Cycling and drinking, should we do it

[steve50]

if I were to go for a ride and have a few beers along the way then become responsible for causing an incident due to be being (even mildly) intoxicated, I would expect to be held accountable to the courts and would also expect the injured party to make a claim against myself / my insurers. To suggest it is "ok" to go out and drink and then ride your bike is totally irresponsible in my opinion. Unless of course you mean to drink and then ride (for instance) along the canal towpath, then it is your own fault if you end up in the canal.

Section 30 Road Traffic Act 1988 says: "It is an offence for a person to ride a cycle on a road or other public place when unfit to ride through drink or drugs - that is to say - is under the influence of a drink or a drug to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the cycle.

In Scotland a PC may arrest without warrant a person committing an offence under this section. There is no obligation for a cyclist to submit to a blood or urine alcohol test.

'Road' in the above bit of legislation includes a bridleway so don't think you can get blotto at a country pub and ride home 'off road' without risk.

And here's the rub. If you ride drunk you risk endangering yourself and possibly others by your actions. Would you ride home blindfolded? Beer-googles and bicycles do not mix. And, as stated above, cycling 'dangerously' can be fined by up to £2500.
http://www.bikehub.co.uk/featured-articles/cycling-and-the-law/

 

[Markymark]

I wouldn't do it. I wouldn't worry too much if others do it as I think the risk is pretty low unless you can find me any evidence the current legislation is allowing many injuries to occur?

 

[Profpointy]

I wouldn't do it. I wouldn't worry too much if others do it as I think the risk is pretty low unless you can find me any evidence the current legislation is allowing many injuries to occur?

here's the question - how many people killed by sober drivers each year?
(my guess would be a considerable number)

how many people killed by drunken cyclists each year?
(my guess would be zero)

Not to say drunk cycling is OK, never mind wise, but......

 

[Markymark]

It's one of those things that shouldn't be done as there probably is a risk and a small number can and do get injured. But any police/court resources taken up by something of such low risk is to take time away from stuff which is massively more dangerous and kills hundreds each year - bad driving.

 

[Scotchlovingcylist]

I had my first 2 of cans of beer at 14.
I then tried and failed to ride my bike home
I would maybe do it if I lived near a pub and could ride a cycle path slowly all the way home, that said I never get to the point of being paralytic these days

 

[Markymark]

Are there any stats to show its a problem worth worrying about?

Or, as I suspect, is it a problem for those in a 2 tonne metal box and want cyclists to have the same restrictions as they do?

 

[Joffey]

Lance road for years off his face and never killed anyone

 

[steve50]

http://www.ctc.org.uk/sites/default/files/file_public/cycling-influence4marv.pdf

 

[Tin Pot]

...party to make a claim against myself / my insurers. To suggest it is "ok" to go out and drink and then ride your bike is totally irresponsible in my opinion. Unless of course you mean to drink and then ride (for instance) along the canal towpath, then it is your own fault if you end up in the canal.

Section 30 Road Traffic Act 1988 says: "It is an offence for a person to ride a cycle on a road or other public place when unfit to ride through drink or drugs - that is to say - is under the influence of a drink or a drug to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the cycle.

In Scotland a PC may arrest without warrant a person committing an offence under this section. There is no obligation for a cyclist to submit to a blood or urine alcohol test.

'Road' in the above bit of legislation includes a bridleway so don't think you can get blotto at a country pub and ride home 'off road' without risk.

And here's the rub. If you ride drunk you risk endangering yourself and possibly others by your actions. Would you ride home blindfolded? Beer-googles and bicycles do not mix. And, as stated above, cycling 'dangerously' can be fined by up to £2500.
http://www.bikehub.co.uk/featured-articles/cycling-and-the-law/

It wouldn't be worth living if we weren't allowed to be irresponsible sometimes.

Chill out.

 

[Origamist]

Cycling and boozing is so yesterday - K-holed downhilling is where it's at...

 

[stuee147]

its a hard one its very funny to see for one but also it can in some areas be the only way home after the taxis say your to drunk and refuse to take you 10 miles home and it tends to be pretty harmless.
but there is always the risk of the drunk cyclist vering into the road and causeing a car or lorry to lose control causeing who knows what to happen then who do you blame ?

as cyclists we are always claming our right to be classed as a road vehical and as such we have our right to be aloud to ride on a public road. in such case we as cyclists should expect to have the same rules and regulations as other road useres.
i dont consider myself any more or less entiteled to use the public highways as any car van lorry or anything else so why should i expect special treatment

 

[steve50]

It wouldn't be worth living if we weren't allowed to be irresponsible sometimes.

Chill out.

be irresponsible by all means just don't endanger anyone else in the process, i don't need to "chill out" I just thought it would be a good subject for discussion.

 

[Tin Pot]

be irresponsible by all means just don't endanger anyone else in the process, i don't need to "chill out" I just thought it would be a good subject for discussion.

As a subject it strikes me as an over worry. Have a couple and cycle home this weekend, see for yourself.

I personally don't, but I did once a few months ago. It's not for me when clipped in on tight country lanes.

 

[steve50]

its a hard one its very funny to see for one but also it can in some areas be the only way home after the taxis say your to drunk and refuse to take you 10 miles home and it tends to be pretty harmless.
but there is always the risk of the drunk cyclist veering into the road and causing a car or lorry to lose control causing who knows what to happen then who do you blame ?

as cyclists we are always claiming our right to be classed as a road vehicle and as such we have our right to be aloud to ride on a public road. in such case we as cyclists should expect to have the same rules and regulations as other road users.
i don't consider myself any more or less entitled to use the public highways as any car van lorry or anything else so why should i expect special treatment

Exactly, we all want to be recognized as road users with as much right to be on the roads as anyone else. So, why shouldn't the same rules apply when it comes to using the roads when under the influence?

 

[Milkfloat]

It's called a 'Pub Bike' for a reason - that reason is not to drink Lime and Soda.