Why Didn't You Attend Naked Ride?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Vilda on June 21, 2010 at 7:11pm

And since you added to your earlier response I'll say I don't care what methods are needed to get people to be active as long as they are active! Do you think being snarky on the board is gonna help the debate? And yet you still are.

Permalink Reply by heather s on June 21, 2010 at 7:49pm

I fall in the camp of "just not important," and also had other plans. I applaud the folks who put their time into this, but it is not a meaningful event for me.

But now I'm feeling like... maybe I 'hate facing my own weakness'! What does that even mean?

Gabe: "Or maybe you are right Chicago was 13th fattest while Portland was 6th fittest. Our fat ass city just couldn't manage the ride cause they all had hoagies in their mouths."

I'm not sure that fat-shaming is the best way to encourage positive body image and participation in a naked event.

The general tone of this thread does not make the ride seem like a very positive atmosphere. Is it a competition? Who cares which city has more participants?

Permalink Reply by Chuck a Muck on June 21, 2010 at 7:53pm

I dunno if I really like the idea of 13,000 people! 1,000 t0 1,500 seems very manageable, but 13,000 would be more like a bike walk, if the larger CM's are any indication...

Permalink Reply by Vilda on June 21, 2010 at 8:05pm

Nice spin Heather. So your answer is "not that important to you." Interesting. Why is it not important to you? The Oil spill isn't important to you either? Car usage? Bike safety?

I'm showing stats that might give a reason why a town way smaller gets a HUGE turnout. Could be any two towns. And It's not us VERSUS them it's why do they have it and we don't?

And since you didn't come you can't speak to the atmosphere - It's one of the most electric events you won't be at.

You never heard that people don't want to hear about their weakness's? They don't wanna face their own weakness? Never heard that aye?

And if someone is so fat that they can't get off their ass then they should be ashamed. Obesity is a HUGE problem. If someone is big and is trying to do what they can to be active then awesome! Maybe there are other reasons they are big, or they let themselves go and now they want to be in shape. But if they are just fat and don't care then they are a huge drain on the health care industry and I'm under no obligation to be nice.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on June 21, 2010 at 8:11pm

Chicago could probably get there if it did more to encourage people to come in from outlying areas.

Some ideas:

-A message board dedicated to carpooling to the ride from suburbs and downstate integrated into the WNBR-C website

-work with the city to get the Grant Park garage made available for free to ride participants

-get permission to park motor vehicles in Union Park for the night. WNBR security would only need to expand slightly to have guards available.

-have a separate check-in point for motor vehicles, maybe on an expressway exit ramp.


Chuck a Muck said:

I dunno if I really like the idea of 13,000 people! 1,000 t0 1,500 seems very manageable, but 13,000 would be more like a bike walk, if the larger CM's are any indication...

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on June 21, 2010 at 8:13pm

Snark Snark Snark!!!!!

Gabe said:

And since you added to your earlier response I'll say I don't care what methods are needed to get people to be active as long as they are active! Do you think being snarky on the board is gonna help the debate? And yet you still are.

Seriously, I detect sudden constructive intent on your part.

If we're going to go there, I'll mention that I encountered, in contrast to previous years, many non-bike people who either hadn't heard about the ride beforehand, hadn't been aware of any post-ride coverage, or both. So it may simply be a matter of how well the word got out.
And as others have laid out, that may be a function of ride organizers either being content with a target attendance of around 1500, or feeling that there would be more value in focusing on quality rather than quantity.

Permalink Reply by Old Tom on June 21, 2010 at 8:32pm

Gabe said:

So your perspective is that riding to protest oil use makes you a screwball? Riding for bikers rights makes you a screwball?

Interesting perspective but i think you've missed the point all together.


I think the point was exhibitionism not protest. Don't act like you're doing us all a favor. Just go out and be a screwball and let it go at that.

Permalink Reply by Vilda on June 21, 2010 at 8:32pm

Was always intended to be constructive. And both's Q's are important for a healthy protest. So now that we are back on track.

Why didn't other people come?

