Newcastle upon Tyne

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The Newcastle- Gateshead World Naked Bike Ride is a protest against oil dependency and car culture.

It is equally a celebration of the bike and the human body.

Newcastle Gateshead's first World Naked Bike Ride planned for Saturday 2nd July 2016

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STOP PRESS: Please read our #Advice for Riders below.

Route and schedule subject to final Police approval

Protest Route:

Approx. 5 miles. Full details to be released nearer the time only on this page.

Schedule:

Saturday 2nd July 2016. Protest Ride will depart promptly at 2pm. Assemble from 1.45pm not earlier please. Remain clothed until 1.55pm.

Advice for Riders

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING PRACTICAL INFORMATION CAREFULLY BEFORE COMING ON THE NEWCASTLE - GATESHEAD WORLD NAKED BIKE RIDE.

PLEASE PRINT OUT A COPY FOR ANY FRIENDS YOU KNOW ARE COMING AND WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.

Experienced cyclists – please note some of this information may seem tedious but it is meant for everyone, experienced or not, who may be coming on the Ride and is intended to make the ride as trouble-free, safe and legal as possible.

The World Naked Bike Ride is primarily a protest demonstration calling for safer cycling conditions and an end to the increasing domination of car culture in our cities. As such you attend as a 'protester' and do so entirely at your own choosing. You must take responsibility for your own conduct and safety.

In Newcastle - Gateshead because of the varied (and hilly!!)surfaces we go over we discourage walkers, runners and skaters as it is difficult for them to keep up.

If you are not a regular cyclist, we urge you to have dusted your bike down and actually ridden it a few times before the day to check everything including yourself is in working order. We'd hate for your brakes to fail on the descent down to the Quayside...

A reminder that this protest is all about calling for safer cycling conditions and an end to the increasing domination of car culture in our cities. We welcome all cyclists to protest with us 'as bare as you dare' in the peaceful spirit of the World Naked Bike Ride. It goes without saying that any lewd or unsuitable behaviour will not be tolerated by the authorities and we ask those who choose to to join us to protest respectfully, riding within the spirit of the WNBR goals.

It is your responsibility to make sure your bike is roadworthy.

In particular check:

• that it fits you
• that the brakes work properly
• the tyres are sufficiently inflated
• the chain runs freely and the gear changes are smooth
• there are no obvious loose connections (check especially your handlebars, saddle, cranks and pedals)
• your wheels run true (don't wobble from side to side when moving)
• "slime" works well in the tubes as an anti puncture aid, handy on an event such as this.

What to bring with you on the Ride:

• Obviously your bike.
• One or more bags to carry your clothes and other bits and pieces in. Bags attaching safely to your bike are best as they do not restrict your movement, make your back sweat too much or obscure any slogans that are written there. If you do not have a pannier, saddle-bag, rack or handlebar-bag, use a back-pack that attaches securely to your body and leaves both hands free. Nothing should be left at the Ride assembly point.
• A basic tool kit specific to your bike including a spare inner tube and/or other means of dealing with a puncture
• A working pump
• One or more water-bottles – you will probably get thirsty especially if it is a hot day
• Front and rear lights in case it is dark by the time you are getting home (remember up here though it won't start to get dark until at least 9:30pm at that time of year)
• Some snacks to keep you going until your next meal
• Sun cream, sunglasses, according to the weather (Hey it's Newcastle remember - it will be hot and balmy!!)

At the assembly point

• Naturally we encourage you to arrive in Newcastle by sustainable means. Trains operate from across the UK to Newcastle station with Trans-Pennine, Northern Rail, Virgin East Coast and Cross Country all operating frequent services.
• Bikes are NOT allowed on the Tyne and Wear Metro trains except folding bikes. If you have to bring the car please try and avoid using the city centre car parks - not only do they cost a fortune, but it kind of defeats the object of our ride if you bring your car into an already congested city centre :-)
• Remember sun-cream if it is a hot day (do this before applying body paint and allow the cream to soak in)
• Decorate your body and your bike. Make contact with other riders and help each other out painting slogans on your bodies. There are plenty of ideas for slogans on the WNBR Slogans page or you can make up your own.
• Be respectful of your fellow riders. Do not take photos of other riders without their permission, especially if they are in middle of getting ready.
• Do a few last minute checks to make sure your bike is OK, e.g. is there still air in the tyres?
• Please do not fully strip off until 5mins before the Ride is due to start at 2pm. Do NOT leave your clothing with a friend, but take it with you (it is possible you may need it if you have a breakdown or get isolated from the other riders).
• Wait for the signal to depart and follow the ride leader out of the assembly area.

Body painting

Please come to the starting area with your body paint already applied and loosely covered with shorts / t-shirt etc. If you intend to ride naked you MUST NOT undress fully until 5 mins prior to the start of the ride which departs at 2pm, or if you wish to ride the shorter route; you must not undress until the main ride reaches Civic Centre.

Creativity and decoration

Creativity and decoration of your bike and your body are strongly encouraged.

