World Naked Bike Ride
Encyclopedia
World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) is an international clothing-optional bike ride in which participants plan, meet and ride together en masse on human-powered transport
(the vast majority on bicycle
s, but some on skateboard
s and inline skates
), to "deliver a vision of a cleaner, safer, body-positive world."
The dress code motto
is "Bare as you dare". Full and partial nudity
is encouraged, but not mandatory, on all rides. Any mandate to cover intimate part
s is forbidden; this is a distinguishing feature of WNBR against other cycling events.
Creative expression is also encouraged to generate a fun and immersive atmosphere during the ride, capture the attention and imagination of the public and media, and make the experience more personalized and fulfilling for the riders. Body art
, such as body painting
, are common forms of creative expression, as well as costume
s, art bike
s, portable sound reinforcement system
s (such as public address
systems, bullhorns
and boombox
es) and musical instrument
s or other types of noisemaker.
Pre- and post-ride parties for WNBR have become events unto themselves, often featuring musical bands, DJs, body painting, temporary structures/installation art
, political tabling, and catering. In addition to simply being able to ride clothes-free on community streets, some rides have established precedent by having body-painting parties, often involving numbers of naked riders and artists in high-visibility municipal parks
.
This distinctive form of Critical Mass
, occasionally called Critical Ass in a WNBR context, is often described or categorised as a form of political protest, street theatre
, party-on-wheels, streaking
, public nudity
and clothing-optional recreation
, and thus attracts a wide-range of participants.
In 2003 Conrad Schmidt
conceived the World Naked Bike Ride after organising the Naked Bike Rides of the group Artists for Peace/Artists Against War (AFP/AAW) which took place in the early part of the same year, as well as other high-profile political and media events leading to the creation of the Work Less Party of British Columbia
.
WNBR rapidly started to come to life through collaborations with activist groups and individuals around the world. The first WNBR event in 2004 was a collaboration between the WNBR group (riding on 12 June) and Manifestación Ciclonudista in Spain (riding on 19 June), establishing a precedent as a solstitial
Saturday observance. Since that time rides have also taken place in February and March (mainly in the Southern Hemisphere
). A smaller number of rides have taken place at other times of the year.
Prior to the first World Naked Bike Ride event in June 2004, two independent organizations — AFP/AAW and Manifestación Ciclonudista — had been organising very similar political events with virtually identical messages of protesting oil dependency
. Despite having similar political messages neither of these groups knew of the existence of the other until collaboration began many months before the first WNBR event.
Initially the message of the WNBR was protesting against oil dependency and celebrating the power and individuality of the human body. In 2006, there was a shift towards simplifying the message and focusing on cycling advocacy. While the ride does include and appeal to participants from social nudity circles, the ride is not focused on promoting social nudity directly as much as cycling.
The 2004 WNBR saw events in 28 cities, in ten countries on four continents. By 2010, WNBR had expanded to stage rides in 74 cities, in 17 countries, from the United States
to United Kingdom
and Hungary
to Paraguay
.
-type events may argue that they induce traffic congestion
. To counter, supporters may suggest: "We are not stopping traffic, we are traffic." Critical Mass and other "biketivist" groups promote awareness of cyclists; many cyclists are seriously injured or killed on the highways. Participants advocate "living street
s" and bicycle-friendly
communities.
.
Like Critical Mass, WNBR aims to promote bicycle transportation, renewable energy
, recreation, walkable communities, and environmentally responsible
, sustainable
solutions to living in the 21st century. Participants celebrate the many benefits of a car-free
lifestyle: reduced emissions
, free parking, and overall a greater feeling of freedom.
The ride has been criticized by some because WNBR largely involves participants who are naked
or topfree. Some who are offended by nudity or topfreedom believe that it should take place in designated areas or times only, and that WNBR participants seek to engage in exhibitionism
or even express sexually deviant
intent.
Participants claim that non-sexualized, colorful and creative nakedness in repressed societies is a refreshing way to remind people of some fundamental freedoms of life that people have collectively handed over without really thinking of the consequences. They claim that the WNBR is about body-positive values: living a healthy life in tune with, not against, the environment; respecting the natural beauty and diversity of human bodies; establishing and projecting a positive self-image; and rejecting shame. Organizers feel that WNBR is not just a ride against oil dependency; it is a ride for self-empowerment.
