It was approximately one month ago when the World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) took place in many cities across the Northern Hemisphere.
There are many reasons people partake in the ride ranging from protesting our oil dependency, better bike infrastructure to even body image issues (promoting body positive).
The event is similar to the monthly Critical Mass rides, only in the sense that cyclists take to the street.
The obvious differences of course are Critical Mass riders wear clothes and ride once every month (last Friday of every month). WNBR takes place once a year in June.
The general messages behind each ride are pretty much the same.
I use to be against such rides (mostly Critical Mass), as you generally only heard one side of the coin…The motorist. Yes -- as ironic as this may sound coming from someone who doesn’t drive, but rides a bicycle -- the only side I ever heard from was the motorist.
“I’m stuck in traffic because of these riders” many would complain on the radio.
A part of me felt this is in no way to win motorists over.
It probably wasn’t until I heard complaints over bike lanes that were put in locally here in St. Catharines that I started to side with and understand those who partake in either Critical Mass or the World Naked Bike Ride.
When I heard motorists make claims of being slowed down or delayed by our newly minted bike lanes, I stopped and looked one day while sitting in a bike lane waiting for the light to change…
It wasn’t the bike lane that is delaying motorists…It’s too many vehicles on the road. I thought; ‘why are people looking beside themselves…look in front!’
I will concede that locally -- roads that went from four lanes down to two (with bike lanes), speeds were reduced. The often ignored fact is they were reduced TO the speed limit. 50km/h is the speed limit on most roads here, people would often travel 55-60km/h back in the days of four lanes.
Bike lanes aside, both CM and WNBR are protests against oil, or rather our oil dependency.
If you live in Canada I’m sure at some point in the past year you have heard how oil is suppose to save us from all the economic evils in the world. But at what cost?
Have YOU ever participated in either the World Naked Bike Ride or Critical Mass (or both)? If so, how often do you partake and do/did you enjoy it?
If not, why?
And for the record I have not participated in either event…If I lived in a larger urban centre that had either ride I suspect I would give both a shot.
I DO NOT own any of the photos used in the post. Click on the following names for images/credits:
