Naked cyclists who were deliberately driven at by a motorist in Perthshire say they are upset and sad it happened in Scotland.
Colin Unsworth, 52 and Sadie Tann, 32 were cycling in the nude on their tandem outside Bridge of Earn on Monday when the incident took place.
Colin, from Lancashire, and Sadie, from Sheffield, were unhurt in the incident but say they are still shaken up.
‘Freewilders’ on eco mission
The naturists, who call themselves the Freewilders, are currently on a cycle ride from John O’ Groats to Land’s End.
By doing the trip naked, they hope to highlight the benefits of reconnecting with nature and promote rewilding, which is a conservation tactic to restore areas to a natural uncultivated state.
Colin said that on the cycle from the north of Scotland to Bridge of Earn they had been greeted with waves and jokes and smiles.
He said: “We have had a fantastic reaction from people. Most people enjoy a joke with us and let us get on our way.
“Sadly on the stretch at Bridge of Earn this particular driver took real exception to our nudity and actually tried to knock us off our tandem.
Bridge of Earn incident ‘frightening’
“At the time we kind of just picked ourselves up and got on with it.
“However, in hindsight it has had a real effect on us. It was a frightening and upsetting incident.”
Police are investigating the incident and have appealed for help to trace the driver, who could be seen swerving towards the pair and swearing in footage captured by Sadie.
They were uninjured in the incident but the close shave has left them both shocked.
Colin added: “The police who came to the scene were brilliant and helped us and had a laugh and a joke with us.
“I think they got where we are coming from, unlike the woman driver of that car.
“We could actually have been pretty badly hurt but as it is we are just shaken up.
“We are saddened that someone in Scotland took such exception to what we are doing that they felt they actually wanted to hurt us.”
Rewilding is ‘important’ message
Colin said: “We want to spread the message rewilding because we think that rewilding is possibly the most important thing for us to do right now to prepare ourselves for the challenges of climate change.
Rewilding encourages a balance between people and the rest of nature so that we thrive together.
Naturist Colin Unsworth
“The basis of rewilding is that nature can look after itself. Rewilding seeks to reinstate natural processes and, where appropriate, missing species – allowing them to shape the landscape and the habitats within.
“It’s focused firmly on the future although we can learn from the past.
“Rewilding encourages a balance between people and the rest of nature so that we thrive together.”
‘We’re doing it naked to draw attention to our cause’
Colin said that he and Sadie were cycling naked at times, mostly to draw attention to their cause.
He said: “If we just ride the tandem in cycling gear, no one will notice our message.
“However, it is also a celebration of our future and of body freedom which is all about body positivity.
“Naturism and body positivity all have been shown to have mental health benefits,” said Colin, who says he suffered very badly from mental health issues recently.
Things got so extreme, he even contemplated taking his own life on many occasions.
He added: “We grow up in a world that expects us to be ashamed of our bodies as though there is something so bad, so hideous that there are few things more humiliating than being seen naked.
“This is reinforced by images that sexualise nudity and tell us that without a magazine perfect body, we have something to hide and be ashamed of.
“We are breaking free of that. Non-sexual nudity should be celebrated and seen as normal.”
Police continuing investigation
Meantime Police Scotland have confirmed that enquiries are ongoing into the incident.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Police enquiries are ongoing after a 52-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman who were riding a tandem bike were deliberately driven at and struck by a car on the A912 near to Bridge of Earn around 2pm on Monday.
“They did not require hospital treatment. The investigation to trace the vehicle and its driver is continuing.”
