What is “Carnuding?”

Carnuding, driving without clothing on, derives from the term canuding, which is to use a canoe nude. I’ve mentioned this quite a lot in previous posts. Indeed, most of our trips have included driving to and from destinations nude. I haven’t given much detail of this aspect of what some might call a part of the “craft” of the free range naturist.

Why drive nude?

Because it feels good to get out of clothing. During a long trip, the clothing in the crotch area gets bundled up. There is lots of heat that builds up, heat is then trapped and many bacteria flourish. TMI? This is why it feels so good to slip clothing off and feel the air rejuvenate a body. This is one reason why one can feel cooler on a hot day by removing that last, although be it small, piece of clothing at the mid-section. This is why many women wear their short skirts up when driving, and perhaps you’ve heard their comments about the flow of air-conditioning’s vents. All of the body is more comfortable. The sense of freedom and natural sensuality that one enjoys without clothing at home, or outside, can be enjoyed in a moving vehicle. It is healthier. On a longer drive, the comfort is relaxing.

There is a special joy driving down a back road, windows down, sunroof open and the wind whipping all over.

“Bucks Like a Willys in Four-wheel Drive”

Without clothing, there is much less restriction to the body’s movement. One is not pinned in, or down, for long periods with clothing’s spring resistant fabric and discomfort, which are putting pressures on shoulders, elbows and backs. If you are not sitting nude, the belt and waistband of a skirt, or pair of pants, squeeze the body and rearrange ones bowels. The evidence is there, each time you take off clothing, there is a branded mark indented into the skin. There was a time when I lost my youthful more tone thin body and found what is called middle age spread (Now, in our processed food society, this is not just something age related). Then, once I got away from clothing for longer periods, I noticed that when I began to wear pants again, that there is a layer of flab that hangs over a waist where the body is pinched. Awareness has shown me that that is increased with sitting. There is even a rearrangement under the skin of the fat. The organs inside are squeezed. How many have felt the relief of letting out a notch in a belt after a big meal, or undoing the clothing altogether? This happens when we are not undressed and all of the time that we are bent sitting in a vehicle.

I look across at naked DF as I drive. She has the ability to twist sideways, and place her legs in just about any position. I discover much more, as time goes on. There is driving clothed and the alternative is obviously far superior, especially on a longer cruise.

The Greatest Fear:

The obvious questions are how one could get away with this. Just how can one avoid the negatives, which must be addressed? The first sensation that one notices is the naked feeling. It is like being nude in public at first. Something is out of place, it may feel naughty, and there is high alert, maybe fear. What if I’m seen? What about the police. The first concern, being seen, has a simple solution. The solution is not to be seen. I’ll address this later in detail as “craft.”

The second question is important. You don’t want to be stopped by police, or be discovered by them. Police are of many varying types, but there are those that would jump to the conclusion that they have found a sexual activity, just because a person is undressed. The cop may assume that you have been diddling yourself as an exhibitionist; the sky is the limit for the sick imagination of the ignorant and judgmental. This possibility is coupled with the cop’s sense of the law, which he or she may make up in their heads. There could never be a conviction, but there is damage done. I always have a cover handy and I take precautions not to be seen, if I were to be stopped. One upside of this is that I am very aware when driving nude. Because I feel at risk, I drive much more defensively, cautiously and thoughtfully, and safely. My awareness is at 360 degrees and what I may anticipate. I am very mindful of my task, as well as my nude comfort. Even more than the common odds, I am not likely to get stopped, or in an accident, but I am prepared for that just the same. One must be vigilant, not complacent.

Have a Cover Ready:

I use many cover up strategies. For one, I sit on a towel, for sanitary reasons, the life of the car’s seat, and as a quick cover. It can be draped across the seat and into the center console. When necessary, all I have to do is pull it over my lower body. A wrap around, or a kilt can be used in much of the same way.

I often place the towel from the head rest on down. This is handy with leather, vinyl, or other fabrics that are presumed to be used with clothing, not with skin, by the manufacturers. These can be sticky, extremely hot in the sun, cold, or scratchy. If your body has oils and dirt, some fabrics can be cumulatively damaged. If this is the case, then a cover up must be placed nearby. Pants can be discarded fairly easily, but they don’t come back on like that, unless you are small in a large vehicle. If faced with a traffic stop, there is always some time to cover and be presentable for an officer. If he asks what the squirming activity was, you may explain with a casual not guilty demeanor, “I was putting on my pants.”
Why were you not wearing pants? “
“You are wearing full body armor. It is hot today.” No kicks, no thrills, just comfort. I’m just making myself presentable for an official and respectful interaction. Be prepared. It is not illegal to be nude. It is illegal to be seen in various degrees of nudity depending on the state or local authority. You are not an exhibitionist, you are just comfortably nude. Or, if you lie, have an extra set of pants and claim that you were just changing. It is generally not a crime to be dressed in underwear, or swimwear. You must not appear reckless.

An open button up, loose, and light article of clothing will cover a woman’s breast quickly and may even act as a short dress. Wear a light top, if necessary to the situation. We need to be aware of each state and place’s laws, but rule of thumb, be conventional when in contact with the police. Police like ”normal.” They look for out of the ordinary.

