Police in Austria have told a female cyclist who has popped into premises including a petrol station and tobacconists wearing “little more than white trainers and a friendly smile" to cover herself up – or face a 1,000 euro fine.
BBC News, citing a report in tabloid newspaper Oesterreich, says that while Austrians are tolerant of nudity in places such as beaches and parks, it’s more frowned upon elsewhere.
It adds that police received complaints from people who had seen the woman riding around the town of Pernitz in Lower Austria.
The press in Austria are trying to discover who the mystery blonde is, with the Kurier newspaper reporting on a YouTube clip filmed in nearby Pottenstein showing the same woman coming out of a cake shop – although this time, she gets into a car rather than riding away on a bike.
Gabriela Leithner, who runs the shop, didn’t have a problem with her eye-catching customer, however. "She's dropped by two or three times, I don't think it's a big deal," she said.
"She's not done anything wrong. We had a naked man in here the other day," she added.
Back in Pernitz however local police chief, Harald Windbichler, does have an issue with it, and has already issued the cyclist with a verbal warning "breach of public decorum," and has told her that next time she could be fined 1,000 euro.
As Oesterreich pointed out, "You could buy an entire wardrobe for that."
Simon has been news editor at road.cc since 2009, reporting on 10 editions and counting of pro cycling’s biggest races such as the Tour de France, stories on issues including infrastructure and campaigning, and interviewing some of the biggest names in cycling. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, his background has proved invaluable in reporting on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, and the bike industry. He splits his time between London and Cambridge, and loves taking his miniature schnauzer Elodie on adventures in the basket of her Elephant Bike.