Convertible High Heels Make Driving a Cinch

Dec 04 2007 by Courtney Messenbaugh

12/4/2007

Flip Up Your Stiletto When You're Behind the Wheel

By: Courtney Messenbaugh

I hate to sound so cliche, but like another writer we all know and love — Carrie Bradshaw from "Sex and the City" — I love shoes. A sassy new pair of shoes can lift my lowest spirits, conquer my biggest fears and slim down my pudgiest-feeling days.

However, my time here at Mother Proof has taught me nothing if not the fact that one does not, under any circumstances, show up to test a new car at a press event wearing heels! As a serious automotive journalist, sensible driving shoes are a MUST. As such, I've been on a quest to find the perfect pair of driving shoes. Let me tell you, this has not been an easy task. In my quest, I have found that the words "sensible driving shoes" apparently translate to "hideously ugly, asexual, loafy loafers."

Then I ran across Sheila's Driving Heels. These are ingenious! With Sheila Driving Heels, women get the best of both worlds — a safe, flat driving shoe and a slick pair of heels, all wrapped into one. All you do is push a button, the heel folds up into the shoe and — presto! — you're ready to drive. Once you get to your destination, click the heel back down and you're back to being the fashionista you were born to be. Obviously I'm not the only one fighting the fashion versus safe-driving battle.

This all came to be after Sheila's Wheels, a car insurance company in the United Kingdom, commissioned some research on the fashion versus safety problem. It discovered that about half of the women polled choose what shoes to put on based on what goes best with their outfit, rather than what is the safest to drive in. Um, DUH! Thus, the Sheila Driving Heel was born. Alas, it's not available on this side of the pond.

Why would an insurance company commission a study about fashion? Well, Sheila's Wheels is geared solely toward women. A division of UK insurance company esure, it originated in and only operates from Great Britain, so I seem to be out of luck. I have totally wished I lived in London before — mostly for the sleek accent and to be far away from my in-laws — but now I want to live across the pond so Sheila's can insure my car and I can buy these shoes.

Among the company's female-friendly policies and practices are a hefty handbag coverage policy (if your bag is stolen from or along with your car); a network of female-friendly mechanics; it helps you with child-safety seats; it helps arrange mechanic visits around school schedules; and it offers a free hotline for female drivers in need of support — like in cases of road rage or post-accident trauma.

Now, allow me to leave you with this thought: Last year, Sheila's unveiled its "Buddy on Demand" program. This is — get ready for it — a blow-up man that inflates instantly with the push of a button if a female driver feels like the appearance of a passenger might make her feel safer while driving. Do I need to say anything more here? A car insurance company that not only makes some sweet driving heels, but also a blow-up man who can't talk for when I'm feeling lonely? Life is good across the pond.

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