The organiser of London's annual 'No Trousers Tube Ride' has defended the event as 'harmless fun' that is not 'offensive or vulgar', despite growing calls for it to end over fears it causes trauma for victims of sexual assault on the transport network.
Event Faces Mounting Criticism
The latest iteration of the ride took place on Sunday afternoon, with scores of participants braving the cold to travel on the Tube in their underwear. The event, now in its 17th year in the capital, often shocks unsuspecting families and tourists.
However, criticism is intensifying. Writers and campaigners argue that the spectacle is 'extremely triggering' for those who have suffered sexual offences on the Underground. Emma Clarke, a writer for Glamour, detailed her own assault on the District line during the pandemic, stating the ride is 'completely tone deaf' and poses a safety risk in the context of high rates of violence against women and girls.
This view is supported by recent British Transport Police data, which recorded 595 sexual offences across all Tube lines in 2024/25.
Organiser's Firm Defence
Dave Selkirk, the personal trainer from South Africa who now organises the ride, strongly disagrees with the criticism. 'It is obviously a little risqué but it's certainly far more covered up than you would be on the beach,' he told the Daily Mail.
Mr Selkirk, who took part in his first ride in 2013 and took over organisation in 2024, emphasised the event's innocent intent. 'The reason that I'm so fond of the event is it's only for the sake of fun and I do firmly believe it is harmless fun,' he said. 'We're not doing it from any point of malice.'
On the specific issue of triggering trauma for assault victims, he responded: 'I can't speak to what triggers other people. I really empathise... I hope that wasn't someone on our ride.' He confirmed he plans to continue running the event as long as people keep attending.
Legal Stance and Event History
The British Transport Police confirmed that going trouser-less on the Tube is not a criminal offence in itself. A spokeswoman urged participants to be 'respectful of fellow passengers' and reiterated that tackling sexual offences remains their top priority.
The event is a US import, first conceived by comedian Charlie Todd in New York in 2002. It arrived in London in 2009, organised by the flash-mob group the Stiff Upper Lip Society. After the SULS decided the event had 'run its course' in 2023, Mr Selkirk, a group member, took over.
This year's ride saw participants gather in Soho's Chinatown before descending to the Tube. Organisers instructed them to wear normal, low-key underwear to maintain the illusion of having simply forgotten their trousers. The event is not run for charity or to raise awareness for any cause.
The debate highlights a clear cultural clash. Supporters see it as a piece of quirky, innocent fun in a city that often lacks spontaneity. Detractors, backed by sobering crime statistics, view it as an outdated and insensitive practice that undermines efforts to make public transport feel safer for everyone, particularly women. With the organiser committed to its continuation and opposition voices growing louder, the future of the No Trousers Tube Ride remains on contested ground.
