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1,000 riders on London Naked Bike Ride 2007 - photo by [email protected]

On Saturday 11 June 2011 the eighth London World Naked Bike Ride will return to the streets of the capital, allowing riders to see the city sights from the comfort of a bike, skates or pedal rickshaw. The ride is easy and upbeat, and riders decorate their bodies and bikes with messages of protest against oil dependency and car culture.

• London is the largest daytime WNBR event in the world. We had 1,000 participants on Saturday 12 June 2010!!! Previously we had 1,200 (2009), 1,000 (2007 & 2008), 800 (2006), 250 (2005) and 58 (2004).
• A big thank-you is owed to Team Green Britain Bike Week 2010! They've been brilliant, and we're proud to be part of Bike Week.
• People are also encouraged to join rides in other UK cities – including nearby Brighton and Southampton – which are typically scheduled to take place on different days from London, around the same weekend
• The event will take place whatever the weather – please come prepared for rain, cold or blazing heat!
• For press enquiries see the media information page on the main site
• To receive updates on WNBR London, please join our Yahoo Group
• Spread the word about the ride via our Facebook group

The London WNBR is part of Team Green Britain Bike Week (18-26 June 2011).

Join the Ride!

Join our Group

Please donate to the WNBR UK Fund

The UK World Naked Bike Ride fund meets the cost of insuring rides
across the UK, and provides local organisers with money for
poster/flyer printing, advertising, ride equipment etc.
Please give generously.

Next ride

Date: Saturday 11 June 2011
Time: 3pm assembly, for 3.30pm departure
Location: Hyde Park.

Ride details

Route and start location
The 2011 route will be announced here The current plan is to run it along the lines of the 2010 route but with a return to Hyde Park (a circular 10 mile route of mostly flat cycling). Note that the actual route has yet to be finalised, and anyway, may be altered on the day (at the discretion of Ride Marshals).

Assembly area
Assemble in the south-east corner of Hyde Park, in the large meadow north of the Achilles Statue (to the East of the Broadwalk). Do not arrive before 3pm as Stewards will turn you away. This is near to Wellington Arch and Hyde Park Corner.(map link). People who wish to use the WNBR body paints, are welcome to do so. An informal body painting space will be available in Hyde Park from 1.30pm. This space will be very far from the assembly location, and nudity will not be permitted.

Body Painting area (informal/small) from 1.30pm till 3pm
The following information is for 2010 ride and will be updated for 2011 Please check back. 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 (equivalent of bathing costume coverage must be worn). Large numbers won't be permitted. Riders who are finished will need to move on. 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.

We encourage all riders to buy some body paints for themselves and get painted up before they come to the ride.

Please wear clothes before and after the ride Do not undress before 3pm in Hyde Park, as this will undermine our positive relationship with the Royal Parks. 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.

Finish
In 2011 the plan is to finish the at the Wellington Arch - i.e. back to an almost circular route. The dispersal will commence as soon as the ride finishes. People will be asked by Stewards to leave the roadway, dress and depart immediately.

Ride length
7 miles. Very few hills. An easy, leisurely ride!.

After Ride Celebration
We will announce any recommended post-ride events here.

Ride support

Bike and skate rental
We are able to repeat last year's discounted BIKE HIRE through the London Bicycle Tour Company which hired bikes to riders from 12.30pm-7pm for £12. See below for more details

Also at the bargain price of £10, secured by a £100 deposit, you can hire well maintained SKATES plus full padding from Club Blue Room for the entire day. They can't hire if it's a rainy day. Skates must be undamaged dry and clean when returned. They are located at Marble Arch. Phone for details - 020 7724 4884

Owing to safety concerns, runners are no longer permitted in the World Naked Bike Ride in London.

Decoration and leaflets

This year we are providing cloth flags again (donations please, minimum £3.50) and these are stitched to easily fit on bamboo poles which you can tape to your bike frame/rack. We are also providing "race cards" - paper signs that easily attach to the front of your bike with the messages of the WNBR. Donations are appreciated to help us cover the costs. There will be leaflets available which explain the ride more clearly to passers by. These items can be collected from just behind the Info Stall (location to be advised). Please see the London bike decoration page for more detailed suggestions.

Photography policy
Please keep referring to the London photography policy as things progress, which will make it clear what photography behaviour is unwelcome. If presence of photographers makes people uncomfortable, we recommend riders consider adopting the following measures:

• The most effective measure is to avoid disrobing at the assembly. Simply wear something that can be easily removed when the ride pauses on route. The problem photography rarely occurs during the ride.
  
