Photos of San Jose’s Naked Highway 101 Cyclist Go Viral, But His Identity Remains a Mystery

UPDATE, July 19, 2018: San Jose police found the cyclist on King Road late this morning. He was wearing just a shirt and appeared to be in mental crisis, officials said. SJPD did not arrest the man, and so declined to release his name. Instead, officers transported him to the hospital for psychiatric care. 

Photos of a nude cyclist cruising on Highway 101 in San Jose Wednesday morning went viral on social media, but authorities say they never found the mystery rider.

The California Highway Patrol fielded numerous 9-1-1 calls from commuters who reported seeing the butt-naked bicyclist traveling both north- and south-bound between the Story Road and Alum Rock Avenue exits. Three CHP units went out looking for the man, to no avail.

San Jose police spokeswoman Officer Gina Tepoorten says the city received one call around 6:05am Wednesday about a naked man outside Sears at Eastridge Mall. But when cops arrived at the scene, he’d already gone on his merry way.

A driver named Nick Moezidis posted a video of the nude cyclist pedaling down the highway between passing cars.

“It’s against California law to ride a bike without a helmet,” Moezidis quipped in the caption. “Doesn’t he know that? I love the SF Bay Area always interesting.”

Hundreds of other people also posted on Twitter and Facebook about the cyclist with comments ranging from disgust to admiration for his devil-may-care attitude.

“Ahh ... I remember my first beer,” one Facebook user wrote.

“Can u believe I was late to class because there was a naked man riding a bike in the slow lane on 101,” someone else posted on Twitter.

“One day I would like to have the confidence of Naked Man on 101,” another wrote.

Others reportedly spotted the same guy standing naked outside a massage parlor by Chuck E. Cheese off Tully Road some hours earlier.

CHP officials say the agency has no plans to investigate the matter further unless it becomes a recurring problem. Meanwhile, anyone with information about the incident can call the San Jose CHP office at 408.467.5400.

Jennifer Wadsworth is the former news editor for San Jose Inside and Metro Silicon Valley. Follow her on Twitter at @jennwadsworth.

3 Comments

  1. Real journalism does not make a mockery of mental illness. This man was in a state of psychosis, and once he stabilizes I hope he comes after you and your credentials.

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