(until 2009), Brighton
and Portland, Oregon
rides. At other events police take a more neutral stance, simply monitoring proceedings. In other cases, such as in Ottawa
, police have attempted to stop the ride or have attempted to encourage riders to wear some level of clothing.
, New Hampshire, and charged with "indecent exposure and lewdness". The two riders agreed to having the charges reduced to "disorderly conduct" and paid a $300 fine, a major portion of which was paid for by the WNBR Legal Defense Fund. Six male riders were charged with public indecency
during the 2005 WNBR Chicago
ride and later prosecuted with sentences ranging from fines and non-expungeable conviction to three months of court supervision. During the WNBR held on 12 June 2010, two males were arrested by campus police at Western Washington University
in Bellingham
, Washington.
Laws on nudity are often vague and difficult to enforce. As WNBR is clothing-optional, organizers urge those who are uncomfortable going naked or who fear legal scuffles simply not to go fully nude. Participants have used body paint, liquid latex, strategically placed items, underwear and duct tape to cover intimate part
s. For example, flesh-colored bodysuits with exaggerated body parts were used in Seattle in 1999 by Fremont Arts Council members to spoof the Solstice Cyclists
in the Summer Solstice Parade
. Organizers encourage creativity and imagination, whether the participants go fully nude or not.
Some cities have restrictions on nudity in public areas, and some cultures have harsh restrictions on public nudity
. However, the laws of most progressive
societies are written to discourage activities which are intended to shock or offend. Many laws on nudity hinge on a concept of indecent exposure
. Participants may argue that there is nothing indecent about the naked human body and counter that the only thing that is indecent are laws on nudity.
Simon Oosterman
, the organizer of the 2005 WNBR in Auckland
, and the first to be arrested during a WNBR event, is credited with going further and refocusing the issue on oil-dependency. He urged: "Stop the indecent exposure to vehicle emissions." Oosterman later defended a charge of indecent exposure in the Auckland district court in 2006; after hearing evidence, the judge dismissed the charge.
Riders are encouraged to "ride loud and be proud". Organizers only allow rides to be organized in public areas for maximum outreach, not in established or ghettoized areas. Events are promoted at the grassroots level, often using Internet resources such as discussion groups, web sites, blogs and online journals and also by placing advertisements in local, non-mainstream newspapers and progressive journals.
Human-powered transport
Human-powered transport is the transport of person and/or goods using human muscle power. Like animal-powered transport, human-powered transport has existed since time immemorial in the form of walking, running and swimming...
(the vast majority on bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
s, but some on skateboard
Skateboard
A skateboard is typically a specially designed plywood board combined with a polyurethane coating used for making smoother slides and stronger durability, used primarily for the activity of skateboarding. The first skateboards to reach public notice came out of the surfing craze of the early 1960s,...
s and inline skates
Inline skates
In-line skates are a type of roller skate used for inline skating. Unlike quad skates, which have two front and two rear wheels, inline skates have two, three, four, or five wheels arranged in a single line...
), to "deliver a vision of a cleaner, safer, body-positive world."
The dress code motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
is "Bare as you dare". Full and partial nudity
Nudity
Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...
is encouraged, but not mandatory, on all rides. Any mandate to cover intimate part
Intimate part
An intimate, personal, or private part is a place on the human body which is customarily kept covered by clothing in public venues and conventional settings, as a matter of decency, decorum, and respectfulness...
s is forbidden; this is a distinguishing feature of WNBR against other cycling events.
Creative expression is also encouraged to generate a fun and immersive atmosphere during the ride, capture the attention and imagination of the public and media, and make the experience more personalized and fulfilling for the riders. Body art
Body art
Body art is art made on, with, or consisting of, the human body. The most common forms of body art are tattoos and body piercings, but other types include scarification, branding, scalpelling, shaping , full body tattoo and body painting.More extreme body art can involve things such as mutilation...
, such as body painting
Body painting
Body painting, or sometimes bodypainting, is a form of body art. Unlike tattoo and other forms of body art, body painting is temporary, painted onto the human skin, and lasts for only several hours, or at most a couple of weeks. Body painting that is limited to the face is known as face painting...
