Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Michael Perz on June 21, 2010 at 3:48pm

You should address the inherent flaw in the scope of your vision. When you see a throng of people in various states of undress riding bicycles you're witnessing a living testament to effective popular action, yet when you quietly write a letter of protest you're suddenly the solitary individual pitted against a seemingly immovable system with your feet sinking in the morass of apathy. You don't want effective action, Gabe. You're yearning for a spectacle.

Gabe said:

I don't own a car, I do vote, i do write letter's to congressmen so I'm with you but do you see where the weakness is in that? It's all I. Far more powerful a statement occurs when you see x1000 people take to the streets in a peaceful and productive protest.

The crackpot politician can ignore 1 person that's why we have the right to assemble.

So it's lazy and jaded, so far, ahead in the race.

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on June 21, 2010 at 4:01pm

Gabe I love you (I hope you know that ) and I LOVED the ride, but I agree with Heather on a number of fronts. Can't she care about the oil spill but not care about WNBR? Maybe if there was an entrance fee and the money collected went towards oil spill relief I would see the connection, but I don't see the ride making such a big impact. Do you think the spectators went home and said, "wow a group of naked cyclists, I'm gonna stop driving! I'm not gonna go to BP anymore". They probably did think, "Wow, 1500 people riding naked, could I ever do that?" Some probably thought, wow that's cool I want to do it next year and others thought, that are crazy!

Also, body image is VERY highly personal, and although you can do some light encouraging, trying to push people to feel comfortable naked especially if they are not "model skinny" is impossible. People have insecurities. Period. Being an example is the best way to encourage people, not pushing them or making them feel bad if they aren't like the norm.

I'd be happy with what we have. It was incredible with a great atmosphere. I wouldn't change it for the world. It was a perfect number.

Gabe said:

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.

Permalink Reply by Vilda on June 21, 2010 at 4:11pm

I LOVE getting the "why are you still clothed?"question ;-)

Sorry you were uncomfortable...Hang with security next year. They are the most dressed in the crowd ;-)

June 12th is the day for this part of the world. 2 years ago was perfect, last year was cold, this year cool and wet, maybe it's a 4 year cycle and we'll be good again next year? One of my boss's saw me in the ride cause we passed his house and another manager from one of my jobs was in a cab as we went by ;-) If someone has a job that could be in jeopardy i could see that as a valid response.

I've heard weather and it's not valid. No one is made of sugar.

Yes if you didn't attend I think you are crazy. Much like old dude thinks wearing shorts instead of slacks is crazy. Riding naked is a recognized form of protest. Biking is an obvious form of protest against oil. Some one earlier said that the protest was just exhibitionism, of course we want people to look at us ya fools, we're TRYING to tell you something is wrong. Riding Naked gets the attention. Having the message on your body shows this is important. Not to mention that being naked goes back to the vulnerability of a cyclist when riding. To many cars think of us as another car and being naked shows that if you hit me I don't have a roll cage. There are many reasons for the ride.

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on June 21, 2010 at 4:15pm

some valid points here Gabie.

Gabe said:

I LOVE getting the "why are you still clothed?"question ;-)

Sorry you were uncomfortable...Hang with security next year. They are the most dressed in the crowd ;-)

June 12th is the day for this part of the world. 2 years ago was perfect, last year was cold, this year cool and wet, maybe it's a 4 year cycle and we'll be good again next year? One of my boss's saw me in the ride cause we passed his house and another manager from one of my jobs was in a cab as we went by ;-) If someone has a job that could be in jeopardy i could see that as a valid response.

I've heard weather and it's not valid. No one is made of sugar.

Yes if you didn't attend I think you are crazy. Much like old dude thinks wearing shorts instead of slacks is crazy. Riding naked is a recognized form of protest. Biking is an obvious form of protest against oil. Some one earlier said that the protest was just exhibitionism, of course we want people to look at us ya fools, we're TRYING to tell you something is wrong. Riding Naked gets the attention. Having the message on your body shows this is important. Not to mention that being naked goes back to the vulnerability of a cyclist when riding. To many cars think of us as another car and being naked shows that if you hit me I don't have a roll cage. There are many reasons for the ride.

Permalink Reply by Vilda on June 21, 2010 at 4:35pm

Michael P. I missed your silly post about me wanting a spectacle as if that's somehow bad. Like I said other avenues are great but you should do all not 1. And certainly not the laziest one cause you are too cool. Copy me the next time you actually right a letter to someone. Cause I'm gonna call shenanigans. If you aren't willing to ride I'm guessing you aren't doin' much advocating.

