It's a sad fact that all of the rides are predominately male and in several cases seem to be becoming ever more so. I like to see a balance of genders. I don't think things are helped with stone age attitudes like those in Brighton, where women are now treated like delicate flowers unable to think for themselves, who must be protected from dressed people not taking part in the ride by...other dressed people not taking part in the ride. I've noticed that the most vocal 'perv' detractors don't have the balls to take part in the ride themselves. Not sure where all stuff about 'Charity Girl' and the blanket ban on her came from - she was very clearly clued up and knew exactly what she was getting herself into. I strongly suspect she's been 'advised' my the militant nutjobs who seem drawn to this event like moths to a flame.
A new phenomenon reared its head in Brighton this time - the frequent refusal of requests for pics. Usually, all but the really obvious wrong 'uns are granted permission to take shots. But this year, everywhere there were people saying no. This is why I took far fewer posed pics than usual - no one declined a request of mine but it wasn't a comfortable situation, made even less so once it became obvious that more than one marshal was trying to get snappers hauled away by the cops for taking pictures in a public place. A slippery slope indeed, and shame on those officers who gave a few people a speaking to for nothing more than behaving in an entirely lawful manner. I witnessed only a single incident that I would have deemed off colour and out of order.
Every year a few of the nutters involved in the organisation of the Brighton ride refer to me as a notorious perv, while others invite me to add pictures to official photo groups, and various media sources use my pics (mostly because they're Creative Commons). This year I've been lambasted for such crimes as putting snaps on Flickr at too high a resolution, not making my snaps copyright and being in possession of a 'ridiculous zoom lens'
No doubt others have similar issues. Having seen one of the halfwits rejoice in the fact that I said I wouldn't do another Brighton ride, I will of course be back next year. Maybe with a 1Dx2 and 400 2.8, so I can get ultra sharp close ups of bums and boobies at a rate of 14 frames per second