, are common forms of creative expression, as well as costume
Costume
The term costume can refer to wardrobe and dress in general, or to the distinctive style of dress of a particular people, class, or period. Costume may also refer to the artistic arrangement of accessories in a picture, statue, poem, or play, appropriate to the time, place, or other circumstances...
s, art bike
Art bike
An art bike is any bicycle modified for creative purposes while still being ridable. It is a type of kinetic sculpture. The degree of artistic creativity and originality or new functionality of art bikes varies greatly, depending on the artist or designer's intentions .-Examples:* The annual...
s, portable sound reinforcement system
Sound reinforcement system
A sound reinforcement system is the combination of microphones, signal processors, amplifiers, and loudspeakers that makes live or pre-recorded sounds louder and may also distribute those sounds to a larger or more distant audience...
s (such as public address
Public address
A public address system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to reinforce a sound source, e.g., a person giving a speech, a DJ playing prerecorded music, and distributing the sound throughout a venue or building.Simple PA systems are often used in...
systems, bullhorns
Megaphone
A megaphone, speaking-trumpet, bullhorn, blowhorn, or loud hailer is a portable, usually hand-held, cone-shaped horn used to amplify a person’s voice or other sounds towards a targeted direction. This is accomplished by channelling the sound through the megaphone, which also serves to match the...
and boombox
Boombox
Boombox is a colloquial expression for a portable cassette or CD player. Other terms known are ghetto blaster, jambox, or radio-cassette. It is a device capable of receiving radio stations and playing recorded music , usually at relatively high volume...
es) and musical instrument
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
s or other types of noisemaker.
Pre- and post-ride parties for WNBR have become events unto themselves, often featuring musical bands, DJs, body painting, temporary structures/installation art
Installation art
Installation art describes an artistic genre of three-dimensional works that are often site-specific and designed to transform the perception of a space. Generally, the term is applied to interior spaces, whereas exterior interventions are often called Land art; however, the boundaries between...
, political tabling, and catering. In addition to simply being able to ride clothes-free on community streets, some rides have established precedent by having body-painting parties, often involving numbers of naked riders and artists in high-visibility municipal parks
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
.
This distinctive form of Critical Mass
Critical Mass
Critical Mass is a cycling event typically held on the last Friday of every month in over 300 cities around the world. The ride was originally founded in 1992 in San Francisco. The purpose of Critical Mass is not usually formalized beyond the direct action of meeting at a set location and time and...
, occasionally called Critical Ass in a WNBR context, is often described or categorised as a form of political protest, street theatre
Street theatre
Street theatre is a form of theatrical performance and presentation in outdoor public spaces without a specific paying audience. These spaces can be anywhere, including shopping centres, car parks, recreational reserves and street corners. They are especially seen in outdoor spaces where there are...
, party-on-wheels, streaking
Streaking
Streaking is the act of running nude through a public place.-History:On 5 July 1799, a Friday evening at 7 o'clock, a naked man was arrested at the Mansion House, London, and sent to the Poultry Compter...
, public nudity
Public nudity
Public nudity or nude in public refers to nudity not in an entirely private context. It refers to a person appearing nude in a public place or to be seen from a public place. It also includes nudity in a semi-public place, where the general public is free to enter, such as a shopping mall...
and clothing-optional recreation
Nude recreation
Nude recreation refers to recreational activities which some people engage in the nude. Such activities can take place in private spaces, such as in a person's own property or in a naturist context, but also in public areas. Activities in which people engage in the nude include hiking, running ,...
, and thus attracts a wide-range of participants.
History
Prior to the World Naked Bike ride in 2004 there were many organizations organizing naked bike rides. In Germany naked bike rides were regularly organized by FKK organizations (Freie Körper Kultur). In Seattle naked bike rides were organized by the Fremont riders. In Spain rides were organized by the Ciclonudista. In Canada naked rides were regularly organized by Artists Against War.In 2003 Conrad Schmidt
Conrad Schmidt
Conrad Schmidt is a social activist, filmmaker and writer living in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada who is best known for his role in founding the Work Less Party of British Columbia and for creating the internationally known World Naked Bike Ride protest.-Biography:Schmidt was born and raised...
conceived the World Naked Bike Ride after organising the Naked Bike Rides of the group Artists for Peace/Artists Against War (AFP/AAW) which took place in the early part of the same year, as well as other high-profile political and media events leading to the creation of the Work Less Party of British Columbia
Work Less Party of British Columbia
The Work Less Party is a political party in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The party was founded in 2003 by Conrad Schmidt. It has a federal wing and also participates in municipal politics...