The other reality of our times are cell phones and 911. Don’t let any weird hysterical person see you driving nude and assume it has anything to do with them. The vast majority of the time, no one will care. Fewer will care enough to get involved. The amazing revelation that I have experienced and a dozen frequent carnudists, is that rarely do people look sideways. Drivers are driving and passengers as well. They are lost in thought, action is automatic, subconscious. This makes the activity much safer still. Then still, there may be that bored little kid looking through a dark tinted window in the back seat of the towering SUV who is surprised and tells mom and dad. I am familiar with people who let their guard down and do not take precautions, driving nude nearly every day, who have never got into trouble. The odds of encountering trouble become something like being hit by lightning, when a few practical measures are added. Being more alert will dissipate from wide eyed rushes to second nature habits, in time.

Where?

It is entirely different to carnude in the country than in an urban area.

Starting with the country…

… I suppose that one of the most frequently traveled places are interstate highways, autoroutes, or autobahns. Here, there are more tall trucks. Passing slowly and casually is happening more frequently, and many things happen fast.

Trucks can see into the privacy of a car to an amazing degree. I think that one should always assume and cover. With bucket seats they can often see both passengers from behind. Out on the open highway, many truckers, unless lost in thought, are looking around curiously, like no one else.

People generally don’t look to the side, some do, especially on the open road and less so as traffic picks up with congestion. People are going from point A to Point B in a focused manner. Rarer are those who are just driving like tourists.

Two lane country roads are easy.

You know when you are passing and being passed. One speeds past stationary people who are without time to take in whether someone is naked in their car. These have occasional stop lights and stop signs. Just throw something over your crotch when someone is near. People often see only what they expect to see. They are not looking for nudes.

This brings us to towns and cities.

These may be familiar, or when traveling, there are many places to make mistakes on unfamiliar roadways. There are pedestrians, stops, multiple lanes and slow speed areas. I prefer to just place a cover over my genitals in many locales, especially unfamiliar congested towns. A determinate may be the height of the vehicle that I’m driving, or window tint, or time of day. Night brings a degree of cover, but night light increases as urbanity increases.

It is difficult to see into a window with the lights out and easy when a light is turned on. Also, you may look at the others around you to see how well that they can see you.

I caution that many small towns have police who are a revenue source, or may want to keep abreast of strangers in the calm evenings, or maybe feel the need of something to do. These may stop out of towners randomly.

Diagram: It’s about Angles:

I include a diagram explaining the fundamentals of visual angles, which can be used in other settings, too. This generally means that a taller car can look into a shorter car easier. A person can be seen more fully who is on the opposite side of the car from the viewer. A door can block the view from a person on the other side to the shoulders…women. So, important information brings informed and important decisions as to which lane I’ll use. For example, if I’m at an intersection, and no one can pull to my right (in USA), but someone can make a turn to my left and pulls up next to me, they probably can’t see my lack of pants, or even a woman’s topside. Unless the light is long, they nearly always will be watching the road and be preparing for the option to make their turn and so, would not look anyway. If I’m in the slower lane, passers can’t see me in the driver’s seat. With this information practiced procedures can be taken. Practice increases ability.

Here is a very simple diagram showing the basics.

There is a practical way to check these angles when out of the car that should be useful to stealth naturism. The example in the diagram shows the fence. This could be a bush or rock. While looking at where a person may be in the distance, squat, bringing your head down to the point that you can no longer see the other person. Place your hand there at your eyes. Rise back up. Where your hand still sits, will show you how much of your body the other can see.

Dressing and Undressing…

…must be done at each stop generally. You can step out of a car wrapped in a towel at a self-serve gas station, but this attire won’t wash in many public establishments. I just park away from foot traffic, and slip on clothing. It is not unusual for even textiles to change clothing in their cars, from what I’ve seen and who I’ve known. On occasion, it has been more convenient to step out of the car, using it as a visual barrier. One needs to be discrete. Sometimes, with frequent errands, in the same trip, it is just too big of a hassle to do this, and I wait before getting nude. This is about comfort, after all. I certainly don’t drive nude all of the time.

Angles, use them.

At First…

…it may be that one feels aroused to some degree. Many people get a kick out of feeling nude in public and this is sort of like that, other than you are wearing a car and not seen. Fear and anxiety may take away comfort. These go away, just like ones first experience at a socially nude event. Having been raised as most of us have, these are very normal reactions.

You may need to take a country or interstate highway drive to relax and get a sense of the reality of your situation and practice. Slowly, you would be getting into more urban areas. A craft takes practice. A nude craft also entails being crafty, a creative practicality. It requires practicing awareness.

Caution: When driving with others, remember that their stealth naturism skills may not be up to par with your own.

How this came about:

For me, my first time driving nude occurred during my honeymoon. While driving an old Mercedes across Texas one May, the air-conditioner broke. We made the best of it.
Then one day, after I had spent four straight days nude and accepted at a resort, my girlfriend and I looked at each other when it was time to leave. The clothing felt ridiculously confining, purposeless, hot and just plain wrong. We drove back home 450 miles naked and free. We discovered that we were on to something. With further inquiry, we realized that we were not alone.

Conclusion: Be alert

I’ve spent countless hours on the road and I don’t think that anyone has ever seen my nudity so as to break the law. Maybe a few truckers suspected. Others I know are more cavalier when carnuding and have never had a problem. Stay alert, drive defensively and carnude safely.

The End