London

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

On Saturday 12 June 2010 the seventh 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 or skates. 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 1,200 participants on Saturday 13 June 2009!!! Previously we had 1,000 (2007 & 2008), 800 (2006), 250 (2005) and 58 (2004).
  • A big thank-you is owed to Bike Fix who provided space to store our leaflets for the London and Brighton rides!
  • 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 Love London and Team Green Britain Bike Week.

Love London (www.lovelondon.org.uk
Bike Week ()

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

Editors: to change this section,
click the Edit tab at the top of the page

Date: Saturday 12 June 2010
Time: 3pm assembly, for 3.30pm departure
Location: TBC. Meeting place is likely to be in the south-east corner of Hyde Park, in a meadow north of the Achilles statue (this is near to Wellington Arch and Hyde Park Corner)(map link)

Ride details

Route and start location
The 2010 ride route has yet to be finalised. Until further notice, please assume last year's route, which is still fairly possible.

Assembly area
To be confirmed.

Bike and skate rental
We are hopeful of repeating last year's discounted BIKE HIRE through London Bicycle Touring Company which hired bikes to riders from 12.30pm-7pm for £10.

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

RUNNERS will not be admitted to the World Naked Bike Ride in London in 2010.

Decoration and leaflets

This year we are providing cloth flags again (price to be confirmed) 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.

Body painting area
We cannot at this stage offer any formal body painting arrangement. We encourage all riders to buy some body paints for themselves and get painted up before they come to the ride. Please see the London body painting page.

Photography policy
Please keep referring to the London photography policy as things progress, which will make it clear what photography behaviour is unwelcome. An increasing number of photographers were very intrusive and unpleasant toward riders at the 2009 ride. We can recommend several solutions.

  • We firstly suggest you simply wear something easily removed until the start and then disrobe for the ride proper.
  • You can also prevent photographers by holding your palm toward the camera lens in the universal gesture of "stop/halt/no". More often than not the snappers turn away.
  • 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 the problem photographers.
  • We will again have a sign you can download that you can put up if a rider doesn't respond to verbal requests to stop taking intrusive photos.

Finish
The 2010 ride route has yet to be finalised. We assure you that the finish will be in an accessible part of Central London. Last year's ride finished at Wellington Arch, some 500 yards from the start.

Ride length
The 2010 ride route has yet to be finalised.

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 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.

After-ride party
We are looking for volunteers who are able to arrange after-ride party. Please contact us in the Yahoo group

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:

Objectives

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

Route

The 2009 ride featured approximately 10km (6 miles) of central London with mostly left turns and a mix of high traffic and low traffic riding. There were a park start, no major hills and a finish area. The route started at Hyde Park Corner, then took in Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Bridge, Aquarium/London Eye, IMAX cinema roundabout, Waterloo Bridge, Aldwych, Royal Courts of Justice, Fleet Street, Chancery Lane, High Holborn, St Giles, Centre Point/Tottenham Court Road Tube, Oxford Street, Oxford Circus, Maddox Street, US Embassy, Park Lane, and finished at Hyde Park Corner around the Wellington Arch.

The assembly area was within Hyde Park, just north of the statue of Achilles (London's oldest public nude statue!).

2009 London route

The 2009 route was similar to the 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 routes, but with the addition of Chancery Lane instead of Covent Garden.

Please see our detailed official map here (455KB PDF).

You can probably still find a nifty alternative map of the 2008 route here that includes an elevation profile!

If you're wondering why the route never includes Constitution Hill, Buckingham Palace, The Mall, Birdcage Walk or Horseguards Parade, the Metropolitan Police requests that we not to use these routes because the Trooping of the Colour has caused there to be various traffic restrictions on these streets on the day of every ride.

No doubt in 2010 we are not to use public address equipment within the Serious and Organised Crime Police Act (SOCPA) zone. Use of PA equipment or amplification within the zone is liable to impair our good relationship with the police, and might expose you to legal problems. The route falls within the zone as we pass along Whitehall, Parliament Square, Westminster Bridge and York Road.

Legality

We have notified the police of our intention to ride in protest of oil dependency and in celebration of our bodies. They are fully aware that many/most of our riders will be nude and partially nude as we cycle a route through the streets of central London. Since 2005, police have indicated that they would not be arresting us or trying to prevent the protest ride. Since 2006, the police have played a helpful role in traffic control to facilitate the ride. Visit our FAQ answer about what the Metropolitan police said in 2005. We will try to ensure that the next ride is endorsed by the police, as all previous London rides have been.

Notice: The terms of the 2009 ride have been agreed with the police as in previous years.

Body painting

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.

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 2006, 2007, and 2008 London Bicycle Touring Company will do a discounted bike rental of £10 for the afternoon of the 2009 ride. 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. Bikes delivery will not be available - bikes must be collected from the shop. Advanced booking is required to guarantee bike availability. For full details/instructions on how to pre-book your bike, visit the London_Bike_Hire page.

BikeHire.png

The shop has provided downloadable directions for a relatively traffic-free journey of 15 minutes to the ride assembly point (see the London_Bike_Hire page for these directions).

Skate rental

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

Discounts

Are there any discounts available to riders? We are hoping to get some discounts arranged.

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

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 leafletting at these events.

(This is where we list upcoming events that will have stalls)


Events to leaflet

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


London Critical Mass ride Friday 29 May 2009 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.

Climate Rush Monday 1 June 2009 assemble at 5pm at 10 St James Square, SW1Y 4LE (move off at 6pm) A start-of-summer ride on the first night of the pre-Copenhagen climate talks in Bonn. Bike ride begins outside the corportate conference: "Coal: an answer to energy security?" 10 St James Square (assemble 5pm, move off at 6pm).

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 2010 meetings are as follows (6.30pm start for all meetings):

  1. Thursday 25 February 2010 (Jesse to facilitate/produce minutes)
  2. Thursday 25 March 2010 (Jesse to facilitate/produce minutes)
  3. Thursday 22 April 2010
  4. Thursday 6 May 2010
  5. Thursday 27 May 2010

Plus a post-ride review meeting (for people who participated in organising the ride)

  1. Thursday 24 June 2010

We normally meet in the Great Court on the Ground floor of the British Museum (map and floor plan) at the large cafe tables nearest the Enlightenment Gallery (on the east side, formerly known as the King's Library). We try to remember to have WNBR things out, so it is easy to spot the 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 uk [at] worldnakedride.org.

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 are NOT meant to police the ride - that is the job of the police - we just need people willing and able to look out for others and to lend a helping hand when required. Assembly Area Volunteers (see below) will be working alongside the Stewards by intervening when problem photography is spotted at the ride assembly. Stewards and Assembly Area Volunteers 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 at 10am -12 noon on Saturday 5 June 2010 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).

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 sign identifying you as a WNBR steward.
  • A free DVD of the 2005 World Naked Bike Ride which normally costs £10 (you receive this at the 5 June 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!

As a steward, you are welcome to go "as bare as you dare" although you may want to consider not riding entirely nude as this may affect your willingness/ability to assist others. If you do ride nude, we ask that you get the word "STEWARD" prominently painted onto your body. You must wear shoes.

The up-to-date (2009) London Stewarding Guidelines can be read here

If you think you might volunteer as a London WNBR Ride Steward, please contact this 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

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

Related interest groups

Skating
Cycling
Ecological campaigns
Body freedom/Naturism
Naked protest

Location information

Categories

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