NATALIE COREAS / THE GUARDSMAN

By Clark Milan
STAFF WRITER

Alcohol and floats prohibited from the 2009 Bay to Breakers is like a huge piece missing from a puzzle.

Organizers will no longer allow alcohol, floats or nudity in the May 17 Bay to Breakers race and are working with police to ensure enforcement of the new regulations, SFGate.com reported Feb. 11.

Banning booze and naked people from the annual 12K run will take away the fun of the event. Those unique attributes are also much of why the race has thousands of participants each year and is watched by even more tourists and locals.

Bay to Breakers is an opportunity for participants to express themselves in their own way. The festivity, a San Francisco tradition, is like a big party and unlike any other race. If participants can’t drink and have a good time with their peers, the race loses its originality.

“Nudity and floats are part of the overall eccentric nature of the race and what makes it so great,” San Francisco Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi said on SFGate.com Feb. 18.

The event sponsors want the runners’ experience to be positive, but with all the new rules, the race just won’t be the same.

It is understandable why the restrictions are being imposed. Intoxicated people will mean there will be trash all over the streets and homes utilized as impromptu public restrooms. The belligerent behavioral disrupts the community.

The race organizers do prepare for clean-up with the money raised by participants purchasing race numbers, but it’s only enough money to provide toilets and clean-up for registered racers. It’s the attendees who do not purchase race numbers who create a mess far bigger than the registration fees paid by everyone else can cover.

Such a large number of people protested against the new policies, Bay to Breakers’ planners were forced to listened. After hearing both positive and negative remarks from the pubic, planners determined floats would be welcome in the race, SFGate.com posted on Feb. 27. Birthday suits are discouraged but no citations or arrests will be issued.

Officials are not backing down on the no-alcohol policy.

My advice to the sponsors of Bay to Breakers: Join in the excitement of the long stroll, run the course, ride on a float, have a beer and show what your mama gave you!