Police Bureau releases statement on legality of Naked Bike Ride

“The Portland Police Bureau recommends that all riders at least wear a helmet and shoes to avoid any potential injuries. Being naked in public in Portland is legal if it falls within the guidelines of ORS 163.465”
— From a Portland Police Bureau press release

Like I mentioned last week, the Portland Police Bureau is well aware that there will be over 10,000 naked people on bikes riding through the streets tomorrow night at the World Naked Bike Ride.

Today, the PPB released a press release about the event. Their statement is meant to give participants a legal context for the ride, in case anyone was curious about public nudity laws. Read the full statement below:

The World Naked Bike Ride is set to roll through the streets of Portland this Saturday, June 18, 2011, at 10:00 p.m. Riders will gather at 9:00 p.m. at Southeast Water Avenue and Salmon Street. Event organizers estimated the number of participants last year to be 13,000 people.

The Portland Police Bureau will have extra officers on hand to ensure everyone is safe and to provide assistance at intersections.

The Portland Police Bureau recommends that all riders at least wear a helmet and shoes to avoid any potential injuries.

Being naked in public in Portland is legal if it falls within the guidelines of ORS 163.465, which are included below.

ORS 163.465. Public indecency

(1) A person commits the crime of public indecency if while in, or in view of, a public place the person performs:
(a) An act of sexual intercourse;
(b) An act of deviate sexual intercourse; or
(c) An act of exposing the genitals of the person with the intent of arousing the sexual desire of the person or another person.

(2)
(a) Public indecency is a Class A misdemeanor.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, public indecency is a Class C felony if the person has a prior conviction for public indecency or a crime described in ORS 163.355 to 163.445 or for a crime in another jurisdiction that, if committed in this state, would constitute public indecency or a crime described in ORS 163.355 to 163.445.

Now you know.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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Randall S.
Randall S.
12 years ago

Great news: I expect no one to be aroused by the sight of my genitals.

Matt
Matt
12 years ago

I wonder what “deviate sexual intercourse” means, and why it’s considered distinct from “sexual intercourse”…

Psyfalcon
Psyfalcon
12 years ago
Reply to  Matt

Intercourse is normally a specific term involving a pair of certain organs. Deviate would refer to the use of any other organs. A poor name perhaps for liberal Portland though.

encephalopath
encephalopath
12 years ago

Nudity in public is not illegal excepting the conditions listed in the statute. But what about parks?

Park systems have their own rules and can cite you for violating them. Is there a quick and easy resource to figure out what those rules are for various state and county park systems.

You could be naked and legal riding on the Steel Bridge, but then be in violation of park rules once you go off the bridge into Waterfront Park or the Esplande, for instance.

I suppose I could goolge Oregon nudist websites, but I’m not sure I want to go there.

John Lascurettes
12 years ago
Reply to  encephalopath

The park system, as a public entity could not overrule what is protected by the Oregon Constitution (and has been protected as such in court).

encephalopath
encephalopath
12 years ago

Nothing in the Prohibited Conduct for Portland Parks, though. In fact in the Obey the Officers section it looks like you could make a case for not doing what the parks officials say, nekkidness-wise, on the protected speech or conduct section:

“A direction of a Park Officer is not “reasonable” under this Section if it is directed to speech or conduct the right to engage in which is, under the circumstances, protected by the federal or Oregon constitution.”

http://www.portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?c=28627#cid_147803

encephalopath
encephalopath
12 years ago

Clackamas County also thinks they can prohibit nudity in parks:

6.06.04.10 No person shall expose his or her genitalia while in a public place or place
visible from a public place, if the public place is open or available to persons of the
opposite sex. [Codified by Ord. 05-2000, 7/13/00]

http://www.co.clackamas.or.us/docs/code/title6.pdf

This is the kind of thing that worries me; these regulations are so hard to find. And they DO seem to conflict with the state law.

arrowroot
arrowroot
12 years ago
Reply to  encephalopath

I don’t know, but I do know that when a Flaming Lips music video involving nude cyclists was being filmed at the top of Mt Tabor, a park ranger made us put underwear on. So shooting was moved to Gus Van Sant’s backyard the next day…

Paul Johnson
Paul Johnson
12 years ago
Reply to  arrowroot

Oklahoma’s gift to alt rock. Likewise, on behalf of Oklahoma, I’d like to apologize for Hanson.

are
12 years ago

ORS 163.305(1) defines “deviate sexual intercourse” as “sexual conduct between persons consisting of contact between the sex organs of one person and the mouth or anus of another.”

bikeaholic
bikeaholic
12 years ago
Reply to  are

anything in there about armpits?