.
WNBR rapidly started to come to life through collaborations with activist groups and individuals around the world. The first WNBR event in 2004 was a collaboration between the WNBR group (riding on 12 June) and Manifestación Ciclonudista in Spain (riding on 19 June), establishing a precedent as a solstitial
Solstice
A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year when the Sun's apparent position in the sky, as viewed from Earth, reaches its northernmost or southernmost extremes...
Saturday observance. Since that time rides have also taken place in February and March (mainly in the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
). A smaller number of rides have taken place at other times of the year.
Prior to the first World Naked Bike Ride event in June 2004, two independent organizations — AFP/AAW and Manifestación Ciclonudista — had been organising very similar political events with virtually identical messages of protesting oil dependency
Energy security
Energy security is a term for an association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. Access to cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. However, the uneven distribution of energy supplies among countries has led...
. Despite having similar political messages neither of these groups knew of the existence of the other until collaboration began many months before the first WNBR event.
Initially the message of the WNBR was protesting against oil dependency and celebrating the power and individuality of the human body. In 2006, there was a shift towards simplifying the message and focusing on cycling advocacy. While the ride does include and appeal to participants from social nudity circles, the ride is not focused on promoting social nudity directly as much as cycling.
The 2004 WNBR saw events in 28 cities, in ten countries on four continents. By 2010, WNBR had expanded to stage rides in 74 cities, in 17 countries, from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
to Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
.
Sharing the road
Opposition to large Critical MassCritical Mass
Critical Mass is a cycling event typically held on the last Friday of every month in over 300 cities around the world. The ride was originally founded in 1992 in San Francisco. The purpose of Critical Mass is not usually formalized beyond the direct action of meeting at a set location and time and...
-type events may argue that they induce traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
. To counter, supporters may suggest: "We are not stopping traffic, we are traffic." Critical Mass and other "biketivist" groups promote awareness of cyclists; many cyclists are seriously injured or killed on the highways. Participants advocate "living street
Living street
A living street is a street in which, unlike in most 20th century streets, the needs of car drivers are secondary to the needs of users of the street as a whole. It is a space designed to be shared by pedestrians, playing children, bicyclists, and low-speed motor vehicles...
s" and bicycle-friendly
Bicycle-friendly
The term bicycle-friendly describes policies and practices which may help some people feel more comfortable about traveling by bicycle with other traffic...
communities.
Health, efficiency and sustainability
Participants believe that many communities were not designed to take advantage of bicycles, which can be considered the most efficient means of personal transport. Instead, they believe, society has subordinated community values to the requirements of expensive, dangerous, loud and polluting vehicles. Oil has become a treasured commodity — associated by some with the costs of war and climate changeClimate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
.
Like Critical Mass, WNBR aims to promote bicycle transportation, renewable energy
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
, recreation, walkable communities, and environmentally responsible
Environmental movement
The environmental movement, a term that includes the conservation and green politics, is a diverse scientific, social, and political movement for addressing environmental issues....
, sustainable
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
solutions to living in the 21st century. Participants celebrate the many benefits of a car-free
Car-free movement
The car-free movement is a broad, informal, emergent network of individuals and organizations including social activists, urban planners and others brought together by a shared belief that cars are too dominant in most modern cities...
lifestyle: reduced emissions
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
, free parking, and overall a greater feeling of freedom.
