You're fined!

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I really dont know friends. I think my fellow citizens are somehow doomed, I cant see any progress and I'm a little fed up with my country. This is what happened just a few days ago.

I was on the Alps and took one day off from the company of my old ones to enjoy a nude morning hike by myself, not having found "accomplices" to do that together with.

It was early in the morning but pretty warm already, so I took off my shirt and shorts as soon as I left the village. I really couldnt expect to meet anyone being so early in the morning up that trail (I would expect to meet someone on lower paths, where in the morning some go jogging), so I was just enjoying my naked experience within beautiful woods.

After a long walk I stood at almost 2000 meters, in a narrow path, looking at those beautiful mountains still looming above the treetops, and wondering how long it would take to get to the top, when I suddendly heard the heavy steps of two people coming down. They were not the usual hikers, they had tents on their backpacks and I immediately understood they spent the night up there. Thats why, I think now, I didnt feel any urge to cover up, or hide or anything, I didnt even think about it also because it was very narrow in that point. But I thought that two guys interested in nature would certainly overlook or maybe laugh at a fellow naked hiker met on the path.

Was I wrong!!

It turned out one of those two guys is an agent for the italian entity that protects woods and forests. He was totally pissed off for my being such a pervert!! I had the bravery to show off naked? Was I crazy? Also fat and ugly, as he added during his absurd showdown? What if there were kids? Didnt I know it breaks the law?
As soon as I started putting my shorts on, he said it wouldnt end like this. He asked for my ID (which I didnt have with me, having left wallets and stuff in my parents house down to the village) but he had seen me before and knows where the house is, so he actually knows who I am. He promised consequences, which I guess will be some sort of a fine or – in the worst scenario – some kind of prosecution for indecent exposure.

Whatever the case I already know I'll love to state my case and fight for my rights, and no single judge has ever condemned an invidual caught naked up a remote mountain path. Still the feeling that all of this left me with is sadness.

I'm tired to live in a country where people are obsessed with nudity, where individual freedoms and choices dont count at all, where people in the institutions dont contain themselves and act like jerks. Its really depressive.
This all happened while some nudists here in Italy have been fined because naked on a remote beach, and a guy has been fined 800 euros because he was walking downtown with a swimsuit and no shirts in the hottest day of this summer, the hotter since more than a century.

Sorry for being so long friends. I felt the urge to share this unpleasant feeling.

58 thoughts on “You're fined!”

  1. You were unlucky to meet a man with that hostile attitude. Maybe he has cooled down by now and you may hear no more about it. Think of the inconvenience to him – filling out a report, appearing as a witness, appearing ridiculous….

  2. I totally understand your feelings, Paolo. I had a similar experience about 25 years ago on a deserted beach in Florida. I was taken to jail and had to pay a fine. For several years afterwards I had the feeling that I was being watched by the authorities. Quite discerning.

    • Fortunately attitudes are slowly changing. There are a number of nudist clubs in Florida now, & I read the AANR & California State Parks have developed a relationship to work together re: nudity-c/o beaches & Forest areas.

  4. This is truly shocking. I like you Paolo, would have assumed a couple of backpacking hikers would be at ease with the human body so wouldn't have rushed to get dressed were I surprised when out walking in instances like this.

    My preference is not to get dressed when naked hiking when someone comes into view but on the walks we organise for Socks off, it's a group situation in the UK where people are very confused by the law so it's easier to do a quick dress if we spot someone. We haven't as yet been surprised by anyone but it's early days. We've only held one naked hike so far.

    In common with others, I do believe that mixed hiking is less likely to cause a reaction (and the reaction you were subjected to was extreme and amounted to harassment) or in a group situation. It's most unjust the way the naked male is perceived in society and really irritates me. I haven't hiked solo yet but I wouldn't rule it out – the fact I get lost so readily would be my only concern.

    I hope that idiotic man who is a protector of woods and forests takes a long hard look at himself and his reactions before he decides what to do and whether he should he press charges. Know that I will afford you as much publicity as you want, to get your word across both in the naturist/nudity community and the wider environs. Shocking behaviour certainly – on his part, not yours!

    • I agree. It seems the reaction was completely over the top and unacceptable.

      I often do naked hikes in the UK (around the New Forest) and have never had any problems (touch wood) but we do have a quick cover up just in case. Never been spooked though and always careful – all you need is that one OTT individual!

