The World Naked Bike Ride

I first became aware of the World Naked Bike Ride when they nearly ran me over making an illegal left onto Market in San Francisco en masse (and cutting through a crosswalk.) I couldn't help but respect these bold naked people though, and whatever cause it is they were out there baring it all for.

After some research, I've found that the World Naked Bike Ride is a series of locally-organized rides, taking place in many of the major cities across the world. Their primary ride day this year in the United States was on June 13th, but other rides have been organized throughout the summer, and as the opposite hemisphere moves into their warmer months they'll see more nude biking activity as well.

Are these people just simple nudists? No, the World Naked Bike Ride is a form of social activism. Since 2004 they have been promoting a car-free lifestyle by adopting a clothing-free ride. Participants are encouraged to get as "bare as they dare" and paint their bodies with artistic designs and slogans expressing their political and social viewpoints. "Stop exposure to vehicle emissions" is the main message they want to send, using their unshielded bodies in juxtaposition to automobiles to send the message promoting more car-free spaces and travel lanes in the places where we live.

Do the police do anything about it? It depends on local laws on nudity, which vary greatly. For example, here in San Francisco, as long as the naked cyclers aren't being disruptive they are generally tolerated and there's certainly plenty of people who like to watch. In areas with stricter laws, rides may be less "bare." Large rides generally go unmolested, however, as it's embarassing for the police to be on the nightly news arresting large groups of naked cyclists who otherwise weren't harming anyone.

The World Nude Bike Ride FAQ covers important questions of practicality, such as "Won't it hurt my genitals?" and "What about hygiene?" The issue of legality is also dealt with, the website claims that the only arrests that have ever been made were during one ride in Seattle (and the charges were later dropped), but I have to wonder if there's some underreporting going on there. Private body painting areas are frequently arranged before the ride so participants can get their appearance together without having to worry about being surrounded by creepy pervs taking pictures.

If you are interested in riding or organizing an event, you can check out their Wiki (which does not have any nude pictures, though the official website does.) The major yearly rides are mostly on March 13 in the Southern hemisphere and June 13 in the northern hemisphere, but there are rides still upcoming this year in Berkeley, Austin, Eugene, Ojai, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Saint Petersburg, Seattle, and at Black Rock City at Burning Man in September. Of course, events can also be arranged anywhere at any time when the weather is favorable.