Comments on: All that flesh and all those chains is a recipe for disaster

All that flesh and all those chains is a recipe for disaster

mathowie — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 12:54:38 -0800

The World Naked Bike Ride unfortunately took place yesterday, but is probably something worth doing next year. I imagine it's a lot like Critical Mass, with less driver anger and more rider embarrassment. Sounds like it was fun in Portland. (slightly NSFW photo on the front page of WNBR)

By: quonsar

quonsar — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 13:10:35 -0800

/me records mathowie's intention to ride a bike naked next year for posterity. and in case this thread gets deleted.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 13:16:07 -0800

The World Naked Bike Ride unfortunately took place yesterday Then today would be International Seat Sniffing Day, right? These kind of events grate on me for some reason. Maybe it's cause I figure that most people involved are crossing stuff off on their "life experience" to do list or something.

By: callmejay

callmejay — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 13:18:18 -0800

It's more than slightly NSFW, but you'd have to scroll to get that far.

By: orange swan

orange swan — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 13:25:36 -0800

My first - and recurring - thought is, "Wouldn't this be uncomfortable?" Think about how it feels to sit on a leather/vinyl chair in shorts on a hot day. Now imagine doing it without the shorts.

By: dvdgee

dvdgee — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 13:31:20 -0800

bah, that's nothing. portland is all comfy and mild. try doing the same thing in the middle of the desert during a sandstorm.

By: wendell

wendell — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 13:32:46 -0800

Yes, but how would you dispose of the nude bodies? oops, wrong thread...

By: homunculus

homunculus — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 13:52:27 -0800

"We saw a lot of swaying, but it wasn't of minds," he said.

By: mr_crash_davis

mr_crash_davis — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 13:53:59 -0800

Alternative titles: Clitical Mass Critical Ass "Holy shit my ass is chafed."

By: jonmc

jonmc — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 13:59:08 -0800

Bystander Eileen Kutscha, 30, said she might participate next week, and hoped to get inspiration for her own body art after seeing the bicyclists. While she admitted that she was still trying to work up her nerve and hoped to remain anonymous through creative use of body paint, Kutscha said it would be a chance to express herself artistically. "It's just one of those things you have to do at least once in your life," she said. I was right. Haha. Airheads.

By: wfrgms

wfrgms — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 14:09:12 -0800

Here in Chicago about two or three hundred of the Critical Mass folks met up to do a late evening nekid ride. To lessen interference by the police a rider was stationed at the designated (and public) meeting spot to hand out flyers which announced that the WNBR had been "canceled' - sizing up the riders he would then direct them to the "real" meeting spot which was apparently at a private alleyway. I didn't participate as I'm sort of worn out on the whole "life-without oil" activism. Good for the folks who did though, I'm sure it was a great time...

By: jjg

jjg — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 14:17:21 -0800

I figure that most people involved are crossing stuff off on their "life experience" to do list or something. Why is that not a good enough reason? What reason would be good enough to satisfy you?

By: rory

rory — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 14:20:31 -0800

These kind of events grate on me for some reason. Maybe it's cause I figure that most people involved are crossing stuff off on their "life experience" to do list or something. [Crosses "read Metafilter for five years" off to-do list.]

By: chaz

chaz — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 14:23:14 -0800

Here in Santa Monica the po po got all in a tizzy, and escorted the riders (who didn't disrobe because of threat of arrest) with no less then 8 police bikes and at least 1 ATV. Hilarious.

By: chicobangs

chicobangs — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 14:37:40 -0800

I think it's neat. You might want to wrap your seat in something extremely breathable, but what the hell. I'd think about doing it next year. (Jon, you can sniff my seat only after I've dismounted the bike. I'm making that rule up right now.) Like anyone doing this is ever going to become a televangelist or run for public office or host a holier-than-thou cable show or something in the future. Please. It's a goof. It sounds like a gas, especially the bigger the group. I say ride on, and right on.

By: fenriq

fenriq — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 14:40:14 -0800

One word comes to mind after checking the site: Shrinkage. Other than that, nekkid biking sounds like a hoot. When's nekkid gardening day?

By: wendell

wendell — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 15:03:57 -0800

Next up: Naked Segway Day. I kid because I don't have one... a Segway, I mean!

By: xmutex

xmutex — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 15:31:54 -0800

Ten bucks says a good number of these people are fat.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 17:08:27 -0800

Why is that not a good enough reason? What reason would be good enough to satisfy you? They are under no obligation to satisfy me. I just find that "experience collecting" shit to a big bag of yuppie pretension. This basically seems to be a fraternity prank by people old enough to know better. I see no reason to make it more than that.

By: graventy

graventy — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 17:23:44 -0800

I refuse to click that link. There is simply no way that anything good can come of it. No way. On the other hand, it's better than killin' people, I guess. If you wanted to dispose of a couple of hundred naked bikers...no, wrong thread.

By: Vidiot

Vidiot — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 20:59:33 -0800

Haven't you ever just done something for the hell of it, jon?

By: shemol

shemol — Mon, 14 Jun 2004 22:02:20 -0800

Doing something just for the hell of it? Surely. Cheers. Doing something for the doing something just for the hell of it? There, I think, 's the rub.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 06:24:52 -0800

Haven't you ever just done something for the hell of it, jon? Anything with an international website, planned months in advance, and attached to some amorphous cause, cannot accurately be described as "just for the hell of it."

By: chicobangs

chicobangs — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 06:35:25 -0800

Oh, Jon. You just described your own site. And "Just for the hell of it" is your freaking motto.

By: Vidiot

Vidiot — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 10:06:19 -0800

Indeed. And you can do something for the hell of it without being spontaneous...and planning it months in advance. (See Survival Research Laboratories.)

By: Zed_Lopez

Zed_Lopez — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 23:15:06 -0800

I hate to think about this on upright bikes. On a recumbent it begins to sound reasonable.

By: y2karl

y2karl — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 23:47:39 -0800

There are naked bike riders every year at the Fremont Summer Solstice Parade. Some people have gotten bent out of shape about it over the years but it's part of the tradition. Another cool part of the parade is the Art Car Blowout. The parade is pretty cool and wonderful--it's become a cultural event in the deepest sense--and it's coming up this weekend, doggone it. I wish the solstice lasted a couple of months--this is my favorite time of year.

By: y2karl

y2karl — Tue, 15 Jun 2004 23:53:50 -0800

Let me amend that--the art car blowout is actually part of the Fremont Street Fair that happens the same weekend--the parade itself is on foot, bike and unmotorized. It's open to all who want to participate. That's the beauty of it.