Cycling after a few drinks

[TC99]

Sorry - just a thought

what is the point in breathalising a cyclist
OK - someone said it was to shut the driver up in one case - which I can understand

but if the breathaliser system just says under/over then it is not much use to use with a cyclist where the limit is not relevant

I suppose it could remove doubt if they say the only had a coke

but.....

Increases the chances of being sued in a civil case. Sod that.

 

[classic33]

Sorry - just a thought

what is the point in breathalising a cyclist
OK - someone said it was to shut the driver up in one case - which I can understand

but if the breathaliser system just says under/over then it is not much use to use with a cyclist where the limit is not relevant

I suppose it could remove doubt if they say the only had a coke

but.....

That were missen.
The driver of the upturned car was more bothered that I'd moved out to pass a parked vehicle, I "was all over the place!" than he was about his passengers still inside the car. His came back positive.

Remained just long enough to give my details and what I'd see, with the police and the driver of the other car.

 

[Ian H]

It’s when you try and ride a wheel barrow home that you know you’ve had too many.

Back in the day I rode a barrow for a couple of years.

 

[pjd57]

I very occasionally have a pint when out cycling.
I regularly have coffee when out cycling.
I find a strong black coffee hits me more when I get back on my bike than a pint ( Guinness) does

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Back in the day I rode a barrow for a couple of years.

Very good 😁

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I very occasionally have a pint when out cycling.

Indeed, a pub lunch whilst out on the bike is one of life’s pleasures.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I very occasionally have a pint when out cycling.
I regularly have coffee when out cycling.
I find a strong black coffee hits me more when I get back on my bike than a pint ( Guinness) does

or you think it does

although for many years I used to go to my parents' house for dinner on Sundays
I generally had a small can of beer before dinner and maybe 2 small glasses of wine with dinner

then no alcohol for about 3 hours before driving home but I still sometimes felt that I was a bit drunk

I eventually realised it was mostly the strong black coffee that I had after dinner and shortly before i left!!

 

[katiewlx]

I don't think anyone is arguing that point, because it isn't against the law to have a couple of pints and cycle home.

ok seen that a few times in this thread, technically it is, under the Road Traffic Act 1988,it is a criminal offence to ride a bicycle on a road or public place while in an unfit state through drinking alcohol or taking drugs.

now fine you can argue a couple of pints wont impact your ability to safely control your bike and put you in an unfit state, so no offence is being commited, but unlike drink driving theres no specific limit to rely on (though the police can breathalyse you as a cyclist and it would stand as strong evidence for the offence being committed if you were over the drink drive limit) its a purely subjective test by the police who stop you, and their view may well be that a couple of pints is too many, or it might not.

so its worth remembering that, and for those that say ah but the police will never catch you, sure its unlikely, but there was a guy in our local pub the other week who cycles to the pub, who was complaining he got stopped by the police on the way home as "he was all over the road" and now has a court appearance, with a potential minimum £1000 fine, criminal record etc to worry about. now he drinks far far more than a couple of pints for sure per pub visit, and completely denies he was all over the road, but still I think he's going to struggle to contend it.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

ok seen that a few times in this thread, technically it is, under the Road Traffic Act 1988,it is a criminal offence to ride a bicycle on a road or public place while in an unfit state through drinking alcohol or taking drugs.

now fine you can argue a couple of pints wont impact your ability to safely control your bike and put you in an unfit state, so no offence is being commited, but unlike drink driving theres no specific limit to rely on (though the police can breathalyse you as a cyclist and it would stand as strong evidence for the offence being committed if you were over the drink drive limit) its a purely subjective test by the police who stop you, and their view may well be that a couple of pints is too many, or it might not.

so its worth remembering that, and for those that say ah but the police will never catch you, sure its unlikely, but there was a guy in our local pub the other week who cycles to the pub, who was complaining he got stopped by the police on the way home as "he was all over the road" and now has a court appearance, with a potential minimum £1000 fine, criminal record etc to worry about. now he drinks far far more than a couple of pints for sure per pub visit, and completely denies he was all over the road, but still I think he's going to struggle to contend it.

It would be interesting to see how he gets on if he contests it!

I would assume that the Police will have a good reason to stop a person on a bike for being drunk

personally, I would avoid doing things like right turns ona bike if I had "had a few"
riding along a cycle path would be OK - roads somewhere in the middle

 

[Profpointy]

It would be interesting to see how he gets on if he contests it!

I would assume that the Police will have a good reason to stop a person on a bike for being drunk

personally, I would avoid doing things like right turns ona bike if I had "had a few"
riding along a cycle path would be OK - roads somewhere in the middle

Indeed! Whilst it isn't wholly impossible, I doubt the police would bother stopping a cyclist unless they genuinely were "all over the place", like my former acquaintance who'd "borrowed" an unlocked bike

 

[figbat]

The MTB cycling group I ride with go out in the evening, ride for a couple of hours and then end up at our local. Here I will tend to have 2 or 3 pints before riding the 1/4 mile home. Occasionally a session breaks out and it’s more than 2 or 3. Sometimes we stop at a pub part way through the ride and have a couple before continuing. Rarely a session breaks out here and several are taken (we then don’t visit the local).

Most of the riding is off-road but on PROWs with some small sections of road to link them together. Nobody gets to a point of being incapable of riding a bicycle effectively. The nature of the trials means we have to remain capable in order to continue riding.

There is one event in the year though where things get fuzzy. An annual midsummer wild BBQ, out in the sticks where we ride there, carrying all our food, BBQs and drink then set up for the evening and eat/drink. There HAVE been injuries on the return leg (not me I might add) and I have seen people incapable of riding.

The only time I have ever been rendered incapable was at university, where a friend of mine and I rode to a pub near our digs (about 1/2 a mile) and got caught up in a lock-in. Some time early the following morning after a night on Theakston’s XB we mounted our bikes, rode approximately 10 feet and fell in a giggling heap in the (deserted) road. To be fair we did manage to then ride home, although definitely impaired. That was 1991 and I’ve never been unable to ride through alcohol since.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

though the police can breathalyse you as a cyclist and it would stand as strong evidence for the offence being committed if you were over the drink drive limit)

This is categorically wrong.

Police have no power to require a sample of breath, blood or urine from a cyclist.

Please see earlier links to the relevant legislation up thread.

 

[Milzy]

Haha used to do 100 milers on club run stop half way have a few pints. Awful getting going again, you can’t get into a rythem until it’s burned off. Worse than cafe legs.

 

[Profpointy]

Haha used to do 100 milers on club run stop half way have a few pints. Awful getting going again, you can’t get into a rythem until it’s burned off. Worse than cafe legs.

To be fair I don't think anyone's claiming beer enhances performance !

 

[mickle]

I rides better when I've had a few.