After Montreal’s recent World Naked Bike Ride, the Montreal Gazette ran a letter to the editor from a reader who had witnessed the event and was upset by the fact that some of the riders iwere using rented bicycles.
“Do they just put the bike back in racks afterward?” the reader asked, before saying “I will never rent a bike again unless I have Handi-Wipes with me!”
Of course, we nudists/naturists would never put our bare bottoms on the seat of a rented bicycle or on any other public spot, be it mobile or stationary. We carry a towel of some sort for occasions like that, more because of what our bare bottoms might pick up rather than what they might leave behind.
The World Naked Bike Ride event wasn’t about naturism — it was a protest against automobiles, pollution etc., but some naturists no doubt took part. One of the organizers told me “Most people did as I asked by bringing a towel or to clean (the seats) after use.”
But somehow, the Gazette reader didn’t know about that.
I was thinking afterward that the next person to use a rental bike ridden by a bare-bottomed rider that day would probably be wearing clothes, anyway, so the seat would pose no health risk. But what about the bicycle handle bar and grips and brakes? The previous rider would have had his or her hands all over them, and God knows what germs were transferred from those hands to the bicycle.
Indeed, the hands probably would transfer more germs to a bicycle than a bare bottom would. And God knows what germs a pair of jeans might leave on the seat of a bicycle.
So, what is it about bare bottoms that frightened the reader so much?
Inquiring minds need to know.
— Jillian
As either a nudist OR Textile, I’d be grossed out by some stranger’s bare but on a rental bike. Ok, so I’m wearing shorts, right? That just means that my shorts now carry whatever fecal matter, etc, the rude naked person left behind. That stuff winds up on my car seat, living room couch… ugh. A little courtesy is all it takes.
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Yup, I agree. But think of all the public places you might sit over the course of a lifetime.There is no way of knowing who sat in those spots before, and what might have transferred to your clothes, which in turn get transferred to all the spots you mention. I think the key is to keep our hands away from our faces, and to use hand sanitizer . . .
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Reblogged this on All Nudist.
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Umm, how effective do people think underwear or even outerwear, for that matter, is at acting as a barrier to faecal germs? I would suggest that it is a lot less than they assume, unless they are in a habit of wearing plastic panties or adult incontinence wear.
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Reblogged this on Naturist Holidays in Europe and commented:
I agree with you completely. Whatever a bare butt may leave on a seat, when someone else seats on it he will probably wear pants so there is nothing to be afraid of. On the other hand, hands transfer much more germs so when you touch something with your bare hands that many other people have already toughed it is much more unhealthy… Your reader is completely wrong…
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As mentioned on my website, I requested people to bring something to cover their seats when renting a Bixi, many of them did do this, but others may not have. I really wish people received that note as mentioned here under “what to bring” https://thenaturistpage.wordpress.com/wnbr-montreal/
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When I do a post for the nighttime event, I will be sure to mention that.
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Makes the case for JJ or Clorox Handi-Wipes doesn’t it. Just don’t flush them down the toilet! Fatbergs ensue if one doesn’t %O
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I participated in the World Naked Bike Ride in Philadelphia a few days ago and I used a rental bike from the city’s bike sharing system, Indiegogo. Shortly before the WNBR, a representative of Indiegogo was quoted as pretty much not discouraging the use of Indiegogo bikes for the event. I actually used an Indiegogo bike as I don’t have my own personal bike. I don’t think there will be any problems 😉
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On this day when Boston and, I believe, Montreal are doing their editions of the World Naked Bike Ride, I was intrigued to see this post because the same issue arose in Boston last year, too. The controversy actually benefited the ride in the end by attracting a lot more attention than in the past. The ride organizers were interviewed for news stories, and even on a live radio show, before the ride. And, the night before the ride, the bike-share (Hubway) officials apologized for the “silly” news coverage and offered their encouragement for the ride. http://touch.metro.us//boston/naked-bike-ride-pedaled-through-boston-saturday-night/zsJogl—KBEp5k6tNDg/
Here’s to all the hardy riders who will brave the rain today/tonight!
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