• Verbally address the photographer by saying "Go away, I do not wish to be photographed". At the same time, hold up your hand to indicate the universal gesture of "stop/halt/no". If this doesn't work, address the people near to you, asking them to stand between you and the photographer.
  
• Leafleting before and during the ride may be a good way to overcome discomfort from being stared at, and make you less likely to be targeted by problem photographers. The activity of engaging with bystanders makes you seem less vulnerable and this seems to appeal less to any problem photographers.
  
• We will again have a sign you can download. Some riders have found this useful in dealing with problem photographers.

PA equipment
Use of PA equipment or amplification within the Serious and Organised Crime Police Act (SOCPA) zone should be avoided, as it is not-legal. We recommend turning off any sound amplification for the sections of ride along Whitehall, Parliament Square, Westminster Bridge and York Road.

Health & safety
Footwear is required in order to allow riders to come to a safe emergency stop.
We advise you to wear a helmet. You can paint it, decorate it, camouflage it ....but keep your head!

After the ride

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.

Dispersal
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.

Objectives and demands

Each year, the World Naked Bike Ride collective in London agrees on a set of objectives and demands for the year's ride. The objectives and demands of the ride are shown below.

In 2011 the main theme of the ride will be improving safety for cyclists. We are also supporting the LCC Safer Lorries Campaign

Objectives

• Obtain real rights for cyclists and demonstrate the vulnerability of cyclists on city streets
• Protest against the global dependency on oil
• Curb car culture
• Celebrate body freedom

Demands

• “Real rights for bikes”:
  • Safer streets for cyclists
  • Cycle-only zones in cities
  • Separate 2-way cycle lanes
• A ban on car advertising

Participating in the ride

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

See the United Kingdom FAQ and global FAQ. Visit both pages to find out answers to your questions. We've tried to avoid an overlap of information.

Legality

The WNBR London organising collective has been working closely with the Metropolitan police since 2005; they are fully aware of the nature of the protest and supportive of our right to make it. We have excellent relations with the police; most years they assist with traffic control and have their own riders accompanying us (although they keep their uniforms on).

Contrary to popular opinion, there is no law against nudity in England and you will not be arrested simply for being nude on this protest. Visit our FAQ answer for more information.

Notice: The terms of the 2010 ride have been agreed with the police as in previous years.

Body painting

NOTICE: There is an informal body painting area arrangement (see ride details at top of this page). We encourage all riders to buy some body paints for themselves and get painted up before they come to the ride.

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 in Hyde Park. We might bring back the body painting area in 2010, but for now, you'll have to fend for yourself. NOTE: We still have plenty of spare paints, and we would be happy to provide a self-service body painting space if someone was able to secure for us a suitable cost-free private space near the Start location during morning/lunch on the day of the ride (10-2pm). If you are abler to help. please contact us in the [Yahoo group]

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!

Bike decoration

We have some great race cards that you can print on card and then attach to your bike. We recommend you use elastic or twist-ties to secure to your bike. There are PDF instructions here. If you are feeling generous, print and prepare a few extra to give to other riders. There is a selection of four cards for you to choose from; click on the captions to download the full-size card for printing.

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  Download Print Version

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  Download Print Version

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  Download Print Version

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  Download Print Version

Public transport

See the UK FAQs.

Weather

We've had good weather at each of the UK rides so far, indeed stunning hot sunshine in 2006 and 2007. Does that mean statistically we're predicting rain? The ride will not be cancelled in the event of rain. If it rains, bring some warm dry clothes to change into after the ride, and keep them dry. A large, thin plastic bag (such as you get from your dry cleaner) could be an effective protection if you want to seem naked in the rain. Maybe we can beat the Vancouver record for most naked riders in the rain! For a weather forecast, visit the Met Office, MetCheck or BBC Weather.

Bike hire

There are many places in London where you can hire a bike. For a PDF of the recommended bike hire locations, visit the following page from LCC http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=171. For discounted bike hire, see the item below.

Discounted bike hire

As in previous years, the London Bicycle Tour Company will do a discounted bike rental for the day of just £12.

On the day of the ride, you will be able to collect your bike from the shop between 10.45-11.45 or 12pm-3pm. Please try to collect your bike before 1pm. The earlier the better. Bikes can be returned to the shop at any time before 7pm. Bike delivery will not be available for the discount price - bikes must be collected from the shop. Advanced booking is required to guarantee bike availability.

