16 Jan 11th–Jan 17th, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | involved people dressing as geeky char- acters like Deadpool or Spock. While Moriarty appreciates the passion for cosplay, he says the No Pants Light Rail Ride isn’t necessarily an event where you go all-out with costuming. “This isn’t cosplay, but people are having fun and they’re being creative, so it happens,” he says. “And there’s some amazingly creative people coming up with interesting combinations of underwear and outfits. And we had somebody who came as a priest without pants and another person dressed like they were going bowling with the appropriate shirt, shoes and (ball bag).” What else should you bring? A backpack, small bag or fanny pack might be useful for carrying your pants, wallet, keys or other stuff. Consider bringing along a newspaper, book or tablet to have something to read while riding the light rail to pass the time or make it appear like you’re just another rider. Speaking of which … How should you behave during the No Pants Light Rail Ride? Like you’re experiencing a normal ride on the light rail, only without your pants. Maurer and Moriarty encourage partici- pants to stay in character and maintain the idea that they’re ordinary riders who simply forgot to wear pants. (Therein lies the prank part of the event.) In other words, don’t spoil the joke. “The original idea of the event, which we still try to push, is to act like nothing’s out of the ordinary is happening. If anyone asks, you just forgot yours and have no idea why others aren’t wearing pants either,” Moriarty says. “It’s always meant to be this surprising thing people happen upon.” Ride organizers also say they won’t tolerate any disruptive, destructive or over-the-top behavior by participants, which would cause Valley Metro security or law enforcement to remove people from trains. On that note … Is it illegal to go pantless in public or on the light rail? Technically, no, as long as you’re covering certain body parts. Arizona’s public inde- cency laws state that it’s only illegal to “recklessly expose” the genitals, anus or female nipples or areolas. Valley Metro’s “code of conduct” rules are more of a gray area and discourage “disruptive, intrusive, unsafe or inappropriate behaviors” while riding, including public indecency. Moriarty says pantless riders can stay within the rules by choosing underwear that’s comfortable to wear but doesn’t expose too much. You’ll also want to make sure any flaps are properly secured. He also suggests doubling up on underwear: “Go with one pair for style and another pair underneath for safety,” he jokes. Or, make creative use of fishnets, feather boas, body stockings or socks to avoid accidental exposure. Has anyone been arrested during Phoenix’s No Pants Light Rail Ride? Yes, though it had nothing to do with their conduct during the ride. In 2020, a partic- ipant was arrested by Phoenix police at the mid-ride meetup on an unrelated warrant. How have people reacted during the No Pants Light Rail Ride? Moriarty says he’s experienced a lot of positive reactions during previous rides. “The most common are the ones who just grin. They know something’s going on but they don’t know what. Their day just became a lot more interesting,” he says. “Each year, we’ve had somebody go, ‘OK, fine,’ and they take off their pants and join us. They weren’t planning on it. They ran into a bunch of people having a really good time in their underwear and they said, ‘You know what? I’m in.’” There have also been negative reactions, too. “There’s always somebody who’s like, ‘Oh, you should be ashamed of yourselves. This is ridiculous. This is horrific. This is disgusting,’” Moriarty says. “What’s strange is that you’ll see more skin in the (summer) when people are wearing T-shirts and shorts than you do during the No Pants Ride. This is still a very reserved and conservative town.” No Pants Required from p 14 Ride organizers use sidewalk chalk to direct participants to the mid-ride gathering at downtown Phoenix bars. (Photo by Devon Christopher Adams)