Velvetackbar
Velvetackbar
12 years ago
Reply to  bikeaholic

or…uh…top-tubes and knobby tires?

John Mulvey
John Mulvey
12 years ago
Reply to  Velvetackbar

Yeah, nothing specifically about bikes? ‘Cause I really like my bike.

John Lascurettes
12 years ago

So PPS is concerned for my noggin’ but not my ass. 😉

John Lascurettes
12 years ago

PPD I mean.

marshmallow
marshmallow
12 years ago

Forecast: cold. It’s called shrinkage.

marshmallow
marshmallow
12 years ago

“Effective Jun. 18, 2011 No service between SW 5th and 6th Avenues at Pine and NE Sandy at 33rd 10 – 11:30 p.m. due to the Portland World Naked Bike Ride.”

encephalopath
encephalopath
12 years ago

think *they* can ….

encephalopath
encephalopath
12 years ago

think *they* can

DT
DT
12 years ago

Anybody else think you could map out the route just from the trimet service alert page?

http://trimet.org/alerts/future/

Paul Johnson
Paul Johnson
12 years ago

I’m still waiting for the World Fursuit Bike Ride.

Velvetackbar
Velvetackbar
12 years ago
Reply to  Paul Johnson

Last year @irkdesu wore a fursuit. She calls it her “Skin”. She wrecked on the tracks, defacing said suit. No word on if it will be repaired.

Paul Johnson
Paul Johnson
12 years ago
Reply to  Velvetackbar

Thta’s cool that she did that. Bummer she crashed though! Any pics?

Paul Tay
Paul Tay
12 years ago

encephalopath
Clackamas County also thinks they can prohibit nudity in parks:
6.06.04.10 No person shall expose his or her genitalia while in a public place or place
visible from a public place, if the public place is open or available to persons of the
opposite sex. [Codified by Ord. 05-2000, 7/13/00]
http://www.co.clackamas.or.us/docs/code/title6.pdf
This is the kind of thing that worries me; these regulations are so hard to find. And they DO seem to conflict with the state law.

Ruling Out the Rule of Law: http://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs/2008/vanderbilt.pdf

It is not legal to be naked in Portland
It is not legal to be naked in Portland
12 years ago

Being naked in public in the city of Portland is not legal: http://www.portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?a=15423&c=28512

John Lascurettes
12 years ago

That’s been overruled in court. PDX cannot overwrite liberties granted by the OR Constitution.

9watts
9watts
12 years ago
Joseph
Joseph
12 years ago
Reply to  9watts

That was the first poster I saw online… What does the official one look like?

esther c
esther c
12 years ago

Of course city can have a statute outlawing public nudity even though the state doesn’t.

Its not really a conflict with state law. Its not like the state law requires you to be nude and the city says you can’t.

BicycleDave
BicycleDave
12 years ago
Reply to  esther c

The state constitution supersedes any city or county code. The free speech protections in the Oregon Constitution are stronger even than in the federal constitution. The naked bike ride is free speech.

Naked brown bare
Naked brown bare
6 years ago

I have gone completly naked public alot in Portland. Not just the naked bike ride but several days before and the rest of the summer after . ive been seen by police alot . they havent said anything to me. Simply keeping a water bottle handy, i always covered my genitals if children are around. The public notices attempts to be unoffensive and alot of fun public nudity can be enjoyed here. Ive been in grocery stores , fast food places , parks , ive even been in a strip club naked. Just know when to be tactfully and discreet , and when to run naked and wild.