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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

Posted on 05/05/2003 11:08:26 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP

Thong-clad biker has some eyes sore

 
San Antonio Express-News
 
Web Posted : 05/05/2003 12:00 AM
 
Though he appears nearly naked from time to time, Joseph Gottschalk is legally covered.

photo
Joseph Gottschalk causes controversy by choosing to wear the minimum amount of clothing required by law while bicycling. The thong-clad Gottschalk was riding in his neighborhood near Southside Lions Park on Saturday.
Bob Owen/Express-News
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"Don't they call that a thong? I think it's disgusting," said Norm Sutton, 66, of the undressed man who rides his bike around Southside Lions Park.

San Antonio Park Police have received several complaints over the past month about a man who cruises on a bicycle wearing only shoes and a thong — a swimsuit or undergarment that doesn't cover the buttocks.

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

According to state law, no offense is committed if the man has "his anus and genitals" covered, Castro said. Which the thong does, if nothing else.

Gottschalk, 52, an unemployed truck driver who dabbles in carpentry, is aware of his rights and compares riding nearly naked to driving the maximum legal speed limit.

"It doesn't take much clothing to take care of the requirement," he said. "I call it exhibitionism.

"We all claim to believe in the value of personal liberty, but we don't," he said. "No one person has the right to outrank the law and tell me what to wear."

Ed Mitchell, 63, a retired Bexar County deputy who frequents the park, shook his head at the fine line that keeps Gottschalk from going to jail for indecent exposure or disorderly conduct.

"That little bit he's got on, a fig leaf would probably cover more than that," he said.

Ivonne Castoreno, 33, said Gottschalk keeps to himself, but she changed her walking schedule after seeing him a couple of times. Her 13-year-old son was with her.

"What disturbs me is that he's doing this by a public park around small children," she said. "Look at this guy — you know, he's not hiding much. Keep it in the bedroom."

Gottschalk has been contacted by police at least 20 times in the past four years regarding his lack of attire.

When asked about the criticism, he raised his arms high and averred that seeing the human body is not traumatic.

"I am a person. How could it possibly harm anyone — child or not —— to see a person? It can't," he said.

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.

Some at the park near Hiawatha and Pecan Valley streets just smiled.

"He comes here often wearing the same black thong," said Marisa Ayala, 26, who like many others in the area enjoys walking in the park before the heat of the day sets in. "He doesn't look like he bothers anybody. He's just riding around."

Betty Seibold, 57, who lives down the street from Gottschalk, said she's seen him mow his lawn and wash his truck in the skimpy attire.

"From an artistic perspective, he's attractive looking," said Seibold, a retired schoolteacher of 32 years. "He's in good shape. His behavior may seem strange to us, but we are all a little strange in different ways. We are all eccentric."

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

"I am sane," he said. "Heck, I am better than sane. I basically love life. ... You gotta find some humor in life."


jbogan@express-news.net


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: bicyclist; bikenazi; dontlookethyl; exhibitionism; exhibitionist; gottschalk; holdmuhfigleaf; sanantonio; texas; thestreak; thong; thongcladcyclist
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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.

1 posted on 05/05/2003 11:08:26 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
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To: MeeknMing
Not that I'd do it anyway -- but I don't think I want my nose anywhere near this guy's bike seat....
2 posted on 05/05/2003 11:10:32 AM PDT by r9etb
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To: yall
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
3 posted on 05/05/2003 11:10:50 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (Bu-bye Dixie Chimps! / Check out my Freeper site !: http://home.attbi.com/~freeper/wsb/index.html)
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To: r9etb
ROFL ! :O)
4 posted on 05/05/2003 11:11:11 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (Bu-bye Dixie Chimps! / Check out my Freeper site !: http://home.attbi.com/~freeper/wsb/index.html)
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To: r9etb
ROFLMAO - And how many bike seats have you been sniffing? ;-)
5 posted on 05/05/2003 11:13:00 AM PDT by areafiftyone (The U.N. needs a good Flush!)
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To: MeeknMing
This man is clearly unable to distinguish between right and thong. <|:/~
6 posted on 05/05/2003 11:14:18 AM PDT by martin_fierro (A v v n c v l v s M a x i m v s)
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To: MeeknMing
It could be worse. He could have been a Teddy Kennedy look-a-like.
7 posted on 05/05/2003 11:14:38 AM PDT by Redcloak (All work and no FReep makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no FReep make s Jack a dul boy. Allwork an)
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To: MeeknMing
"Look at this guy - you know, he's not hiding much,"

That one had to hurt.

8 posted on 05/05/2003 11:15:33 AM PDT by toast
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To: MeeknMing
He's lucky he hasn't been beaned with a bottle.
9 posted on 05/05/2003 11:15:38 AM PDT by AppyPappy (If You're Not A Part Of The Solution, There's Good Money To Be Made In Prolonging The Problem.)
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To: areafiftyone
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....

10 posted on 05/05/2003 11:16:15 AM PDT by r9etb
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To: martin_fierro
Holy cow! She could hide a 6-man tent in that thing.
11 posted on 05/05/2003 11:17:01 AM PDT by Living Free in NH
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To: MeeknMing
He's no "biker", he's a bicyclist.
12 posted on 05/05/2003 11:18:00 AM PDT by weegee (NO BLOOD FOR RATINGS: CNN let human beings be tortured and killed to keep their Baghdad bureau open)
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To: martin_fierro
This man is clearly unable to distinguish between right and thong.

Groan! We have a winner!

13 posted on 05/05/2003 11:18:27 AM PDT by talleyman ("Nothing you can sing that can't be sung, nothing you can thong that can't be thung...")
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To: Redcloak
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.
14 posted on 05/05/2003 11:19:34 AM PDT by Helix
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To: MeeknMing
Just before getting back on his bicycle, Gottschalk clipped on his cell phone.

How and WHERE?

15 posted on 05/05/2003 11:20:09 AM PDT by ikka
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To: weegee
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!





16 posted on 05/05/2003 11:22:16 AM PDT by FrogFish
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To: martin_fierro
Looks like Monica's found a new gig.
17 posted on 05/05/2003 11:24:25 AM PDT by weegee (NO BLOOD FOR RATINGS: CNN let human beings be tortured and killed to keep their Baghdad bureau open)
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To: MeeknMing
Those crazy libertarians certainly know how to win over the public, don't they ?
18 posted on 05/05/2003 11:26:40 AM PDT by VRWC_minion (Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and most are right)
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To: MeeknMing
No one would be complaining if this was a woman wearing a thong while biking.....well maybe some fat old hags would complain.
19 posted on 05/05/2003 11:27:50 AM PDT by Feiny (I Triple Guarantee You There Are No Americans In Baghdad!)
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To: 68 grunt; A Navy Vet; angry elephant; archy; Askel5; baddog1; basil; beowolf; BikerNYC; ...
Don't any of YOU get any ideas, now!

It takes a secure man to ride a fuschia bike. FReeper Motorcycle Hooligan
Send FReepmail if you want on/off FMH list

20 posted on 05/05/2003 11:28:32 AM PDT by martin_fierro (A v v n c v l v s M a x i m v s)
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