Permalink Reply by heather s on June 21, 2010 at 8:33pm

“Nice spin Heather. So your answer is "not that important to you." Interesting. Why is it not important to you? The Oil spill isn't important to you either? Car usage? Bike safety?”

Oh sorry, I didn't realize that you guys were solving the oil spill crisis! Silly me.

I don't care about this particular bike ride. Doesn't mean I don't care about the oil spill, or about car usage, or bike safety. Don't put words into my mouth.

“I'm showing stats that might give a reason why a town way smaller gets a HUGE turnout. Could be any two towns. And It's not us VERSUS them it's why do they have it and we don't?”

Cycling is more established in Portland. Maybe it's true that they have a younger and more-willing-to-get-naked population than we do. “Why do they have it and we don't?” is a GREAT question regarding cycling infrastructure, and one we should be posing to CDOT and Active Trans, but I fail to see the connection to the WNBR.

“And since you didn't come you can't speak to the atmosphere - It's one of the most electric events you won't be at.”

I didn't say anything about the atmosphere of the ride. I imagine it was electric! I was referring to this discussion thread about the ride, which is pretty negative and does not encourage me to want to go next year.

“You never heard that people don't want to hear about their weakness's? They don't wanna face their own weakness? Never heard that aye?”

Don't know what you're referring to, at all. Be more specific. Most people don't want some random internet message board person informing them about psychological problems, though.

“And if someone is so fat that they can't get off their ass then they should be ashamed. Obesity is a HUGE problem. If someone is big and is trying to do what they can to be active then awesome! Maybe there are other reasons they are big, or they let themselves go and now they want to be in shape. But if they are just fat and don't care then they are a huge drain on the health care industry and I'm under no obligation to be nice.”

I thought this was a body positive atmosphere! I guess those fatties who just don't care about their effect on the health care system aren't invited. How are you going to tell the difference between those who are trying to do what they can to be active, and those who are ok with being fat and don't give a shit what you think?

You're not under obligation to be nice or respectful, but if you're promoting a ride based on healthy body image, you should think about your marketing techniques.

Permalink Reply by Vilda on June 21, 2010 at 8:38pm

Yep you missed the point all together. thanks old dude!

Old Tom said:

Gabe said:

So your perspective is that riding to protest oil use makes you a screwball? Riding for bikers rights makes you a screwball?

Interesting perspective but i think you've missed the point all together.


I think the point was exhibitionism not protest. Don't act like you're doing us all a favor. Just go out and be a screwball and let it go at that.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on June 21, 2010 at 8:41pm

But did he?

Do you really think the genesis of the naked bike ride concept was a bunch of people sitting around wondering how they could attract the most attention to the noble cause of . . . well, one of the things you listed earlier in the thread?

Gabe said:

Yep you missed the point all together. thanks old dude!

Old Tom said:

Gabe said:

So your perspective is that riding to protest oil use makes you a screwball? Riding for bikers rights makes you a screwball?

Interesting perspective but i think you've missed the point all together.


I think the point was exhibitionism not protest. Don't act like you're doing us all a favor. Just go out and be a screwball and let it go at that.

Permalink Reply by Vilda on June 21, 2010 at 8:47pm

Yeah Howard he did. Not looking at nobility, looking at actually getting attention. Apparently Old Dude thinks anything not a part of his 401K is screwball.

See Heather's post for what I'm responding to. She's long winded. In reverse order for ya.

I can tell the difference between the fat guy that doesn't care and the person that does cause the person that does care is at the ride. Tada - MAGIC! ;-)

You don't know what I'm referring to? Do drug abusers wanna face their problem? Do alcoholics? If you are afraid of getting naked do you wanna face it? Better for ya?

So far I haven't seen anything negative I've seen people that have hang ups they won't admit. And I've seen honesty.

The IT I was referring to was numbers not infrastructure but that would be great too? Wanna start that thread, write that letter or start petition? I'll sign it! That's being active. And like i said originally you DON'T have to be naked. It's Bare as you Dare. So youth isn't it.

And we cured cancer while we rode too! Boy did you miss out! Save your sarcasm. You said it wasn't that important to you. If i infer that the cause for the ride isn't that important to you as well then i'm not the ass in this discussion.

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