WNBR approach
Some cycling activists have criticised WNBR for trivialising the issues of oil dependency, cyclists' access to roads, and car culture. Organisers may counter that the concepts of having fun and public outreach are not mutually exclusive. Creative advocacy stimulates people to contemplate the issues. They argue that by occupying lanes intended for cars and not for bicycles, by tossing their clothes and rejecting body shame, they are protesting a way of life which should be abandoned. They believe that getting people to laugh and smile is a great way to connect and share ideas in a non-threatening way.Body-positive values, body image and offense
Nudity
Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...
or topfree. Some who are offended by nudity or topfreedom believe that it should take place in designated areas or times only, and that WNBR participants seek to engage in exhibitionism
Exhibitionism
Exhibitionism refers to a desire or compulsion to expose parts of one's body – specifically the genitals or buttocks of a man or woman, or the breasts of a woman – in a public or semi-public circumstance, in crowds or groups of friends or acquaintances, or to strangers...
or even express sexually deviant
Paraphilia
Paraphilia is a biomedical term used to describe sexual arousal to objects, situations, or individuals that are not part of normative stimulation and that may cause distress or serious problems for the paraphiliac or persons associated with him or her...
intent.
Participants claim that non-sexualized, colorful and creative nakedness in repressed societies is a refreshing way to remind people of some fundamental freedoms of life that people have collectively handed over without really thinking of the consequences. They claim that the WNBR is about body-positive values: living a healthy life in tune with, not against, the environment; respecting the natural beauty and diversity of human bodies; establishing and projecting a positive self-image; and rejecting shame. Organizers feel that WNBR is not just a ride against oil dependency; it is a ride for self-empowerment.
Legality of public nudity
The policing of the ride varies according to local laws, local police policy, and local cultural expectations. At some events, police support and facilitate the event. Police have provided traffic control at road junctions for the LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(until 2009), Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
and Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
rides. At other events police take a more neutral stance, simply monitoring proceedings. In other cases, such as in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, police have attempted to stop the ride or have attempted to encourage riders to wear some level of clothing.
Arrests and charges
Arrests during WNBR events are rare. Two male riders were arrested during the 2005 WNBR in North ConwayNorth Conway, New Hampshire
North Conway is a census-designated place in eastern Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,349 at the 2010 census. A year-round resort area, North Conway is the largest village within the town of Conway, which is bounded on the east by the Maine state line. The White...
, New Hampshire, and charged with "indecent exposure and lewdness". The two riders agreed to having the charges reduced to "disorderly conduct" and paid a $300 fine, a major portion of which was paid for by the WNBR Legal Defense Fund. Six male riders were charged with public indecency
Public indecency
Public indecency refers to conduct undertaken in a non-private or publicly-viewable location, which are deemed indecent in nature, such as indecent exposure and sexual intercourse or masturbation in public view. Such activity is often illegal...
during the 2005 WNBR Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
ride and later prosecuted with sentences ranging from fines and non-expungeable conviction to three months of court supervision. During the WNBR held on 12 June 2010, two males were arrested by campus police at Western Washington University
Western Washington University
Western Washington University is one of six state-funded, four-year universities of higher education in the U.S. state of Washington. It is located in Bellingham and offers bachelor's and master's degrees.-History:...
in Bellingham
Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
, Washington.
WNBR's successful cultural and legal precedent
The majority of WNBR events have encountered few cultural and legal problems.Laws on nudity are often vague and difficult to enforce. As WNBR is clothing-optional, organizers urge those who are uncomfortable going naked or who fear legal scuffles simply not to go fully nude. Participants have used body paint, liquid latex, strategically placed items, underwear and duct tape to cover intimate part
Intimate part
An intimate, personal, or private part is a place on the human body which is customarily kept covered by clothing in public venues and conventional settings, as a matter of decency, decorum, and respectfulness...
s. For example, flesh-colored bodysuits with exaggerated body parts were used in Seattle in 1999 by Fremont Arts Council members to spoof the Solstice Cyclists
Solstice Cyclists
The Solstice Cyclists is an artistic, non-political, clothing-optional bike ride celebrating the Summer Solstice...
in the Summer Solstice Parade
Summer Solstice Parade and Pageant
The Fremont Solstice Parade is an annual event produced by the Fremont Arts Council , an organization that supports the arts and artists in and around the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. Started in 1989 by Barbara Luecke and Peter Toms, the parade quickly grew to tens of thousands of...
. Organizers encourage creativity and imagination, whether the participants go fully nude or not.
Some cities have restrictions on nudity in public areas, and some cultures have harsh restrictions on public nudity
Public nudity
Public nudity or nude in public refers to nudity not in an entirely private context. It refers to a person appearing nude in a public place or to be seen from a public place. It also includes nudity in a semi-public place, where the general public is free to enter, such as a shopping mall...
