Alcohol and Cycling ?

[J4CKO]

Someone mentioned on another thread about goign to the pub on their bike and staying late, no mention of whether alcohol was consumed so I am not making any judgement but it just made me think about how cyclists treat alcohol.

there is an old guy round our way on a Raleigh Shopper weaving down the road, he is a menace, unlit, all over the place.

I do get bemused when people say to me that I should stop off and have a few pints, doesnt matter cos you are on your bike, you cant get done, I do tend to point out the lack of logic in their thinking and counter that perhaps drunken cycling is not such a great idea.

Now I am not sure on that one I do think you can get some kind of prosecution for drunken cycling but I think the implication is that it cannot affect the all hallowed and precious licence to drive a car however pissed and however much of a liability you were being.



Discuss,

 

[spandex]

You can get done for it it is called "being drunk in charge of a cycle"

 

[fossyant]

You get a fine - can be about £1k.

 

[thomas]

I wouldn't have a pint or anything if I was driving. I'd have a pint if I was cycling. Either way I'd be above any legal limit, but I'd rather have a completely clear head when driving. When cycling you've got the fresh air, etc, so it's okay.

I wouldn't want to cycle or drive drunk though. Just not worth it.

 

[Flyingfox]

If I go for a drink after work the bike stays in the locker, and I get the train in next morning. I've been on social rides and had a drink in a couple of pubs along the way, but never been drunk on a bike.

 

[Plax]

I'll have no qualms about drinking an alcoholic beverage or two and then cycling, whereas I would never drink any alcohol and drive. I'd never cycle when pissed though. I've seen the aftermath of a pissed chav coming off his bike. His face was not a pretty sight (but then probably wasn't before hand either!),

 

[Dan B]

It is an offence to cycle while incapacitated through drink. The drink-drive laws for motorists don't apply though (there's no breathalysing, no mandated max blood alcohol level, no chance of points) - it's a purely subjective thingy on the part of the cop who stops you.

I might have a couple of pints (maybe three over a few hours) and cycle home afterwards, but wouldn't want to ride hard or go a long distance after much beer, it's a performance killer

 

[MajorMantra]

You get a fine - can be about £1k.

Theoretically, but has anyone actually been fined that much?

I've cycled a very short distance (never more than about a mile) home whilst fairly the worse for wear, but only whilst fully lit and often wearing hi-vis. I've also only done it at night when the roads are nearly empty - I certainly wouldn't risk it if there was much traffic.

I agree about the performance killer thing by the way. A few drinks makes me feel very unfit and the next day it can feel like cycling with a bad cold, minus the snot.

Matthew

 

[skrx]

I've cycled once while pretty pissed. It wasn't a good idea -- went straight into an unlit barrier (I'm not sure I wouldn't have hit it if I'd been sober. It wasn't lit, and not reflective. Still, being drunk can't have helped.)

Normally, I'll either take the train/bus/tube from the start (and drink as much as I like), take my bike one way and come back on the train/tube if I don't think I'm up to it (which means leaving at midnight-ish) or cycle both ways and drink at most 1 or 2 drinks (depending how long I'll be out). Unless I'm completely sober I'll stick to the quiet roads.

 

[cheadle hulme]

I was drinking vino at home one night and pretty pished. Decided to go into the garage and to a bit of tinkering on a bike I was doing up. Then decided that a quick shack down run would be in order (we lived on a quiet cul de sac).

I don't remember much how it happened, but I hit the kerb and ended up sprawled over the pavement. Woke up the next day with road rash thinking - how the hell??

Lesson learnt, thankfully at low speed.

 

[Tynan]

used to ride boozed a lot, and sometimes stoned, the lord loves a drunk, I never got hurt but I did have a couple of spectacular and stupid accidents, I had my head inside the rear side window of a minibus once, trying to scare the kids inside, the driver swerved left for some reason and sent him skimming down a crowded street, I remeber to this day body swerving round a concrete bin

I'd say it's a bad idea, it did terrible things to my night vision too

 

[hackbike 666]

I didn't think it was a good idea for me as I can get very dehydrated.

Could never understand them doing it on the London to Brighton although I never did.

As I havent had a drink in 5 months it's not too much of a problem now.

Plan to only drink when im on holiday now and cut the booze right out as my job is demanding enough as it is.

 

[TheDoctor]

Haven't had a beer and cycled since...last night.
Most I've done lately was three pints and then cycled.

 

[nigelnorris]

Have had a pleasant summer evening pub-crawling along the trans-pennine trail. Plenty of pubs along the way and zero traffic to hassle you, very nice.

Just have to watch out for dog walkers on the way home, nothing worse than hitting a alsatian when you're pissed.

 

[monnet]

I never drink then cycle (same with driving). To be honest I find one too many on a Friday night affects my cycling on Sunday morning.

I did see a bloke weaving down the road at about 3pm yesterday one handed on cheap nasty mountain bike. Closer inspection revealed he was supping from a can of Special Brew!