  6. I totally agree with you but a single naked male is mostly regarded as someone with bad intentions. Personally I think that if they would have met a naked female their reaction would have been totally different. Of course woman are much more vulnerable. They mostly enjoy nude walks in the company of their husband or with a group of like minded persons. so the chance of having an encounter with a single nautrist woman is almost zero. I think this is discrimination (lol)

  8. It's truly bad story, Paolo. The aim that nakedness will be one day as natural as breath, seems to be like a dream.
    Some months ago we ask local Officials in Val Sarentino, in order to hike there, as some of our most affectionate fellows come from Bolzano. They answered like expected: there are neither areas, nor paths were you can walk naked, "it is forbidden by low" (that is not entirly the truth). So we have to hike nearby Brescia, where until now, we had no problem at all. We usually meet as much as five/ten pepole every walk: they look at us with astonishment, ebashment, curiosity, surprise, but never with hostility. We invited them to join us next time…
    May be, as we move always as a group of 10/18 people (wemen, men, naked and not), although uncommon or amazingly enough, the fact looks more "normal". As to say: for a portion of society (little as it may be) go naked is natural and easy.
    I admit, some "reserved" path can give you a sense of more "protection". But how could you feel free, really free, when for the rest of society what you do is not completely "normal" and you hear them talking behind your back. They can make for your oddities outline laws, special reserves, restrictes areas, distinct beaches, time-paths, etc.
    We have the right to be "normal". Wearing clothes in such a compulsory way, we can not feel neither normal nor free. "Special-need classes" have been abolished since a long time.
    But an earworm keeps on saying "yes, you can!" Really?!

  9. It is so sad that someone could become so incensed at the sight of another body much like their own in the middle of nowhere.
    Psychologists have supposedly done tests that show men who are very anti-homosexual have the greatest sexual response to naked men! I believe that extends to all things that upset us the most.

    • Greg, I've not heard of any studies as you mention, but I'd be willing to bet neither Paolo's officer nor Patrick's harasser felt confident with their own bodies. Self esteem/body acceptance goes a long way toward acceptance of others!

  10. I have no Idea why someone could be so offended and pissed off by just a seeing a nude human being. How narrow minded can anyone be !! I hope that what they were saying was just a threat. You probably didn't ask him for his ID, I can understand that, you were totally flabbergasted from their reaction. I once had a similar reaction when I had an unexpected encounter with a textile, it seems that some people are become very aggressive while stating their point of view. They had no right to make remarks about your physical appearance that is offensive and very unprofessional.

    • My wife and I had an encounter similar to this many years ago. A fairly local stretch of beach is commonly known as an unofficial naturist place. Over many decades it has been a vary little used area by anyone! We were there one Sunday morning in early spring, it was quite warm & a small breeze headed seaward & made it a very pleasant place to be. So we both stripped and lay out on towels we had brought. At a glance all around us there was not a soul in sight. After around one hour and us both becoming drowsy in the midday sun, we were suddenly brought back to reality by a rather 'rotund' and heavily overdressed woman shouting and waving a long piece of cane at us. As we sat up we saw a group of about 8 or 9 other similarly dressed persons waiting a few yards behind us.
      The 'fire-breathing harridan' blasted us with what contemptuous & vile people we were for being naked on a public beach. I don't know how or why we did it, but we calmly gathered up all of our belongings quietly, laden with bags & beach stuff we walked still naked back to our car. The berating 'she-thing' had followed us but her fellows had stayed back at the sands. We carefully put all of our stuff back in the car, we got into the car, still naked, and drove away leaving the 'boiling over' person almost blowing a fuse!
      About half a mile away we stopped, got out, got dressed and went home. Needless to say we heard no more from anyone, the recalling of this story has, over the years, made us and many other people laugh and mock the ridiculous overdressed woman with extreme happiness. I haven't seen that woman again, although we continued to use that area for a few more years of very happy, very naked relaxing.

      • No doubt she was so incensed that she certainly didn't enjoy the rest of her day at the beach. If she's that stressed, she might have had a heart attack. If only she realized how relaxing it can be to be naked.

  12. I feel for you, but try to keep your spirits up. We need the INF to start doing its job and lobby for an amendment to the European Rights convention to include the right to be naked. At least we would be safe in Europe if that were the case.

  14. Apparently it's ok here in Austria to walk around naked in the Alps. I haven't done it myself yet, I don't want to do it alone (yet). But if you're ever on this side of the border (I'm in the Ziller Valley) then do let me know. This goes for everybody of course.

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