Summer is upon us, and that means visits to the beach, outings to the park, and plenty of other trips to places that don’t require shoes. But how soon are you allowed to go barefoot. By that, I mean: can you legally drive barefoot? Is shoelessly putting the pedal to the metal illegal?

The answer, on the whole, is fairly simple: in most cases & in most states, the answer is no. You can’t be fined as a driver for letting your toes air out while operating a vehicle. But, just because you CAN doesn’t always mean you SHOULD.

A lot of states actually do have laws on the books that can cloud your decision to kick off your Keds in the car, namely in the event that you were to get into an accident. For instance, in Alabama, Arizona, California, and several other states, authorities could legally decide that you driving barefoot likely played a part in a crash, and that could result in a reckless driving charge. There are also some states, like Ohio, that don’t actively prohibit barefoot driving, though they do overtly discourage you from doing it.

The best idea is just to drive wearing shoes that have adequate grips on the bottom, since bare feet can potentially slip off the pedals. Sandals, flip-flops, heels, and shoes with loose laces are also potentially dangerous, since ill-fitting shoes are more likely to slip off. As a matter of fact, some experts say it might actually be safer to go without shoes than to drive in any of those.

Check your local laws to be sure, since a city mandate might differ from a state policy. But, for the most part, unless you’re operating motorcycle, you’re good to go if you decide to drive with naked feet. But, if you notice your passenger making a funny face, it might be a good idea to do them a favor & put your shoes back on.

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved, send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

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The “funny bone” is neither funny (especially when you bang it on a table or wall), nor is it a bone (regardless of whether you bang it or not). So, where’d the name “funny bone” come from, and why is it so painful?

When you talk about your “funny bone”, you’re actually talking about your ulnar nerve. Your ulnar nerve runs from your neck all the way to down to your hand, where it does what’s called “innervates” several different hand & forearm muscles before ending up in two final branches that innervate your pinkie & part of your ring finger.

Much like the rest of the nerves in your body, the majority of your ulnar nerve is protected by bones, muscles, and/or ligaments. But, as the ulnar nerve passes your elbow, it runs through a channel called the cubital tunnel. And, at that point, it’s only protected by skin & fat, and that makes it vulnerable to getting bumped. So, whenever you hit your “funny bone”, you’re actually hitting the ulnar nerve against bone & compressing it, and that results in a weird mixture of numbness, tingling, and pain that shoots through the areas where the nerve does its thing (down your forearm & hand, into your ring & pinky fingers.

But, why is it called the “funny bone”? Well, there are two schools of thought in that debate. Some experts believe it to be an anatomical pun, since the ulnar nerve runs along the humerus bone, which sounds like the word “humorous” (as in funny). Other folks claim this particular nerve got its nickname because of the funny (as in odd) sensations you get when you hit it.

Regardless of how it got its name, no one could blame you for wearing elbow pads all the time in an attempt to try & avoid the totally-not-hilarious pain that comes from hitting your “funny bone”. The only thing funny, at that point, would be the looks you might get from folks.

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved, send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

If you’ve ever wanted to change your hair color, there may be no cheaper way to lighten your locks than simply spending time in the sun. But why does spending time in the summer sun cause some folks’ hair to get naturally blonder?

While summertime highlights may seem to breathe new life into your ‘do, the opposite is actually happening because hair gets lighter in the summer due to sun damage. Too much sunlight exposure actually wears down your hair’s melanin, a polymer that gives hair & skin their pigmentation. Melanin has evolved to absorb & scatter ultraviolet light as a way to protect our delicate human DNA from radiation. But melanin isn’t perfect against the sun’s harmful rays, and if you spend enough time in the sun your melanin will start to break down. And, when this happens, your hair loses pigmentation. That’s why strands of hair that have lost melanin end up resembling naturally blonde or fair hair.

The sun also affects the melanin in your skin, but in basically the opposite way. Instead of losing pigmentation after spending too much time outdoors, your body ramps up melanin production to give you extra protection. That’s why the sun makes most people’s skin look darker (or “tan”) instead of bleached. But your skin is a living ecosystem, while hair is made up of dead cells, so it’s unable to defend itself against sun damage.

While you might not mind your summertime hair color change, that’s just one symptom of overexposure to UV rays. Sun-bleached hair can also become dry, frizzy, and brittle. It’s actually better to protect your hair from the sun by wearing hats or other head coverings, especially if you’re out in the middle of the day, when the sun’s rays are at their most intense. You can also treat your hair with SPF products just as you would your skin.

Be safe outdoors this summer! And, if you’ve got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved, send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

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