Mother outraged by naked bicycle protest (Seattle of course)

KOMO News ^ | 8-3-09 | Michelle Esteban

[NavyCanDo]

SEATTLE -- An Everett mother says she's outraged over a weekend protest full of naked cyclists.

The group was riding along the Seattle waterfront Friday night wearing nothing but smiles to expose some of the dangers they face.

But not everyone was smiling.

"I looked and there were naked men with their genitals hanging out," said Marcy Hayes, who was there with her 6-year-old daughter Ashland. "I'm yelling at my daughter to look away."

Hayes says she and her daughter walked out of the Seattle Aquarium and right into the path of a pack of cyclists and all their nakedness.

"I just can't believe this is allowed," she said. "I don't understand what law would say it is OK."

When it comes to naked cyclists, Seattle police have a high tolerance. They said it's not illegal to be naked in public unless you provoke or offend someone.

[True Republican Patriot]

Ouch! Wonder if any got tangled up in their sprockets, so to speak?

[Boucheau]

Note to would-be naked cyclists: Come to my neck of the woods and first, you will be clothes-hanged, second, I will beat your *ss, but good!

Disgusting dregs!

[taxesareforever]

They’ll ride naked on bicycles but do they ever get upset over those pictures of abortion.

[Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit]

There is nothing wrong with the naked human body. There is a difference between nudity and lewdness. Americans are so freakin up tight.

The absolute hypocrisy related to sex is best exemplified by Fox and especially the articles on Fox News. Not to mention the very strong defence of porn here at FR.

This is definitely one thing that always gives conservatives a bad name. So what if people are naked. with 1/3 of Americans overweight, the horror is not the genitals, but the fact that they probably could not be seen due to the immense amounts of fat covering them.

[Carry_Okie]

I'm a serious cyclist (9000+ miles per year)and I detest these Critical Mass nitwits.
They give real cyclists a bad name.

I was riding that much all through the '70s and '80s. Went to high school riding with George Mount, if you recall who he was; that guy was an animal. In those dayse, it was Italian bikes, Campagnolo ONLY, silk sew-ups, and wool pants (I still have a brass Campagnolo Record derailleur). The manufacturers barely had what anybody would rationally call a helmet (the first Bell helmets really sucked). Cities didn't have bars on the drain gratings and nobody was looking for bicycles. Cops wanted me on the sidewalk (even though I was keeping up with or beating traffic). Car brakes were a lot worse too (I had more than one emergency stop balancing on my front wheel).

The really bad part of those days was that it was BS (before spandex). There were hardly ANY women who would ride at all. Man, that sucked.

Used to use Cinelli pedals, wearing what they called "death cleats."

Pull out the latch and the pin would drive into the dovetailed cleat on the shoe. I loved those things because you could haul like hell on them when climbing or accelerating from a stop (used to destroy spokes :-), but every once in a while, I'd lose a track stand and just go over and lie there until I could get them unlocked.

Anyway, I rode well over 100k mi that way without an injury accident (had to flip the bike over end into the bushes or onto a lawn a couple of times), but I must say it took a certain amount of aggression to stay alive. Eye contact was an absolute must and forced visibility even better. From a light, one had to get out front, take a lane, and keep it, especially on a multi-lane city street (where I did a good bit of my riding at 25-35mph). Car drivers didn't like it, even if, for the most part, it WAS the law and I got just as far and as fast as they did (there's a LOT less glass in the lane too). Drivers just don't think you belong there and can get pissy about it. In fact, to me the most dangerous riders are those who let themselves get squeezed to the right and allow cars to pass under unsafe conditions. For a while, I even had to keep copies of sections of the vehicle code, complete with sketches so that I could explain the issues for the benefit of people who didn't get it, including policemen (motorcycle cops in LA were the worst).

So, in some respects, I sorta feel like it's guys like me who made it possible for folks later on. While I agree with you that Critical Mass is a bunch of dope-headed idiots, I have some compassion for their complaints, and if you'd ever ridden in Holland you'd know why. The mass of riders these days has made it easier, mostly in equipment and the expectations of drivers, but the infrastructure could be a lot better and the states do almost nothing about it (except recreational "bicycle paths" which no one serious would ever use). So without some degree of noise, cyclists would never overcome the car lobby long enough to get very much of anything, but it is also wrong that they don't pay for roads. So, (I know you're going to hate this) but my suggestion is that they pay a tax for infrastructure with the purchase of all equipment (I think that's the first time EVER in nearly ten years on FR that I've recommended a tax). I just don't know a fairer way to raise the money that should be spent, and I'm TOTALLY opposed to state licensing (put a stamp into my Somec and you'll die, nor do I want a freaking chip tracking me). With better facilities, particularly boxes for parking, people would save a lot of money and be healthier.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

Yes, there is most definitely a difference between nudity and lewdness, but in most if not all cultures there are lines placed on what constitutes acceptable circumstances for human nudity. I’ve never been to Germany, but I’m assuming it’s frowned upon to come to work at the office or hospital etc. nude.