Full details and instructions on how to pre-book your bike are on the London_Bike_Hire page.

Skate rental

See above (in the Next Ride section) for full details of renting skates through the (Club) Blue Room.

Discounts

Bike Hire (for the day of the ride) - see London_Bike_Hire.

Hotels and Shows Theatre Breaks are offering a 10% discount hotels in London - places that have committed to accepting guests and their bicycles.

Getting involved

There are lots of ways you can help to organise or promote the ride. Please contact us in the [Yahoo group] if you have any useful special skills and are able to help in any way.

Poster

As with the 2009 ride, some A4 posters will be printed ahead of the 2010 ride. If more are needed, a PDF file can be downloaded from

• Full colour A4 Poster for London (UK design)

for printing locally.

Spread the word

Everyone can help to make the next ride even more successful than the last. There are lots of ideas for promoting the ride at the UK Promote page.

World Naked Bike Ride stalls

The WNBR usually has stalls at events. Please get in touch if you can help with the stall or leafleting at these events.

Camden Green Fair and Bike Fest Sunday 5th June 2011, midday till 7pm. Regents Park.

Events to leaflet

Please help us by distributing leaflets at the following events if possible!

London Critical Mass ride Friday 27 May 2011 at 6pm outside BFI Southbank (which is under Waterloo Bridge and was previously known as the National Film Theatre). Please volunteer to leaflet at this event between 6pm and departure (usually 6.30pm-7pm)
ENTRY = Free

The Friday Night Skate
Friday nights weekly assembling near the Wellington Arch. People start arriving from about 7:50, the skate leaves at 8pm
ENTRY = Free
Note that this event doesn't happen if the weather is poor.

Planning meetings

Riders are invited to any of the London ride planning meetings. The London ride organising group is a collective, and holds just 5 meetings to make all the key decisions about the ride (and allocate responsibilities). Any rider is welcome to attend the meetings (and thus be part of the "London ride planning collective"). The meeting agenda can include route/time, negotiations with police, improving the experience for new riders, presswork, and any other matters that people bring to the meeting. Meetings are open to non-London riders who are involved in planning rides in their local area. Press are not welcome to the planning meetings.

The 2011 meetings are as follows (19:00 start for all meetings):

1. Thursday 10 February 2011 (Frank to facilitate/produce minutes)
2. Thursday 24 March 2011
3. Thursday 14 April 2011
4. Thursday 12 May 2011
5. Thursday 26 May 2011 or 09 June 2011

We used to meet in the Great Court of the (British Museum. But this space is no longer available past 8pm (as of 2011), so we wil be moving the meeting space to the South Bank Centre's Royal Festival Hall. The 24 March meeting will be held at the Green Bar in the Royal Festival Hall (4th level, on the "green side" - the side nearer the London Eye). For future meetings, check this page, and/or see the wnbr-London yahoo list. We try to remember to have WNBR things out so it is easier to spot the meeting. If you are in doubt, just ask "is this the bike ride meeting?"

Get in touch (or just show up at a meeting) if you want to join in the planning the next ride. uk [at] worldnakedride.org or 07814 587361

Interviews

The press, radio and TV are fascinated by WNBR. We need riders to explain their personal perspective on the ride in interviews. If you are willing to help out with interviews, please contact londonpress [at] wnbr.org.uk and/or your local ride coordinator or call the Press Office.

On the day

We need people to pass out leaflets at the assembly point and during the ride. If you plan to pass out leaflets on the ride, you need to have a good scheme for carrying the leaflets, so they don't spill out or blow away, but so you still can reach them to pass out. We're going to try to pass out leaflets to the crowd at the assembly point and then during the ride.

Being a volunteer steward

In order to ensure the smooth running of this year’s London World Naked Bike Ride, we are asking for volunteer stewards to look after the welfare of riders. Last year's stewards did a great job, and we're looking to provide even better stewarding this year (e.g. more effective, more friendly, more responsive).

The purpose of WNBR stewards is to monitor the safety and wellbeing of riders, and to provide advice and assistance where necessary. Stewards will be a visible presence amongst riders and will help to ensure that participants are safe, that they don't get lost or separated from the main ride and that assistance is available to those who get left behind or have breakdowns. During the Assembly, the Stewards will primarily be directing riders into the ride assembly area, and helping the ride to form up for departure. Stewards will enforce the ride's photo policy through polite but firm verbal intervention.

