Post date: Jun 08, 2013 8:48:59 PM
Cyclists in Mexico City bare all for World Naked Bike Ride day.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (JUNE 8, 2012) (REUTERS) - Hundreds of naked cyclists, some sporting strategically-placed body paint for modesty, took to the streets of Mexico City on Saturday (June 8) to protest the car culture in the teeming megalopolis and demand cyclist rights.
The main complaints of the procession were what they see as a lack of "rights for bikes" and the chaotic street environment of Mexico City.Although the sprawling city has tried to raise its green credentials with a series of bike-friendly policies, an estimated 8 million vehicles continue to clog city streets on an average day making a bike ride downtown no easy feat.
Naked cyclist Mila said stripping off was the best way for cyclists to get their message across.
"I'm here to support the cyclists who use the bicycle on a daily basis in their lives, and also so that the cars that gp around them respect them and that people learn to coexist because in Mexico it is a nightmare to ride a bicycle. It's almost as if you don't exist, you are a ghost. And also to support a Mexico and a world without pollution," she said.
Traffic came to a standstill and onlookers gasped or took photographs as the bare cyclists streamed past Mexico City's famous landmarks.
Cyclist Gustavo Merkel said the event was not only about cycling but also about defending people's right to be naked.
"One of the important parts and aspects of this movement is for them to see us demonstrate that we are there as cyclists. Now they can see us, and also to talks about the positive aspects of nudism, which is something normal, we all see naked bodies whenever we shower or wake up," he said.
While some cyclists strapped placards and painted logos on their bodies, others in the procession were just there for fun, taking advantage of Mexico City's sunny weather.
A police convoy cordoned off roads and guided cyclists through Mexico City's main boulevard to its colonial centre. Local media estimating that around 300 took part in the demonstration.
In recent years, Mexico City, one of the world's biggest and most polluted cities, has launched an ambitious bike sharing scheme for citizens and expects to install 160 km (100 miles) of bike lanes in an effort to combat the city's notorious car culture.