Naked Bike Ride
Lady Godiva famously rode her horse naked through the streets of Coventry in protest at her husband’s excessive taxing of the townspeople. The protest worked, although her subjects were banned from looking, the rule broken only by one, the legendary Peeping Tom, who did sneak a look and was struck blind as a result.
Coventry is quite a long way from Hastings seafront, especially if you are pedalling bare bottomed, but the spirit of Lady Godiva lives on and despite the sheeting rain, a hardy band of residents recently did their bit for the World Naked Bike Ride day.
According to the organisers, it is the world’s biggest naked protest (the mind boggles at the other possibilities) with thousands of riders from more than 70 cities taking part.
In essence, the movement started as a way to highlight the vulnerability of cyclists on the road and as some kind of protest against our dependency on oil-fuelled vehicles, although at the larger gatherings, they tend to be grateful for the presence of police and emergency ambulances on standby.
The idea for drawing attention to the plight of bikes and cyclists came, inevitably, from a group of artists originally calling themselves Artists for Peace and choreographed by the film-maker Conrad Schmidt.
On the whole, Sussex included, most people turn the other cheek to this fun revolution, although there have been exceptions. When he first started in 2003, Schmidt was pulled aside by a policeman in Vancouver and told that what he was wearing was ‘indecent’. Still, he was allowed to ‘be on his way’.
In Hastings, the four-mile route traditionally ends in a skinny dip followed by an ‘After Ride’ party. As with any properly coordinated public event, there are rules to be followed and the organisers Richard and Roger have a checklist for would-be joiners; the main one being that this is not an opportunity to ‘parade around’.
Anyone caught taking their clothes off before the starting whistle would be asked to dress and leave. As will anyone taking photographs of naked bikers without permission.
Finally, riders are asked to give some thought to where they might keep their valuables. Polite suggestions on a saucy seaside postcard please.
Next week: Laundromats
Coventry is quite a long way from Hastings seafront, especially if you are pedalling bare bottomed, but the spirit of Lady Godiva lives on and despite the sheeting rain, a hardy band of residents recently did their bit for the World Naked Bike Ride day.
According to the organisers, it is the world’s biggest naked protest (the mind boggles at the other possibilities) with thousands of riders from more than 70 cities taking part.
In essence, the movement started as a way to highlight the vulnerability of cyclists on the road and as some kind of protest against our dependency on oil-fuelled vehicles, although at the larger gatherings, they tend to be grateful for the presence of police and emergency ambulances on standby.
The idea for drawing attention to the plight of bikes and cyclists came, inevitably, from a group of artists originally calling themselves Artists for Peace and choreographed by the film-maker Conrad Schmidt.
On the whole, Sussex included, most people turn the other cheek to this fun revolution, although there have been exceptions. When he first started in 2003, Schmidt was pulled aside by a policeman in Vancouver and told that what he was wearing was ‘indecent’. Still, he was allowed to ‘be on his way’.
In Hastings, the four-mile route traditionally ends in a skinny dip followed by an ‘After Ride’ party. As with any properly coordinated public event, there are rules to be followed and the organisers Richard and Roger have a checklist for would-be joiners; the main one being that this is not an opportunity to ‘parade around’.
Anyone caught taking their clothes off before the starting whistle would be asked to dress and leave. As will anyone taking photographs of naked bikers without permission.
Finally, riders are asked to give some thought to where they might keep their valuables. Polite suggestions on a saucy seaside postcard please.
Next week: Laundromats