My son just found out about toe overlap this last Saturday. We stopped at a crossing and somehow while waiting with the front wheel turned sideways manage to get his foot in the way when the light turned green and looked a little silly while trying to recover. Thankfully probably I was the only other that realized he'd screwed up and there wasn't a fall or injury. But that is when he learned about toe overlap on bikes.

It's something that's been around for a long time. Get dusted off and discussed occasionally through the years. I think many bikes have it and their owners just have never experienced it because it's generally only during the brief moment of stopping or starting that the wheel might be turned enough to interfere with toes. Though I'm sure someone has made it happen in other situations.

I don't think a bike is unsafe because of it. Just like slamming your fingers in the car door, it happens occasionally. Unless you have some really, really long cranks and perhaps a cleat placement that puts your foot far forward on the pedals, then during normal riding you are not going to turn the wheel enough to experience it.