Swiss ban nude hiking

[liberal N proud]

APPENZELL, Switzerland - Voters in the heart of the Swiss Alps have banned naked hiking after dozens of mostly German nudists started rambling through their picturesque region.

By a show of hands citizens of the tiny canton of Appenzell Inner Rhodes voted overwhelmingly at their traditional open-air annual assembly to impose a $176 fine on violators.

Only a scattering of people on Sunday opposed the ban on the back-to-nature activity that took off last autumn.

The cantonal government recommended the ban after determining that citizens had found nude hiking to be "thoroughly disturbing and irritating."

A similar legal move is expected in neighboring Appenzell Outer Rhodes with legislation being prepared against "this shameless behavior."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30419052/

[YOY]

1. Nothing against nudism but it really doesnt' sound too fun.

Being naked in the woods and getting eaten up my mosquitoes and prickled in places by briars that really you don't want to be prickled.

Of course I have been to Switzerland but do not recall an access of briars nor mosquitoes so I could be wrong...

[Fleshdancer]

4. that was my first thought too

I'm surprised there would need to be a ban on something that is probably extremely uncomfortable to begin with.

[sui generis]

7. Oh you haven't run into stinging nettles then

no skeeters though.

Raspberries and blackberries grow in briars in the forest.

Seriously, I wouldn't want to see a nude American hiker, but EU hikers probably going to be a little easier on the eye.

Alas, stress on cloth doth virtu have; so sometimes a bit of peek-a-boo is a lot more interesting than a permanent wardrobe malfunction.

[TwilightGardener]

2. Who wants to climb mountain trails only to look up and see the "majesty"

of someone's hairy ass and nethers above you? Can't say I blame the Swiss.

[sui generis]

3. especially if it's a woman

it IS europe after all . . . :blush:

[jimshoes]

5. Aw crap,

Where's the fun in hiking fully clothed?:silly:

[gauguin57]

6. But ... but ... I don't want to have to pay to check a suitcase filled with clothes!

Cheaper to fly to Switzerland without having to worry about all those clothes!

[mzmolly]

8. Darn! There goes my plans for the summer.

;)

[dem629]

9. And the UN just sits by and lets this happen.

Travesty.

[HillWilliam]

10. As I often say, Life's short, Hike Nekkid

Just don't fry bacon that way :)

[MineralMan]

11. But...what about the fun of rubbing sun block

on normally unexposed parts? I mean...really...

[Demoiselle]

12. Ok, what sneaky wit wrote this report?

First we have a vote "by a show of hands" which set my titter machine off, you should pardon the expression.
Then the observation that nude hiking is" thoroughly disturbing and irritating..." Disturbing, yeah, maybe, but not necessarily irritating, if you remember the sunblock and/or talcum powder.
Maybe they could simply ask nude hikers to drape themselves in judiciously placed cowbells. (Three for women, one for men.) That would honor modesty, the Swiss cow tradition and warn everybody they were coming 'round the mountain, all at the same time.

[immoderate]

19. This thread needed more cowbell.

--imm

[happyslug]

20. This vote in in one of the two Rural Swiss cantons, where they still vote by a show of hands.

For more see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landsgemeinde

This vote occurred in one of the last two cantons that still do such open voting, the other holds its election next month.

[kskiska]

13. No bugs in wintertime

[backscatter712]

14. Who wants to look at fat, pasty nude Germans anyways?

Can't say I blame the Swiss - must have been the leading cause of blindness!

(oh, and if anyone accuses me of being anti-German, I'm half-German, so I'm allowed... :evilgrin: )

[TheMightyFavog]

15. Coming from Appenzell, why does this not surprise me?

I've been told that most Swiss see Appenzell as being sort of an ass-backwards part of Switzerland.

[leftofthedial]

16. Bastards!

Merde!

[Bucky]

17. This fine falls unfairly on those who don't have pockets

Although those nudists who do have pockets should probably be fined for a whole lot more than $176.

[old mark]

18. Should be womewhere to do this in the US, right?

Utah?
NoCal?
Idaho?

Someplace with mountains would be best....

mark

[immoderate]

21. There are places...

Some links here: http://www.internationalnudist.com/?p=24

--imm

[sui generis]

22. Hippy Hollow, Austin!

Yee haw!

[kwassa]

23. but ..... but ..... my lugguge didn't make the plane!

The airline lost my luggage!

How else am I supposed to hike?

[Edweird]

24. What, they don't have ticks or chiggers there?