No Pants Subway Ride

Hello, readers! Excited for a new decade?

So, it's cold outside.

Let me rephrase that. It's freakin' FREEZING outside.

So what do New Yorkers do? They partake in the annual "No Pants Subway Ride".

That's right. No pants. Here are the details:


When: 1/10/10 at 3pm - 5:30pm

Where: 1 of 5 meeting places - Hoyt Playground in Astoria, Prospect Park in Downtown Brooklyn, Foley Square in Downtown Manhattan, Great Hill in Central Park or Bushwick Park in Williamsburg/Bushwick.

What you need: a backpack and a metro card.

Wear: Normal winter clothes.

Here are the requirements, as listed at http://www.improveverywhere.com/

1. Willing to take pants off on subway.

2. Able to keep a straight face about it.

"Everyone should meet at their chosen meeting point at 3 PM. Please be on time. Feel free to be early. At the meeting points, participants will be organized into groups and assigned a specific train car. Once everyone is divided up we will all head to nearby subway station[s]. Do not talk to others once you enter the subway system. No one knows each other. Sit in the car as you normally would. Read a magazine or whatever you would normally do. Your team leader will have already divided you into smaller groups, assigning your group a specific stop where you will depants. As soon as the doors shut at the stop before yours, stand up and take your pants off and put them in your backpack. If you’d like to use a briefcase, purse, grocery bag, or whatever instead of a backpack that’s fine too. If anyone asks you why you’ve removed your pants, tell them that they were “getting uncomfortable” (or something along those lines.) Exit the train at your assigned stop and stand on the platform, pantless. You will wait on the platform for the next train to arrive. Stay in the exact same place on the platform so you enter the next train in the same car as you exited the last train. When you enter, act as you normally would. You do not know any of the other pantless riders. If questioned, tell folks that you “forgot to wear pants” and yes you are “a little cold.” Insist that it is a coincidence that others also forgot their pants. Be nice and friendly and normal. All train routes will converge on Union Square. Your exact route will be explained at the meeting point, and may involve a transfer. You can wear fun underwear if you like, but nothing that screams out, “I wore this because I’m doing a silly stunt.” Wear two pairs of underwear if it makes you feel more comfortable. Don’t wear a thong or anything else that might offend people. Our aim is to make people laugh, not piss them off. Please leave your cameras at home and resist the temptation to snap photos with your iPhone, etc. while the event is happening. Take as many as you like before and after the event, but during the ride we really want people to enjoy the experience of participating rather than documenting. It detracts from the mission if everyone is taking photos of each other rather than keeping a straight face. Don’t worry, we have photographers assigned to every meeting point who will take great photos.
This is always a blast, and we look forward to seeing you there. You may bring along friends if you like, but make sure they get a chance to read all of these instructions."

Watch the No Pants Subway Ride from 2009 here.

I love this city.
until next time,
g