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 | | From: | Sylvia | | Subject: | Sydney World Naked Bike Ride | | Date: | Mon, 17 Jan 2005 12:37:51 +1100 |
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 | Warning: Rant mode ON. Topic Compliance mode OFF.
I'm profoundly annoyed, and I think I've finally figured out why. I'll
get to that.
On Valentine's day, Sydney was meant to be having its World Naked Bike
Ride. But it's been usurped, by something called the Sydney Body Art Ride.
http://www.sydneybodyartride.org/
Down at the bottom of that page it claims that "The Sydney Body Art Ride
is the Official Sydney ride of the 2005 Southern Hemisphere WNBR". Well,
it isn't. The organiser was originally tasked with organising the WNBR,
but has chosen to turn it into a body art ride. Further, the rules of
the ride require that one wear at least the bottom half of a bikini, or
Speedos (which is the name of a sponsor!) "as a bear minimum" [ironic
use or "bear"].
So you don't even have the option of riding naked.
And why does this bother me? After all, I wasn't really contemplating
taking part anyway. Well, I come from England, and emigrated to
Australia about 15 years ago. The Aussies had a reputation overseas of
being a somewhat anti-authoritarian bunch. Well, let me tell you, that
has changed, if it was ever true.
The extent of obedience to perceived authority here in Australia is
almost sickening. People offer their shopping bags to be searched when
leaving stores (I don't). If the shoplifting detector alarm goes off,
people return to the checkout (I don't). On one occasion I triggered the
alarm and was asked by the store detective (SD) whether I'd would object
to my hand-bag being searched. I said I would object, and after a few
seconds the SD decided not to pursue it. Shame actually, a wrongful
arrest is good for several thousand dollars in damages.
Our own version of K-Mart even took to routine searching of womens's
handbags when they were leaving stores. People (except me, of course)
complied. However, I seem to have put a stop to that. After refusing to
allow it on multiple occasions (which never resulted in any action
against me), I made a complaint of secondary -discrimination, which
revealed that even the store's own search policy excluded normal sized
hand-bags. I haven't been asked to allow my hand-bag to be searched, nor
seen anyone else be asked, in quite a while.
We have an ever increasing number of automatic speed cameras, despite
there not yet being objective evidence that they achieve more than
increasing government revenue in fines (they may achieve it, but it's
not so obvious, and the evidence is not yet in).
There's other stuff, but I don't want you to need a broadband link just
to download this posting.
So now, instead of a naked bike ride that raises the finger to
authorities that try to push the idea that public nakedness is illegal
(despite there being nothing in the statutes, away from bathing areas)
that says so, we have a body art ride where there is no nakedness, and
where the organisers appear even to have sought permission!
Wrant mode OFF. Topic compliance mode ON.
Sylvia.
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| | From: | J K Huysmans | | Subject: | Re: Sydney World Naked Bike Ride | | Date: | Tue, 18 Jan 2005 17:11:02 +1100 |
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"Sylvia" wrote in message
news:41eb16ef$0$7615$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
> Warning: Rant mode ON. Topic Compliance mode OFF.
>
> I'm profoundly annoyed, and I think I've finally figured out why. I'll get
> to that.
>
> On Valentine's day, Sydney was meant to be having its World Naked Bike
> Ride. But it's been usurped, by something called the Sydney Body Art Ride.
>
> http://www.sydneybodyartride.org/
>
> Down at the bottom of that page it claims that "The Sydney Body Art Ride
> is the Official Sydney ride of the 2005 Southern Hemisphere WNBR". Well,
> it isn't. The organiser was originally tasked with organising the WNBR,
> but has chosen to turn it into a body art ride. Further, the rules of the
> ride require that one wear at least the bottom half of a bikini, or
> Speedos (which is the name of a sponsor!) "as a bear minimum" [ironic use
> or "bear"].
>
> So you don't even have the option of riding naked.
>
> And why does this bother me? After all, I wasn't really contemplating
> taking part anyway. Well, I come from England, and emigrated to Australia
> about 15 years ago. The Aussies had a reputation overseas of being a
> somewhat anti-authoritarian bunch. Well, let me tell you, that has
> changed, if it was ever true.
>
> The extent of obedience to perceived authority here in Australia is almost
> sickening. People offer their shopping bags to be searched when leaving
> stores (I don't). If the shoplifting detector alarm goes off, people
> return to the checkout (I don't). On one occasion I triggered the alarm
> and was asked by the store detective (SD) whether I'd would object to my
> hand-bag being searched. I said I would object, and after a few seconds
> the SD decided not to pursue it. Shame actually, a wrongful arrest is good
> for several thousand dollars in damages.
>
> Our own version of K-Mart even took to routine searching of womens's
> handbags when they were leaving stores. People (except me, of course)
> complied. However, I seem to have put a stop to that. After refusing to
> allow it on multiple occasions (which never resulted in any action against
> me), I made a complaint of secondary -discrimination, which revealed
> that even the store's own search policy excluded normal sized hand-bags. I
> haven't been asked to allow my hand-bag to be searched, nor seen anyone
> else be asked, in quite a while.
