More than 200 clothless people showed up on bikes at the 2007 Fremont Solstice Parade pictured. Naked bike rides of all things, are popular protest,celebration, and fund raising activities in Seattle, which often draw complaints else they’d be ignored by law enforcement. This raises questions in my mind beyond legality. Why would people who live in the absence of sunshine most of the year want to flaunt their blindingly pale bodies, more urgently, isn’t bicycle riding possibly one of the more uncomfortable, if not outright dangerous activities to perform while clothesless?
Law enforcement has other concerns. In a vague comment, King County Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. John Urquhart said, "Whether being clothless is a crime depends on the scenario."That opens a can of legal worms which the police have attempted to clear up with a few simple guidelines.
For instance, you may streak across the street in the buff and sprint off like a gazelle, in full view of an officer and may possibly be warned – or not, unless
another citizen sees you and complains. You then go from strange diversion for Officer Friendly to proud possessor of an Indecent Exposure charge.
A man may run in his boxers, "as long as that’s all he’s doing." Another one wide open to interpretation, what if he stops to purchase an energy drink at a convenience store, visit with new friends? There was no word on tighty whities,
bikini briefs, or thongs.
I thought this important. Traffic enforcement officers occasionally encounter people getting out of their clothes to try and get out of tickets. They want you to know it doesn’t work. Sorry boys and girls, how do you think these things up?
At long last we have a decision on breast feeding, it is not indecent exposure, I’m sorry to break it to all who are offended, or secretly aroused.
In fact, laws on indecent exposure are flexible if nothing else. Only those performing lewd or obscene behavior, who also have witnesses willing to testify in court are eligible for a misdemeanor. Needless to say, the officers receive a lot of complaints, but not as many people willing to testify in court unless
the charge involves an adult and a minor, a gross misdemeanor, or someone convicted of a sex crime, a felony. It could be argued that even past sex offenders enjoy a good Solstice get-together.
It looks like clear sailing or peddling for the gaggles of cyclists and nature lovers who love to let things hang loose, the larger the grumbling and gawking turnout the better! When is public nudity a crime, and why do pale Seattleites
love to peddle clothless