Seattle Critical Ass
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Critical Ass is a variant of the Critical Mass bike ride, where participating bicyclists ride in their underwear (also known as underwearing) or in the nude. Riders do not necessarily all ride together. Since Critical Mass does not have a dress code, and the concept of Critical Ass has been popularized in Critical Mass circles, it is considered a clothing-optional bike ride.
Regular Critical Ass rides have taken place in New York City, Chicago and other locales throughout North America.[1]
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[edit] History
It is believed there has been at least one instance of naked cycling in Seattle Critical Mass rides in the past. (Add IndyMedia image)
J. Steve, the founder of Body Pride Ride, and on the coordination team for WNBR Seattle began riding during Critical Mass without clothes in 2006.
2007 was a big year for clothing-optional bike rides in Seattle. There were six events, Solstice Cyclists, Body Pride Ride, WNBR Seattle, WNBR Seattle Night Ride, Hemp Ride and Seattle Critical Ass. In addition, a painted topfree woman participated in New Belgium's Tour de Fat [2].
On Friday, August 31, 2007 the number of naked cyclists grew to four naked riders, all male, not always riding together. Among those participants was J. Steve, Paul, Daniel Johnson and one other. All of those people knew each from other local clothing-optional cycling events.
[edit] Police involvement
No known arrests have been made for nudity during Seattle Critical Mass/Ass events.
During an event on April 28, 2006 an officer stopped and told J. Steve (the only one who rode during that ride naked) to put on his clothes. This was after J. Steve broke off from the main group after attempting to locate his shorts, which fell off his bike. Daniel Johnson was accompanying him clothed.
There were two naked cyclists, J. Steve and Daniel Johnson, during the infamous 25 July 2008 ride.[3]
[edit] Press coverage
- The Seattle Times, Sightings In Seattle - They're Buff by Jean Godden July 19, 1998 [4] Mentions Solstice Cyclists as well as random sighting of nude cyclists around town (not necessarily any relation to nudity in Critical Mass).
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "Cyclists need to soft-pedal their wants", September 9, 2007 6:08 p.m. PT By Dean Trier, Guest Columnist. Against activist cyclists, including naked cyclists.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer, First-person account of Critical Mass by P-I intern Evi Sztajno. (Two small references in report) Posted by P-I/New Media at July 30, 2008 12:05 a.m.
[edit] See also
[edit] External Links
- picture from Seattle ride
- Seattle Critical Mass Main web page
- World Naked Bike Ride Seattle
- 100 person spontaneous naked Bike Ride in Portland Old page from WNBR global site detailing pre-WNBR naked bike rides.
- San Francisco Critical Ass MySpace page
