Why Didn't You Attend Naked Ride?
If you haven't seen the article: http://bikeportland.org/2010/06/20/an-estimated-13000-take-part-in-...
Portland stomped us in turnout for the Naked Ride.
I saw the posting earlier and have been racking my brain as to why Chicagoans, many on this very site, wouldn't attend an event like World Naked Bike Ride-Chicago.
This is an event that stands for several important causes from less cars and less oil to positive body image and safety for cyclists (shows how naked we are on that bike.).
It's also a ride that you can attend or help out with in various manners and different level of dress (or undress) something we call "Bare as you Dare".
Portland is about 1/5th the size of Chicago, not counting Chicagoland and they had about 6x the turnout as we did.
Gotta tell ya Chicago, that's PATHETIC!
So why didn't you come to Naked Ride? There are more of you that didn't than did so why didn't you feel this was important? Was it religion? Poor body image? Weather? Or is it just not important to you?
I'd really like to hear good reasons to not attend.
I have a strong feeling this will just end up falling off the board cause people hate facing there own weakness but maybe getting called out will get you off your duff for next year!
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on
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I forgot to shave my butt so I had to skip it.
oh and I hate looking at uncut 'anteater' penises....leave your cheese whiz covered up yo! -
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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on
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You might be over-thinking this, Aaron.
Aaron Bussey said:I forgot to shave my butt so I had to skip it.
oh and I hate looking at uncut 'anteater' penises....leave your cheese whiz covered up yo! -
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Permalink Reply by Spencer "Thunderball" Thayer! on
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Gabe, not sure if it's a sign of weakness that we didn't get close to those numbers. Like Andrew suggested it's treated and marketed like a festival in Portland. Like just about any event promotion is KEY. If you can't get word out then you're not going to get very big. Chicago WNBR seems to be largely promoted by word of mouth and 1500 is an amazing considering. If we were on the front cover of the Red Eye the Monday before the ride I am sure our numbers would easily double if not triple. If we were put on the city promotional calendars we could probably get another thousand. If popular radio stations like XRT helped promote us even more people would join. So if you really want to give Portland a run for the money start working with Andrew now to build hype about this ride to sow the seed for next year.
But even with all the promotion it still comes down to the freakin' crappy weather. -
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Permalink Reply by Jack on
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I skipped the ride for a couple reasons. First off, I have no intention of riding around chicago naked. Not self conscious about my body at all. I just don't want to do it. Secondly, I use oil in my truck and don't care that I do. I pay the high prices and taxes on it. So if someone wants to protest oil, have at it, just don't expect me to follow along like a sheep when its not a cause I get behind.
Just because I ride a bike doesn't make me a protester and against oil. Also, just because I didn't support the naked ride doesn't make me a bad cyclist. If you disagree with that, I don't have a lot in common with you so further "discussion" isn't necessary.
the reason other protests/rallys are more successful and have more support is because more people believe in the cause strongly and can participate at a level they are comfortable with. Calling people out isn't the correct way to drum up more support. It won't get me "off my duff" for a cause you are trying to support. It just makes you sound angry that others don't share your views. -
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Yeah Gabe, you're a little off on this one. The WNBR may have been an expression of anger for many people but it doesn't really doing anything to solve our dependence on oil. Nor did circling the BP stations yelling "FUCK BP" cause any worry to Tony Hayward forcing him to come up with some solution to the spill. WNBR is awesome, don't get me wrong, but it's not a great form of protest. It may awareness but I question even that. I talked to a lot of people during the ride and almost all of them were not exactly sure what the ride was about. Or that WNBR was a historically anti-oil dependence ride.
Gabe, if you want to attempt a bike ride that will challenge oil consumption in this city I have some ideas email me at me@spencerthayer.com.
heather stratton said:“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.
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Portland is like the 'crusty' capital of America - what do you expect? Chicago has enough Mid West working stiffs still here to prevent us from falling into the downward spiral of 'The Left Coast'.......
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and peace man.....peace
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Aaron, good point. Portland is a anarcho-crust-punk-primitivism-insurrectionist mecca. So many anarchists I have known through the years have moved to Portland. And where there are lazy crusty jobless anarchist there are others of similar like mindedness, like hippies and people in the arts. There is a community for that scene that just doesn't exist in Chicago. It's too fragmented here. Portland has a small town feel where everybody knows your name and everyone does the same stuff. It's rather unique and a nice experience. I've thought about moving there a couple of times but I just cant stand those Zerzan reading cultish bastards. I would never claim that all Anarchists are lazy - but the good for nothing crusties are.
Aaron Bussey said:Portland is like the 'crusty' capital of America - what do you expect? Chicago has enough Mid West working stiffs still here to prevent us from falling into the downward spiral of 'The Left Coast'....... -
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Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on
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I just wanted to back up Heather's point about not really caring about the ride....and the conversation here makes me care even less and dislike the ride.
I was out of town for both this ride and last years, but even if I were in town, I wouldn't have gone. I have no desire to protest in this way. As it is, I'm on the fence about "message" of Critical Mass and similar rides.
Glad you had fun, but there's no point in competing with other cities...and being so confrontational to other bikers just makes you look bad and kind of like a jerk. -
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I think we should go for the largest civil war reenactment done by naked people - that'll show up them Portland crusties....boo yaaa
Gettysburg a la naked
Can I be Grant? I heard he had a massive johnson and chest hair ;) -
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Permalink Reply by cutifly on
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Been there twice, tired, kinda cold, don't care ever to see anyones naked belly hanging over there penis again, although I have seen some sea monsters at the rides that simply should be put in the zoo. I could give a crap about oil dependency cause 9/10 of anyone who complains about it does not live it anyway. Many liberal crap talkers out there, I know who is for real and who is not about 30 seconds into a conversation. Thanks Andrew for letting me help behind the scenes this year ....
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Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on
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Wanted to. Was busy, couldn't get out of Obligations. Is that okay.
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