from someone who's been in your shoes.
23. Britta said the following at 10:40 PM on Sep 20
I'm a fan of Crocs, I'm on my feet about 35 hours of my 45 hour work week, and of the things I've tried (sneakers,insoles,Keen's, Teva's) they have been the best. Crocs rock! (For me) Anyway, I agree with other folks on the parent issue: my question being, where were they? If mom or dad, or both were atune/keeping an eye on/paying attention to the child would this have taken place? Hmmmmm
24. Eric said the following at 7:52 AM on Sep 24
Again, another instance of people with no common sense trying to pass the blame. Would you walk around barefoot through a yard full of nails?
25. Gay L. McPhee said the following at 1:24 PM on Jan 5
HUGE Crocs fan! Love, love, LOVE them! Can't wait to try the line Crocs.
26. Barbara said the following at 10:15 AM on Oct 7
I loved the comfort of crocs when I got my first pair a couple of years ago, but they would cause me to slip on any wet surface so a couple of months ago I bought 2 new pairs of the "slip resistant" shoes and ended up slipping in them on wet grass while walking down a slight slope. I am now sitting here with a fractured ankle.
27. BDB said the following at 12:11 PM on Oct 7
Hmmm...I remember this article.
In Cambodia, Crocs were strongly recommended because there's lots of time you're walking through wet stuff and you're always taking your shoes off when entering a building. So I decided to bring a pair. Easy to clean blood off of when doing a medical missions trip, you know.
And of course, the first day out in the provinces, I stepped on something sharp. As it turns out, it didn't break the skin. But I immediately remembered why I prefer hiking boots where nothing penetrates...(SIGH)