London ride

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Date: Saturday 9 June 2012
Time: 3pm assembly, for 3.30pm departure
Location: Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner (NOT in Hyde Park)

Things to Know

Wear clothes before and after the ride

Do not undress before 3pm, as this will undermine our positive relationship with the authorities. There is no law against nudity in Britain, but please don't exercise your right to nudity in London before the ride, as it will impact on our ability to make arrangements with police. Feel free to undress in the UK at any other time of the year, as this will not have any impact on the WNBR.

Some more information about the photography policy can be found here: UK FAQ

Assembly area

You can assemble for the ride on the island inside the Hyde Park Corner roundabout, near the Wellington Arch (map link) any time between 3:00 and 3:30pm. You can stay dressed as long as you want, but don't get undressed before 3:00pm. If you turn up before 3:00pm, Stewards will ask you to leave and return at 3:00pm. See the section below to read why. Be prepared to form up ready for departure at about 3:25pm. The ride will be starting at 3:30pm.

Body Painting and Body Painting Area (informal/small) from 1.30pm till 3pm See below - Body Painting

Route and start location

Arranging the route for the WNBR requires negotiation with multiple authorities, working around other events, some of which are planned well in advance and others which occur on very short notice. The WNBR isn't the London Marathon and can't agree roads being closed months in advance. We try and ensure the route goes past many of the London landmarks where it will be seen by people on the streets. This helps to promote the goals of the protest ride whilst letting you see London whilst doing something a little bit different. We do try to announce the route beforehand, but sometimes it is difficult to do so without having to change it at the last minute. This is why the route isn't always available beforehand and may even change on the day at the discretion of the lead marshal.

The plan is to follow a route similar to 2011 (a circular 9 mile (14km) route of mostly flat cycling). The 2012 route should see you passing the London landmarks of Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall, Parliament, London Eye, Royal Courts of Justice, Ludgate, St Paul's Cathedral, Covent Garden, The Mall and Wellington Arch.

The proposed route is on BikeMap.net here, though it turns out we can't use the whole length of The Mall this year, so we will make a detour via Malborough Road back via Piccadilly. The list of streets and collation points (for pauses to let back-markers catch up) can be seen here.

It's a really good idea to take your clothes with you on the ride. Make sure they are secured though. You don't want to be the person who lost their clothes on the ride or the one whose friends decided the ride was taking too long, they had better things to do and went home with your clothes.

Even though the route will be circular, there is no plan to provide secure storage while we are doing the ride.

Ride length

About 9 miles. Very few hills. An easy, leisurely ride! In 2011 it took 2.5 hours and we still managed to lose people at traffic lights.

Finish

The finish is at Wellington Arch - i.e. a circular route. When you arrive at the end of the ride, congratulate yourself and fellow riders on staging a successful protest. The finish area will not be a venue for prolonged naked socialising. So when you've found your friends, taken your photographs and celebrated the highlights of the ride, please get dressed and move on to continue your celebrations elsewhere. In particular, please note that playing games, such as Frisbee or ball games, in the finish area is not allowed.

The dispersal will commence as soon as the ride finishes. People will be asked by Stewards to leave the roadway, dress and depart immediately.

Dispersal

Get dressed before you leave the finish area. If you decide to move into surrounding areas, please show consideration for others. Remember that any misbehaviour that is associated with WNBR riders may jeopardise our ability to continue assembling anywhere in London in future years.

After Ride Celebration

At this time there are no official after ride parties planned. Anyone arranging gatherings elsewhere or parties in the evening is not affiliated with the World Naked Bike Ride.

Body painting

Body Painting and Body Painting Area (informal/small) from 1.30pm till 3pm

We encourage all riders to buy some body paints for themselves and get painted up before they come to the ride. People who wish to use the WNBR body paints are welcome to do so.

A list of suitable slogans can be found here if you can't think of your own - Slogans

There is an informal arrangement for a bodypainting group this year. We will provide body paints, stencils and sponge brushes but no official body painters. Nudity will not be permitted during body painting (equivalent of bathing costume coverage must be worn). Large numbers won't be permitted. Photography won't be allowed.

To learn the location of the informal body painting area, please call or text Will at 07903 019696. This should keep the body-painting relatively private.

Planning Your Body Paint

The best way to make sure you are ready for the ride is to get painted at home beforehand. Wear loose-fitting clothing that won't rub it off, and you can always leave final details and touch-ups for the ride. For advice on getting and using body paint, see the UK FAQs. The easiest thing is to have a friend body-paint you, but you can paint yourself if it's an all-over-in-one-colour or message on your legs.

For people who aren't able to paint themselves at home, you may wish to do some body painting just before the ride, but you'll have to bring your own paints and painters. From 2006 till 2008, we provided a body painting service from professional painters such as Sitech Creations Ltd [1]. In 2009, there was no official body painting area. We had difficulty due to growing numbers of ride participants, agressive photographers, and the short time available at the start.

Photographers can be a problem at the ride start especially while body painting is taking place. If you notice photographers crowding around someone who is being painted, please politely enquire whether the subject of the photograph is happy to be photographed. If they aren't happy being photographed, please ask the photographers to stop, and consider standing between the photographers and subject (in a polite but assertive manner).

Please don't photograph riders who are being painted. Wait till they are fully painted and then ask if they are happy to be photographed. Better still, please photograph the riders during the ride!