Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Photos: World Naked Bike Ride Rolls Through Town (NSFW)
Today a hundred or so adventurous souls stripped down to nothing (or next to it) and pedaled through the streets of Echo Park and downtown—and LAist was there to document the whole thing.
The ride is an international event called the World Naked Bike Ride. The ride has a whimsical feel, but the founders of the annual event say that they started to ride to call attention to the plight of cyclists and pedestrians and an oil-dependent culture:
We face automobile traffic with our naked bodies as the best way of defending our dignity and exposing the unique dangers faced by cyclists and pedestrians as well as the negative consequences we all face due to dependence on oil, and other forms of non-renewable [energy].
The rides in each city have their own flavor. In New York City, riders used their mostly-naked bodies to protest the NYPD's controversial frisking policy. (San Francisco recently had their own ride as well.) Some of the riders in L.A. used body paint to express their love for the environment. But riders got creative with what little they wore: there were riders with fairy wings, furry hoods, ties, masks and, of course, pasties.(Note that our photographer did his best to honor the wishes of those who did not want to be photographed, particularly at the starting site. Taking pictures out on the street, as the organizers noted, is a protected right thanks to that whole freedom of speech thing we have going on in the United States.)
Interested in giving it a shot next year? We have some tips for you.
Previously:
6 Tips for Naked Bike Riders This Weekend
Bare as You Dare: Get Ready for L.A.'s World Naked Bike Ride
Fighting A Naked Guy: Two Cyclists Assaulted, Subjected To Anti-Gay Slurs During Nude Bike Ride
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
