Biking Through NOLA
The World Naked Bike Ride will be rolling through the French Quarter on June 8 at 4 p.m.
While not all participants ride truly naked, most ride
as scantily clad as they feel comfortable. The official dress code is to come "as
bare as you dare" according to the World Naked Bike Ride NOLA's Facebook page. Creativity
is absolutely encouraged, come dressed in head-to-toe glitter, body paint, a
speedo, or nothing at all.
The Naked Truth
Not only is the World Naked Bike Ride a uniquely wild and
fun event, it stands for an important message. The bike ride is naked in the
name of celebrating body positivity, as well as representing how vulnerable cyclists
are when out on the road. Erratic driving leaves bike riders and all
pedestrians in a fundamentally unsafe position. The bike ride stands to
encourage community members in each city it rolls through to take note of the
city's laws protecting cyclists and consider what they can do to make the roads
safer.
New Orleans, a city known for going all out for festive
events, has amassed a substantial group to proudly bike the naked ride for over
15 years. NOLA has a deeply rooted issue when it comes to road safety and specifically dangerous biking conditions. All this is true, while there is also an ever thriving group of committed
bikers who benefit from and enjoy the range of bike lanes and trails that span
the city. Hopefully, rides like these, as well as organizations like Bike Easy NOLA, will continue to inspire change and galvanize
New Orleanians to jump on their bikes and ride.
All bike ride participants are welcome and encouraged to decorate
their bikes creatively to convey the message of body positivity and cyclist
safety. Anything to make people laugh and take the message to heart is a welcome
addition. Bike ride organizers plan to bring flyers to hand out as well. All non-motorists
are welcome to join in on the naked fun, so roller skaters, skateboarders, and
everyone looking for a fun body positive ride should grab some sunscreen and
join!