Saturday, June 09, 2012

Naked Cyclists


I saw naked cyclists at Covent Garden today and I'm completely unharmed.

The ride was to publicise cycling as a means of transport but it felt much more like a statement about human nakedness. I admire the cyclists stripping off even though it was so cold for June.

Many people feel uncomfortable about nudity - I know I wouldn't want to get my kit off in public - but I'm not sure what damage it's supposed to do. I wonder what makes it such a strong taboo.




16 COMMENTS:

Debbie Coope said...

Have you seen the ad for Richmond Ham? Ahem! Naked equals natural? LOL

jjdebenedictis said...

Oh, I saw a nude cyclist just a month or so back! You're right that it wasn't so shocking--more like amusing.

Lexi said...

I think it's a taboo because most people look pretty awful naked - a stark (ho ho) contrast to the usual airbrushed images of beautiful naked people we are presented with in the media.

One feels so sorry for them...

Even though cyclists are slimmer and fitter than non-cyclists.

Old Kitty said...

Why oh why oh why was I not told of this in advance?!?! Sigh!!

LOL!!

Take care
x

klahanie said...

I'd consider riding a bicycle in the nude. Double-checking that the seat was attached...
Enjoy your weekend :)
Gary

fairyhedgehog said...

Debbie, I have now! (I googled it.) That farmer looks pretty fit but it's just as well he's advertising ham and not sausages.

jj, if I'm honest, I found it interesting. You don't mostly see normal people going around naked. They all looked much more similar than with clothes to diffentiate them.

Lexi, I suppose it depends on your sense of what looks awful. They all looked fine to me - but perhaps that's because of the cycling effect. Maybe I should get on my bike more often! (It won't help with sagging or wrinkles though.)

Kitty, I only happened on it by chance! I'd have loved to have you with me to watch it!

Gary, you make a very good point there! Hope you have a good weekend too.

Charmaine Clancy said...

We've had nude cyclist events in Canberra (Australia) too. Raises awareness, but must say there are angles when they cyclists pick up speed that aren't visually friendly. I'd also like to see a small towel over the seat.

Cool pic, shows a sense of humor :)

fairyhedgehog said...

Charmaine, a towel over the seat sounds like a good idea, and you'd probably need a sense of humour to ride around naked! The only thing about the photo is that it doesn't show them travelling in flocks!

MorningAJ said...

You might be unharmed but I pity the poor guy with no protection for his 'bits'. :)

fairyhedgehog said...

MAJ, I'm not sure how they all managed! I wouldn't like to be any of them the next day.

Whirlochre said...

I could do without witnessing a scrotum like a cockerel's flobbly moments before tucking into an omelette, but other than that, I'm with you all the way.

fairyhedgehog said...

Whirl, do cockerel's tuck into omelettes? I had no idea.

Stacy said...

Hah. This reminds me of when I was driving once in Chicago, on Clark Street (one of North Chicago's busiest streets). I was sitting at a stoplight thinking about how I hate hate HATE to drive around cyclists in Chicago. (Despite Chicago touting itself as a "bike friendly" city, the bike paths are really just stripes painted on the street where car drivers aren't supposed to go.) It's dangerous and most of the time they're not even wearing helmets. Well, I look in my rearview mirror, and what do I see? HUNDREDS of bicyclists riding in a throng up Clark Street. I had to sit there for a good fifteen minutes while they catcalled and hooted how they owned the road. SO glad they weren't naked. I think I would have had a complete meltdown.

fairyhedgehog said...

stacy, I cycle as well as drive and I truly hate those so-called "cycle lanes" that are just a line on the road! I suspect local authorities do it so they can claim more cycle lanes than they actually have!

I've never been in a huge flock of cyclists and it must have been immensely frustrating to wait for them to pass. If they'd been nude it might have at least been more entertaining!

David said...

I can imagine how it might cause a trafic accident, or even an accident to certain sensitive parts that might take up valuable emergency room time.

fairyhedgehog said...

David, ouch! That doesn't bear thinking about!

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