Where the line is placed to define acceptability obviously varies from culture to culture, and maybe we are too uptight in some ways here in the US. On the other hand, we have lots of things in our culture that I consider lewd, including the vile lyrics of what passes for music in the hip hop genre.

Having said that, I absolute agree with what you wrote about the issue of being overweight (although the numbers are higher - closer to 50% prevalence of obesity in the US based on body mass index). That’s the thing about nudity. People often look much better with their clothes on.

[TChad]

This is off topic, but you sound like the perfect person to ask. Do you know of a worthwhile bike rear view mirror? I have tried several varieties, on the helmet and on the bike, but none worked well.

[gogov]

Just put someone facing backwards on the back rack. What do you need a mirror for?

[Prodigal Son]

Here he comes!
Boogedah boogedah! (or however that particular lyric was spelled)
There he goes!

Don’t feel old. I still know the lyrics to Billy Don’t Be a Hero ;-)

[21twelve]

“Sure you can bike naked... but can you open carry? I bet some lefty would “feel threatened” and it would be a one way trip to jail.”

Actually you “can” open-carry in Seattle. Unless of course someone thinks it is threatening - then you are illegal. And I don't think the mayor's ban on carrying (open or concealed) in city parks or festivals was passed or not. If it was - it is unconstitutional. And even so - just amounts to a “please leave” type of thing. Unless of course someone felt “threatened”.

Of course if you were naked and carrying (not concealed - ouch!), it would just be a statement on the hazards of how unprotected we are without our 2nd Amendment rights.

[Carry_Okie]

Do you know of a worthwhile bike rear view mirror?

They all have their pros and cons, but in general I'd prefer the helmet mount because of the reduction in vibration. Pretty scary in a crash tho.

You need mirrors now more than we did decades ago too, because cars are so much quieter, especially a hybrid coming downhill.

[TChad]

Thanks. Do you use one?

[DoughtyOne]

If these folks wish to frolic in the buff, they should find a secluded place to do it, and go ahead.

They should not force the public to endure the sight.

There no reason why the public has to endure these people exposing themselves in public. Children should not be exposed to that type of thing.

[Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit]

That’s the thing about nudity. People often look much better with their clothes on.

Well said. I was thankful there were no pictures.

[Prodigal Son]

but I must say it took a certain amount of aggression to stay alive. Eye contact was an absolute must and forced visibility even better. From a light, one had to get out front, take a lane, and keep it, especially on a multi-lane city street (where I did a good bit of my riding at 25-35mph). Car drivers didn't like it, even if, for the most part, it WAS the law and I got just as far and as fast as they did... Drivers just don't think you belong there and can get pissy about it.

Yep. It's still like that more or less here in Edinburgh and that's the way I ride too. I have a pretty decent Cannondale I've had for 16 years now and can usually stay with or go faster than the traffic. I like to be agressive and stay out front. It's better for my safety and it gives me a better workout as well.

Although, I must say, it is getting better and this is in no small part due to the rickshaw bicycle taxis we have gotten in the past few years. They began more as a novelty to ferry drunks around the city on the weekend. They'd hang out outside the pubs and pick up fares. But they really caught on and now there are loads of them- still mainly at night and catering to the night life. But they are inevitably slower than the traffic. The cars here have had to learn to accept and look for the rickshaws and I think this has rubbed off as a benefit for the other cyclists as well.

I used to live in a German universtiy city- Erlangen. There, bicycles ruled the road pretty much. There was more than 1 bike per capita and everybody used them. All the car drivers were very good about looking out for the cyclists because it was impossible to be anywhere on a stretch of road without at least one or two cyclists around. Plus that city was almost completely flat- ideal place for having a bike.

I love cycling.

[cavador]

Oh GOD!He makes me wanna puke!

[Vanders9]

But why would someone want to do such a thing anyway? What is his motive?

[Vanders9]

There is plenty wrong with the naked American human body, if your contention about flab is righ. Anyway riding around naked on a bike must be incredibly unhygenic.

What strong defence of porn exists on FR? I’ve never seen any of that.

[alreadythere]

Well, I’d say this is a great defense for someone accused of “indecent exposure.”

After all most of them are “decent” enough to wear a raincoat before “exposing” themselves, unlike the filthy bikers.

[TNCMAXQ]

You make good points. Maybe they should have announced their intentions in advance so families with children could stay away. Or done it in a different location.

I clicked on the link for video from the local TV station. The reporter needs to learn better English. She said the mom was upset because “her and her daughter” saw the protest.