>
> We have an ever increasing number of automatic speed cameras, despite
> there not yet being objective evidence that they achieve more than
> increasing government revenue in fines (they may achieve it, but it's not
> so obvious, and the evidence is not yet in).
>
> There's other stuff, but I don't want you to need a broadband link just to
> download this posting.
>
> So now, instead of a naked bike ride that raises the finger to authorities
> that try to push the idea that public nakedness is illegal (despite there
> being nothing in the statutes, away from bathing areas) that says so, we
> have a body art ride where there is no nakedness, and where the organisers
> appear even to have sought permission!
>
> Wrant mode OFF. Topic compliance mode ON.
>
> Sylvia.
>
>
>
I was a little annoyed too Sylvia and I reckon you hit the nail on the head.
This "art" ride is peddling (poor pun intended!) a worthwhile charity. But
apart from that I was pretty annoyed that Australia's contribution to the
World Naked Bike Ride had to be something closer to a bunch of painted &
dressed up clowns cycling around in the reflected glow of b-grade
celebrities. Great effort for charity and a great concession to wowsers. But
it aint close to being part of a global statement of personal liberty and
body freedom. Maybe next year someone else with enough passion can hijack it
back again.
But ........ you never know ........ there could be a larrikin streak
(*groan*) alive in one of the cyclists on the day ;-)
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| | From: | El Dorado Hot Springs | | Subject: | Re: Sydney World Naked Bike Ride | | Date: | Mon, 17 Jan 2005 02:13:09 GMT |
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It was a great on topic post, Sylvia.
Too bad they couldn't "bear" the bike ride.
"Sylvia" wrote in message
news:41eb16ef$0$7615$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
> Warning: Rant mode ON. Topic Compliance mode OFF.
>
> I'm profoundly annoyed, and I think I've finally figured out why. I'll
> get to that.
>
> On Valentine's day, Sydney was meant to be having its World Naked Bike
> Ride. But it's been usurped, by something called the Sydney Body Art Ride.
>
> http://www.sydneybodyartride.org/
>
> Down at the bottom of that page it claims that "The Sydney Body Art Ride
> is the Official Sydney ride of the 2005 Southern Hemisphere WNBR". Well,
> it isn't. The organiser was originally tasked with organising the WNBR,
> but has chosen to turn it into a body art ride. Further, the rules of
> the ride require that one wear at least the bottom half of a bikini, or
> Speedos (which is the name of a sponsor!) "as a bear minimum" [ironic
> use or "bear"].
>
> So you don't even have the option of riding naked.
>
> And why does this bother me? After all, I wasn't really contemplating
> taking part anyway. Well, I come from England, and emigrated to
> Australia about 15 years ago. The Aussies had a reputation overseas of
> being a somewhat anti-authoritarian bunch. Well, let me tell you, that
> has changed, if it was ever true.
>
> The extent of obedience to perceived authority here in Australia is
> almost sickening. People offer their shopping bags to be searched when
> leaving stores (I don't). If the shoplifting detector alarm goes off,
> people return to the checkout (I don't). On one occasion I triggered the
> alarm and was asked by the store detective (SD) whether I'd would object
> to my hand-bag being searched. I said I would object, and after a few
> seconds the SD decided not to pursue it. Shame actually, a wrongful
> arrest is good for several thousand dollars in damages.
>
> Our own version of K-Mart even took to routine searching of womens's
> handbags when they were leaving stores. People (except me, of course)
> complied. However, I seem to have put a stop to that. After refusing to
> allow it on multiple occasions (which never resulted in any action
> against me), I made a complaint of secondary -discrimination, which
> revealed that even the store's own search policy excluded normal sized
> hand-bags. I haven't been asked to allow my hand-bag to be searched, nor
> seen anyone else be asked, in quite a while.
>
> We have an ever increasing number of automatic speed cameras, despite
> there not yet being objective evidence that they achieve more than
> increasing government revenue in fines (they may achieve it, but it's
> not so obvious, and the evidence is not yet in).
>
> There's other stuff, but I don't want you to need a broadband link just
> to download this posting.
>
> So now, instead of a naked bike ride that raises the finger to
> authorities that try to push the idea that public nakedness is illegal
> (despite there being nothing in the statutes, away from bathing areas)
> that says so, we have a body art ride where there is no nakedness, and
> where the organisers appear even to have sought permission!
>
> Wrant mode OFF. Topic compliance mode ON.
>
> Sylvia.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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| | From: | El Dorado Hot Springs | | Subject: | Re: Sydney Naturist Rights | | Date: | Mon, 17 Jan 2005 02:20:23 GMT |
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"Sylvia" wrote in message
news:41eb16ef$0$7615$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
> The extent of obedience to perceived authority here in Australia is
> almost sickening. People offer their shopping bags to be searched when
> leaving stores (I don't). If the shoplifting detector alarm goes off,
> people return to the checkout (I don't).
Write on! Neither do I! One time at a Wal Mart a woman wanted to search my
shopping bag as I left the store and I said something like, "The items in
this bag are bought and paid for and I have proof of purchase. Since I own
them and this bag too, I choose not to allow you to do an illegal search of
my property." And I walked away.
Bill
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