Thong-clad biker has some eyes sore - San Antonio man get complaints, says he has rights

San Antonio Express News ^ | May 5, 2003 | By Jesse Bogan / San Antonio Express-News

[MeekOneGOP]

What a role model/parent he is/has been for his kids.

Gottschalk, who is divorced, has four sons, ages 14 to 25.

"They consider me to be a mild embarrassment, but they love me," he said.

Bob Owen/Express-News

Joseph Gottschalk, 52, an unemployed truck driver who dabbles in carpentry, compares bicycling nearly naked to driving the maximum legal speed limit.

[r9etb]

Not that I'd do it anyway -- but I don't think I want my nose anywhere near this guy's bike seat....

[MeekOneGOP]

Just for exposure (hehe!) here is the DMN A/P version . . .

Bicyclist wearing only thong draws range of comments

05/05/2003

Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO - A 52-year-old man who regularly rides his bike in a city park wearing only a black thong has received dozens of complaints but says he'll keep on pedaling because it's his legal right.

"We all claim to believe in the value of personal liberty, but we don't," Joseph Gottschalk said in Monday's editions of the San Antonio Express-News. "No one person has the right to outrank the law and tell me what to wear."

By law, Gottschalk is allowed to wear the thong as long as it covers the appropriate parts. "It doesn't take much clothing to take care of the requirement," he said.

San Antonio Park Police said they've received several complaints about Gottschalk in the past month. In the past four years, police have contacted Gottschalk about his skimpy attire at least 20 times.

"This is unique, let me tell you. Normal general public doesn't do that," Park Police Capt. Raymond Castro said. "But he's within his civil rights and legal rights to wear his thong."

The sight of Gottschalk pedaling around Southside Lions Park disturbed Ivonne Castoreno so much that she changed her walking schedule after she and her 13-year-old son saw him a few times.

"Look at this guy - you know, he's not hiding much," said Castoreno, 33. "Keep it in the bedroom."

Gottschalk's neighbor, 57-year-old Betty Seibold, said she's seen him mowing his lawn and washing his truck in the same thong. "His behavior may seem strange to us, but we are all a little strange in different ways," she said. "We are all eccentric."

---

Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/050503dntexbikethong.24850540.html

[MeekOneGOP]

ROFL ! :O)

[areafiftyone]

ROFLMAO - And how many bike seats have you been sniffing? ;-)

[martin_fierro]

This man is clearly unable to distinguish between right and thong. <|:/~

[Redcloak]

It could be worse. He could have been a Teddy Kennedy look-a-like.

[toast]

"Look at this guy - you know, he's not hiding much,"

That one had to hurt.

[AppyPappy]

He's lucky he hasn't been beaned with a bottle.

[r9etb]

And how many bike seats have you been sniffing? ;-)

Not even my own, A51.

OTOH, I think it'd be pretty funny to watch the reaction of the thief who hoists the thing onto his shoulder....

Then again, you have to wonder whether a guy who rides in a thong even uses a seat....

[Living Free in NH]

Holy cow! She could hide a 6-man tent in that thing.

[weegee]

He's no "biker", he's a bicyclist.

[talleyman]

This man is clearly unable to distinguish between right and thong.

Groan! We have a winner!

[Helix]

That reminds me of our old neighbor. He used to wear one of these while mowing his grass. He wasn't in good shape and as God is my witness, he resembled two rubber bands encircling a golf ball.

[ikka]

Just before getting back on his bicycle, Gottschalk clipped on his cell phone.

How and WHERE?

[FrogFish]

I have seen a "biker" in a thong too! He was sitting on his "hog" in Sturgis, SD. I almost fell over. Asked him if I could take his picture...told him that no one in Arizona would believe me if I told them about it.

Takes all kinds to make this crazy world go round!

[weegee]

Looks like Monica's found a new gig.

[VRWC_minion]

Those crazy libertarians certainly know how to win over the public, don't they ?

[Feiny]

No one would be complaining if this was a woman wearing a thong while biking.....well maybe some fat old hags would complain.

[martin_fierro]

Don't any of YOU get any ideas, now!

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