. However, the laws of most progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
societies are written to discourage activities which are intended to shock or offend. Many laws on nudity hinge on a concept of indecent exposure
Indecent exposure
Indecent exposure is the deliberate exposure in public or in view of the general public by a person of a portion or portions of his or her body, in circumstances where the exposure is contrary to local moral or other standards of appropriate behavior. Indecent exposure laws vary in different...
. Participants may argue that there is nothing indecent about the naked human body and counter that the only thing that is indecent are laws on nudity.
Simon Oosterman
Simon Oosterman
Simon Oosterman is a New Zealand political activist, trade unionist, and anarchist. He is best known for coordinating the Unite Union campaign Supersizemypay.com which targeted the fast food industry and contributed to the abolition of youth rates, a $12 minimum wage and the , and for his...
, the organizer of the 2005 WNBR in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, and the first to be arrested during a WNBR event, is credited with going further and refocusing the issue on oil-dependency. He urged: "Stop the indecent exposure to vehicle emissions." Oosterman later defended a charge of indecent exposure in the Auckland district court in 2006; after hearing evidence, the judge dismissed the charge.
Riders are encouraged to "ride loud and be proud". Organizers only allow rides to be organized in public areas for maximum outreach, not in established or ghettoized areas. Events are promoted at the grassroots level, often using Internet resources such as discussion groups, web sites, blogs and online journals and also by placing advertisements in local, non-mainstream newspapers and progressive journals.
Further reading
- Sustainability and Cities: Overcoming Automobile Dependence (Paperback) by Peter Newman, Jeffrey Kenworthy (Island Press, February 1999) ISBN 1-55963-660-2
- The Offense of Public Nudity by Mark Storey
Films
- World Naked Bike Ride (31 min, UK, 2006) directed by Johnny Zapatos of High Altitude Films, narrated by Jon SnowJon SnowJon Snow is an English journalist and presenter, currently employed by ITN. He is best known for presenting Channel 4 News.He was Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University from 2001 to 2008.-Early life:...
. - Indecent Exposure to Cars: The story of the World Naked Bike Ride (external link), produced by Conrad SchmidtConrad SchmidtConrad Schmidt is a social activist, filmmaker and writer living in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada who is best known for his role in founding the Work Less Party of British Columbia and for creating the internationally known World Naked Bike Ride protest.-Biography:Schmidt was born and raised...
See also
- World Naked Bike Ride SeattleWorld Naked Bike Ride SeattleWorld Naked Bike Ride Seattle is an umbrella reference for Seattle's collection of local World Naked Bike Ride-affiliated events including WNBR Downtown Seattle , the permaculture-oriented Gardens Everywhere Bike Parade, WNBR Seattle Night Rides, WNBR West Seattle, Seafair Cyclists and Hemp Ride...
- Individual and political action on climate changeIndividual and political action on climate changeIndividual and political action on climate change can take many forms, most of which have the ultimate goal of limiting and/or reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, toward avoiding dangerous climate change.-Political action:...
- BohemianismBohemianismBohemianism is the practice of an unconventional lifestyle, often in the company of like-minded people, with few permanent ties, involving musical, artistic or literary pursuits...
and countercultureCountercultureCounterculture is a sociological term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a cultural group, or subculture, that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day, the cultural equivalent of political opposition. Counterculture can also be described as a group whose behavior... - Critical MassCritical MassCritical Mass is a cycling event typically held on the last Friday of every month in over 300 cities around the world. The ride was originally founded in 1992 in San Francisco. The purpose of Critical Mass is not usually formalized beyond the direct action of meeting at a set location and time and...
- Culture jammingCulture jammingCulture jamming, coined in 1984, denotes a tactic used by many anti-consumerist social movements to disrupt or subvert mainstream cultural institutions, including corporate advertising. Guerrilla semiotics and night discourse are sometimes used synonymously with the term culture jamming.Culture...
; Direct actionDirect actionDirect action is activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social/political channels. This can include nonviolent and violent activities which target persons, groups, or property deemed offensive to the direct action...
; Flash mobFlash mobA flash mob is a group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and sometimes seemingly pointless act for a brief time, then disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment, satire, artistic expression...
