NEWS: They Like to Ride Their Bicycles. They Like to Ride Their Bikes.

CULTURE: They Like to Ride Their Bicycles. They Like to Ride Their Bikes.

What says "NO TO OIL" quite like naked exhibitionism on wheels?

This weekend, in various European and Canadian cities, thousands of participants took part in what was the fourth annual world naked bike ride.

CNN reports:

Spouting a pearl necklace of wisdom, Bogdan Potrowski, a 36-year-old Polish electrician, wearing just a baseball cap remarked, “We shouldn’t be so dependent on oil.” Realizing the disconnect between his statement and attire, he also added, “We also want to show everyone how defenseless we are on the roads.”

While organizers of the ride in London noted that 850 individuals took part last year, they expected an even larger turnout this year, due to the fair weather.

I just want to share that this story was incredibly illuminating to me. Having seen a man near my junior high school standing naked, watching us play softball, I never quite understood what he was doing there. I now understand he was just protesting our reliance on Middle Eastern oil. Sorry naked protest man, I’ll never call the cops on one of you naked freedom fighters again.

Now this sounds fun.

Are you somehow confused as to why nudity is being used as a tool for protesting? It's quite obvious such publicity stunts increase awareness of whatever issue is being protested, which is the only reason why you're writing about it. It's not like this tactic is at all new or original.

I witnessed the naked bike ride tonight here in Portland, which is the largest of its kind in North America. I'd say there were at least 500 people, and it certainly made me want to buy a bike and join them.

I'm not confused why they were naked. I'm confused why anyone thinks stunts like this will lead to anything substantive whatsoever. It's a quick story about naked people. It will go away. It's also not like people didn't know we had an oil dependency, or that they changed the minds of anyone who disagreed by being naked.

After all, how many people remember what Lady Godiva was protesting? They just still giggle about a naked chick in public a thousand years ago.

You'd think that on a site like SG they would at least set us up with some hot juicy nekkid pics of the ride.

Too bad, huh?

I assume he understands it, but is mocking it.

Naked riding sounds painful.

You remembered, and I just did too. I'm off to Google her right now.

I would never do a naked protest in the modern world of cellphone cameras.

dang and it was hot that day too.

I so wouldn't have wanted to have been a bicycle seat in london yesterday

I don't need to ride naked, I'd be happy with one quiet peaceful, and legal nude beach on the East Coast. Someplace where you can be left alone without worrying about the police state.

Yeah, I witnessed that too. It was pretty incredible.

Yeah it does.

Hmmm, that Bogden fella sounds familiar. When last in Poland, we were staying in the old Jewish Quarter of Krakow (go there quick before it becomes too popular) and used a 'taxi' chap called Bogden to take us on a tour of the concentration camps and surrounding areas.

As is my hobby*, I picked up a few local porno mags. Lo and behold, there's a chap poking this lady and he looked very much like Bogden. So now he's riding around naked on a bicycle....small world eh...

*My original hobby was to research and write a book "80 Lays Around The World" but the missus wasn't keen on it

It was great fun. Riding naked through the Pearl was fantastic, and cruising down Burnside, no hands, crossing the Steele Bridge and being in front of 500 people, I'm still giddy.

Heh, one of the girls I know sent me a pic of such a thing once :-p....it was funny.

Seriously, that's what I was thinking. These days if you're naked in public once, you're naked in public forever.

It was fun. We did it here in Portland last night. It was nice out.

-D

Lady Godiva achieved her goals. Most people can't tell you what the Treaty of Paris was, either, doesn't mean it wasn't important.

M hm... which means you might as well do it again. Right?

NEKKID BIKE RIDES RULE! but my balls look pretty funny on the saddle.

I was afraid this would happen. It was a snarky example that wasn't truly appropriate, and I really shouldn't have used it. It wasn't a protest. She was just calling her husband's bluff. It was closer to public domestic violence than a protest, as the story goes.

I still don't understand why this counts as any kind of effective protest. I don't have a problem with people riding bikes naked. I just don't think this will change anyone's minds. I mean, my god, what is the thinking here? Is some bystander really going to watch this and say, "Holy Shit! After seeing a bunch of naked dudes on bikes, I'm going to sell my car!" I don't buy it.

Knock yourself out. It sounds like a fun outing. I certainly agree with the aim of the exercise, but I find the methodology silly. It doesn't do anything to get me excited about the actual issue, and I already bike or walk to work, and have for years.