• If you have any body paints and brushes, please bring them along. Flowers, leaves and other greenery are also useful for draping or twisting around your body or your bike. Lots more ideas can be found on the main WNBR website: www.worldnakedbikeride.org
• Bring bells, whistles, horns, squeakers etc. to make a pleasant noise.
• If you are carrying banners, flags or flagpoles, please ensure these are attached to your bike in a safe way so that they will not get caught up in your wheels, cause difficulty when mounting or dismounting or cause a nuisance to other riders. In particular avoid anything with a sharp point. It is possible to attach flexible bamboo poles with banners above head height, or shorter poles with small pennants well behind you. You will need lots of gaffer tape and some ingenuity to wrap it round all the right places. Attaching it to a pannier rack is best. If in any doubt how to do this safely, please seek advice. Note that you may have to mount/dismount your bike in a different way if you have a banner fixed behind. Test it out before the ride please.
• If you must wear a mask, whether for decoration or disguise, make sure it does not restrict your vision of the road ahead or of the other riders around you. Wearing a mask does not mean you can avoid the norms of decency during the ride.
• We discourage the use by gentlemen of large or excessive penis rings / cages during the actual ride. Simple piercings are not an issue. Whilst we respect your right to wear them at the after ride party, you wouldn't normally wear them out naked in public. While we don't ourselves dislike them, some of the larger rings / cages or metal work can be viewed by the general public as overtly sexual. With this being the first ride in Newcastle - Gateshead we wish to keep as close to the original protest message as possible without undue distraction. We thank you for your understanding.

During the Ride

We will have a ride leader and some one marking the back of the ride. There will also be some stewards on the flanks of the ride and there may also be police officers controlling some of the junctions or riding with us.

For everyone's safety, please observe the following guidelines:

• Do not stray from the route or from the other riders.
• Do not race ahead or overtake the ride leader. They need to dictate a pace that is set for a reason. It may feel too slow - but it will be for very good reason!
• Do not drop behind the back marker, if you are clearly struggling to keep up you will be asked to dress and meet us at the end point or leave the ride.
• If a 999 Emergency Vehicle approaches with Blue Lights ON and needs to pass, pull into the left side and clearly give way the same as you would when riding independently. Be aware of others around you when doing so.
• Keep some space between yourself and other riders, in particular watch out that your front wheel does not get too close to the back wheels of the people in front and make sure that you have enough room to stop.
• Give long or wide cycles (e.g. tricycles, rickshaws, cargo-bikes, bikes with trailers) extra space to manoeuvre, especially if the path you are riding on is narrow.
• If you need to stop suddenly, try and pull away from other riders and indicate or shout back that you are doing so.
• Do not leave too much space between yourself and other riders that car-drivers are tempted to nip into the space and so split up the ride. Avoid riding in small bunches or sub-groups. A steady stream of riders is much easier to deal with at junctions.
• Be aware of pedestrians, especially children.
• On shared use pathways, keep to the side marked as a cycle lane. If no such lane is marked, be prepared to stop if necessary if pedestrians (or their dogs) get in your way.

* If the traffic light is on red when the ride leader arrives the whole ride will stop until the light turns green. The ride will then continue through the light set as one vehicle without stopping should the light turn red again whilst the protest is passing through - this is the same as a 'long vehicle' would do. This is one of the important reasons we need to control the pace of the ride and that we ride as one single group to aid the Police and other Highway users'

• Be aware that other road users (pedestrians, drivers) may be startled by the appearance of a group of naked cyclists. Mostly their reactions will be positive. If for any reason they are not, do not stop to engage in arguments, but keep smiling and ride on.
• If you have an accident, a mechanical failure or a puncture, the back marker will stay with you long enough to make sure you are OK. Provided you are not hurt, you will be advised to get dressed and make your way by the quickest available route to the designated end of the Ride where you will be able to re-join the other riders.
• Generally, if a ride steward asks you to do something (e.g. to move inside a lane), please do what he or she says. Ride stewards are there to ensure your own safety and to try and keep the ride together and have been briefed about the ride plan.

There are no toilet stops during the ride. If you stop to urinate in public, you may be liable to arrest.

At the end of the Ride

At the end of the Ride, please dismount at the dispersal point/chill-out area . This does not apply to hand-cycles or other HPVs designed for disabled cyclists. After the ride, once photos have been taken and you’ve met up with your friends again, please get dressed or at least put a minimum of clothing on. You are expected to get dressed within 15 minutes of the ride ending, but you are free to remain in the area if you wish.

The Ride should have a zero carbon footprint, so please dispose of all rubbish responsibly or take it home for recycling.

Planning collective

The Newcastle Planning Collective is a small group of local cyclists working together in a co-operative way to a single end. Some of us are based in Newcastle itself, some live in the surrounding towns and villages. We always need more volunteers to get involved - that could be YOU!

Here's what the Collective does:

• answers people's questions with care and consideration
• keeps track of who is doing what, and how far through things people are
• deals with problems and follow the discussions at the national level
• provide updates to let people know what's going on
• points out where and when help is needed
• acts as a contact point for general enquiries

Additional responsibilities for the coordinator or one of the Collective members:

• arranges meetings, compile agendas, provide minutes
• ensures that the Collective remains non-hierarchical but organised

Join the conversation at https://www.facebook.com/NewcastleWNBR

Links

Websites

• WNBR UK – official site for UK rides

Location information

• Google Map of Newcastle upon Tyne
• Wikipedia: Newcastle upon Tyne
• Wikipedia: UK