; Smart mobSmart mobA smart mob is a group that, contrary to the usual connotations of a mob, behaves intelligently or efficiently because of its exponentially increasing network links. This network enables people to connect to information and others, allowing a form of social coordination. Parallels are made to,... - List of places where social nudity is practised
- NakukymppiNakukymppiNakukymppi is a nude sport event in Finland, held in the municipality of Padasjoki one week before Midsummer every year.The idea of Nakukymppi is to run or walk a pre-set route with a total distance of 10 kilometres, completely naked. Participants are only allowed to wear shoes, socks and possible...
- NaturismNaturismNaturism or nudism is a cultural and political movement practising, advocating and defending social nudity in private and in public. It may also refer to a lifestyle based on personal, family and/or social nudism....
- Nude beachNude beachA nude beach is a beach where users are legally at liberty to be nude. Sometimes the terms clothing-optional beach or free beach are used. Nude bathing is one of the most common forms of nudity in public. As beaches are usually on public lands, any member of the public is entitled to use the...
and nudity in sportNudity in sportNudity in sport is uncommon but has not been totally absent from ancient or current sporting activities.-History:... - Nude recreationNude recreationNude recreation refers to recreational activities which some people engage in the nude. Such activities can take place in private spaces, such as in a person's own property or in a naturist context, but also in public areas. Activities in which people engage in the nude include hiking, running ,...
- Public nudityPublic nudityPublic nudity or nude in public refers to nudity not in an entirely private context. It refers to a person appearing nude in a public place or to be seen from a public place. It also includes nudity in a semi-public place, where the general public is free to enter, such as a shopping mall...
- Reclaim the StreetsReclaim the StreetsReclaim The Streets is a collective with a shared ideal of community ownership of public spaces. Participants characterize the collective as a resistance movement opposed to the dominance of corporate forces in globalization, and to the car as the dominant mode of transport.-Protests:Reclaim The...
- Soft energy pathSoft energy pathIn 1976 energy policy analyst Amory Lovins coined the term soft energy path to describe an alternative future where energy efficiency and appropriate renewable energy sources steadily replace a centralized energy system based on fossil and nuclear fuels....
- Utility cyclingUtility cyclingUtility cycling encompasses any cycling not done primarily for fitness, recreation such as cycle touring, or sport such as cycle racing, but simply as a means of transport...
- World Carfree NetworkWorld Carfree NetworkThe World Carfree Network is an international network that coordinates the actions of car-free advocates from around the world. It is the main hub of the global car-free movement...
Official links
- World Naked Bike Ride official site – general information and other resources
- World Naked Bike Ride wiki site – lists upcoming and past events, provides information for joining existing and creating new rides
- World Naked Bike Ride in Greece World Naked Bike Ride in Greece (Thessaloniki)
- http://wiki.worldnakedbikeride.org/wiki/Cardiff World Naked Bike Ride in Wales (Cardiff / Caerdydd)
Videos and pictures
- San Francisco Naked Bike Ride (SF Weekly photo set)
- Bikewars (London and Brighton Photos 2009)
- LONDON NAKED BIKE RIDE 2009 (LONDON PIXELS photo set)
- London Naked Bike Ride 2008 (LONDON PIXELS photo set)
- World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) (Brighton photos, 2008)
- World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) (Brighton photos, 2006)
- The World Naked Bike Ride (31 minutes, 2006, UK) by Johnny Zapatos of High Altitude Films - The story of the first World Naked Bike Ride to take place on the streets of London (4 parts)
- Pictures of the World Naked Bike Ride on Flickr
- You Never Bike Alone - Feature documentary includes section on WNBR history
- Miami Beach Police say nude cycling is not allowed
- 2006 WNBR Seattle Photos
- 2004 WNBR Seattle Photos
- http://outrapolitica.wordpress.com/2008/06/15/a-moda-agora-e-e-se-manifestar-pelado/ciclismo_ap/ Police in São Paulo - Brazil committing abuse against a rider in WNRB
- WNBR London 11 June 2011 - Start Hyde Park Video
News
- Biking Revolution News Toolbar News about World Naked Bike Ride, Critical Mass, & Super Hero Service Rides.