As a steward you will be required to:

• Register to be a steward in advance (no turning up on the day with an offer to help).
• Attend the pre-ride Steward Induction and Training Session (date/time TBA) at the Achilles statue in Hyde Park.
• Arrive in Hyde Park by 1pm on Saturday 12 June 2010 for an additional Ride Briefing.
• Act as a steward for the event from 1pm until 6pm (very busy from 2pm to 5pm).
• Wear shoes and clothes for the duration of the ride
• Wear a high-visibility vest that you borrow and return to the lead steward.

Additionally, you will be expected to:

• Be a confident and proficient cyclist
• Be able to follow instructions from the Lead Steward.
• Be reasonable, responsible and approachable.
• Maintain a courteous and friendly disposition (even under pressure).
• Bring a small rucksack in which to put useful items such as: a puncture repair kit, spare T-shirt, bottle of water, bike pump. (If you have any of these, it would be most appreciated if you could bring them along, if not, we will endeavour to provide them).
• Carry a mobile phone (for use only in emergencies).

In return, you will receive:

• A FREE World Naked Bike Ride flag (Normally only available for £3 donation).
• A free DVD of the 2005 World Naked Bike Ride which normally costs £10 (you receive this if you attend the training session).
• Support, assistance and guidance from the Lead Steward.
• A warm glow knowing that you’ve helped to make the London WNBR a success!

If you have a PMR radio handset (walkie talkie), please bring it with you.

The up-to-date (2010) London Stewarding Guidelines can be read here

If you think you might volunteer as a London WNBR Ride Steward, please contact last year's Lead Steward: John [email protected] or on 07957 231 044.

History

See London history

Media coverage

Moved to London media coverage page.

Photos

Moved to London photos page.

Videos

Moved to London videos page.

Photography policy

See London photography policy

Links

Websites

• WNBR UK (official site)
• Facebook: group event
• WNBR London's Myspace page (non-official site)
• LNBR 08'London Naked bike ride 2008 by Ramon Andarias
• Bikewars,"‘Image Galleries of the London and Brighton Ride 2009 & 2010"

Discussion groups

Join the WNBR UK list if you plan to ride and want to receive important updates or share in general UK ride planning. Join the WNBR London list if you want to help plan the London ride. If you're after photos, don't bother joining these lists – they are for ride planning only.

• WNBR UK – Yahoo! group for all UK rides
• WNBR London – Yahoo! group for the London ride

Listings

• Upcoming

Related interest groups

Skating

• http://www.lfns.co.uk (Friday Night Skate and Sunday Stroll)
• http://www.londonskate.com (London Skate - Wednesday Skates)

Cycling

• Eco Chariots: rickshaw/pedicabs and cycle taxi hire for events and privet bookings
• Action Bikes
• Bicycle Ballet
• Bicycle Film Festival
• Bike2Work
• Bike Week 13-21 June 2009
• Bug Bugs: rickshaws and pedicabs
• Camden Green Fair and BikeFest, Sunday 1 June 2008
• Critical Mass London
• CTC - the UK's national cycling campaign
• London Cycling Campaign
• London Sustainability Weeks
• Resonance 104.4 FM
• Rinky Dink
• Slick Willies
• The Bike Show on Resonance FM (with weekly podcasts)
• Transport 2000
• Westminster City Council: map of cycle stands in Westminster
• Velorution
• ZERO Couriers

Ecological campaigns

• Love London, Love Your Planet 4-28 June 2009
• Climate Camp
• London Rising Tide
• Road Block: Alliance Against Road Building
• Alliance Against Urban 4x4s
• Veggies Catering Campaign (Nottingham)
• Plane Stupid!
• Friends of the Earth (UK)
• Climate Outreach Information Network
• Freewheelers
• Stop Climate Chaos Coalition
• People and Planet

Body freedom/Naturism

• Body Freedom Collaborative
• British Naturism
• Go Bare
• NUFF
• World Naked Gardening Day
• Russell Higgs and a film from 1999 of his "Freedom To Be Yourself" protests in the late 1990s - first half and second half
• Naked Walk - about Steve Gough, the Naked Rambler
• Active Nudists (includes WNBR coverage) Photo Book with Reviews
• VivreNu.com some french articles photos and videos about nudity and wnbr in london

Naked protest

• Bare Witness

Location information

• Maps of London: Streetmap.co.uk / ViaMichelin / Google Maps
• Wikipedia: London
• Wikipedia: Greater London