Julie, Howard, You know I love you.

Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on June 21, 2010 at 4:58pm

I dont like looking at old dongs and boobs - some things are better left clothed

Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on June 21, 2010 at 5:01pm

U2 sucks - fuck Bono he's a piece of poop

H3N3 said:

Great stuff, Julie.
And Gabe, I love U2.

Permalink Reply by Michael Perz on June 21, 2010 at 5:11pm

Like I said, I don't have a dog in that fight. You rather pointedly and condescendingly inquired why people didn't attend the Naked Bike Ride and I answered. In a perfect world everyone would subscribe to your belief system, they'd share your enemies in common and they'd all go on bike rides in the buff alongside you, but then there would be no sacred cows left to slaughter, would there?

I'll tell you what, Gabe. If you someday finally come to the conclusion that you really can catch more flies with honey than vinegar perhaps I'll tag along for one of these excursions. I might even share with you some of the values I hold dear to my heart which you may find surprising. In the mean time, see if you can pick out which of these things is not like the others...

-storming the Bastille

-sitting at the front of the bus

-burning a draft card

-riding a bike naked and caked in paint



Gabe said:

Michael P. I missed your silly post about me wanting a spectacle as if that's somehow bad. Like I said other avenues are great but you should do all not 1. And certainly not the laziest one cause you are too cool. Copy me the next time you actually right a letter to someone. Cause I'm gonna call shenanigans. If you aren't willing to ride I'm guessing you aren't doin' much advocating.
Julie, Howard, You know I love you.

Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on June 21, 2010 at 5:13pm

you forgot crossing the Delaware naked

Permalink Reply by Carl on June 21, 2010 at 5:40pm

Because there's 6X more unemployed Portlanders than Chicagoans?

Permalink Reply by Vilda on June 21, 2010 at 6:20pm

Michael, it's tough to not respond to stupidity with anything other than stupidity. ;-) If it were up to you none of the things you listed woulda been done cause you woulda been writing a letter to someone. And I gotta tell ya that Riding a bike naked is pretty difficult considering all the people making up excuses to not ride.

And you continue to miss the point. You do not have to ride naked. There is a set up crew (clothed), there is a security crew (clothed- I'm on that) there is a stay behind crew (clothed). Then when you are on the ride you DO NOT have to be naked. Wear a thong. or body paint or shorts.

The more I get to think about it the more it's just asinine Midwestern "values" and laziness.

And I'm not trying to woo people out Michael, other people can be nice, I'm the heavy. I don't like Bullshit and not taking part in a ride that is so positive, such a great way to draw attention to cycling, or oil use, or bike safety, or less cars, et al, that not participating is ridiculous.

Carl, I'm actually gonna look that up tomorrow. Aaron you should have rode. whatever else you say i dismiss as normal Aaron silliness.

Permalink Reply by Dick Schmidtling on June 22, 2010 at 3:05am

I entertained the notion of going, but I used rain as an excuse not to. That is face value though....

The real reason I didn't go is because I consider myself a fat ass...well, it's not in my ass but you get the point. I am not particularly ashamed of my body, in-fact modesty is by and far not my strong suit. I would not have gone nude; I think the god given sweater I've worn since puberty would be frightening enough to make children cry regardless of waist down exposure. The fact is only a very few people enjoy the look of my bear like qualities...I have accepted this, I am ok with it... displaying it for public consumption is an entirely different issue.

BUT

You called me a fat ass for not coming out Gabe. I have worked hard to diminish the magnitude of my beer guzzeling, hoagie chomping gut, and I do so by riding my bike nearly everywhere I go. While I meet most the points of your protest by doing it every day you just did a fantastic job of shutting me out by specifically targeting my largess.

Mission accomplished, jackass. "Naked on the bike" is a far stretch for anyone not reading that specific line. You want numbers for your ride? Christ! I've been against the premise of unlimited growth for a very long time, I imagine some of the people on here might agree that quantity does not equal quality....but you want some point of silly pride over a city that has tons of bike enthusiasts willing to "portage" their bikes from suburbia via personal automobiles as opposed to the real turnout you got from locals actually riding their bikes to the meet-up spot. Would you please examine your priorities? Maybe something about how great the ride was, or a link to the pics so I might droll over the eye candy I missed out on due to my own malaise...insult is the very last thing to do to someone who teeters on verge of participating in WNBR.

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