Drunk' cyclists investigated by Mersey tunnels police

[Lonestar]

I can't see much difference to which road vehicle you are driving.We are still road users like car drivers so why should we get special rules? IMHO.

 

[mjr]

I can't see much difference to which road vehicle you are driving.We are still road users like car drivers so why should we get special rules? IMHO.

There are obvious differences to how much harm you can do but regardless of "should", the law is currently different between motorised and not.

 

[Crandoggler]

Well maybe the rules should be changed?

As for damage, it doesn't take much to swing into another carriageway and hit an oncoming vehicle.

 

[Lonestar]

They are laughing about that in the video,there's nothing funny about it.

 

[si_c]

Presuming that the Police breathalysed them to ensure they were drunk, it would seem a slam dunk. If they didn't then that's another question. Nice christmas gift for the tunnel popo though, my understanding is that they are incredibly bored year round.

 

[Tin Pot]

Maybe so but they were still drunk.

The fact that they can control their bikes is immaterial. I arrested a guy for driving a car. He controlled the car OK, he looked and talked OK and was three times over the legal limit. Does that mean I should have had a quiet chat about drink driving and let him go? Of course not.

As always, you dont get the full story in the newspapers.

It's a different law isn't it? That's why blood alcohol levels apply to cars not bikes.

And in reality it's different - pissed with a ton of metal and a hundred horsepower or so, as opposed to 0.1 horsepower and a hire bike.

 

[Tin Pot]

Well maybe the rules should be changed?

As for damage, it doesn't take much to swing into another carriageway and hit an oncoming vehicle.

No they shouldn't be changed to be equitable, because they are materially different.

Chill out.

 

[mjr]

Well maybe the rules should be changed?

Nope. They are currently roughly proportionate to the probable harm.

As for damage, it doesn't take much to swing into another carriageway and hit an oncoming vehicle.

And what is the likely outcome if the swinger is on a bike compared to that if they're driving a car?

Drunk-riders are primarily a danger to themselves. Drunk-drivers are primarily a danger to others. So shouldn't policing and laws prioritise stopping drunk-drivers over drunk-riders?

Presuming that the Police breathalysed them to ensure they were drunk, it would seem a slam dunk. If they didn't then that's another question.

IIRC refusing to provide a breath sample doesn't prove any drunk-cycling offence like it does drunk-driving, but I suspect it's possible to contrive a related offence for failing to comply with a police instruction if they want. Maybe it's classed as terrorism these days?

 

[growingvegetables]

Well maybe the rules should be changed?

Go on - show us the photos of the reflectors you have fitted to the pedals of your car

 

[Pale Rider]

Maybe so but they were still drunk.

The fact that they can control their bikes is immaterial. I arrested a guy for driving a car. He controlled the car OK, he looked and talked OK and was three times over the legal limit. Does that mean I should have had a quiet chat about drink driving and let him go? Of course not.

As always, you dont get the full story in the newspapers.

Yes, but you get the full story from the relevant Act of Parliament which tells us the fact they can control the bikes, far from being immaterial, is all that matters.

This is not a motor car, it's a bicycle, the law says: 'is unfit to ride through drink or drugs (that is to say, is under the influence of drink or a drug to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper control of the cycle)'.

Thus the prosecution has to prove the the cyclist was cycling, and was incapable of proper control of the bike.

Clearly the bikes were being ridden, but I don't believe the video even suggests, let alone proves, the riders were not in proper control.

 

[sidevalve]

And what is the likely outcome if the swinger is on a bike compared to that if they're driving a car?

Yes very funny - if the 'swinger' causes a 'ton' of metal to try to dodge him [and yes most drivers would try strangely enough] the outcome could be terrible. I'm afraid it is attitude like this - the old famous five getting a little tipsy on shandy and falling off into the hedge giggling crap that points cyclists out as irresponsible fools. Grow up and accept responsibility. Drinking and travelling on the public roads in or on anything puts others at risk - get over it

 

[mjr]

Yes very funny - if the 'swinger' causes a 'ton' of metal to try to dodge him [and yes most drivers would try strangely enough] the outcome could be terrible.

It could be terrible, but the outcome of a motorist sneezing could be terrible too, but it's highly improbable. Basically, you've left reality if your basing your approach to traffic laws on the most contrived worst cases: the roads would soon be unusable.

Drinking and travelling on the public roads in or on anything puts others at risk - get over it

Blimey - therefore people should only drink where they're going to sleep? That's a pretty absurd position, even for a motoring supremacist.

 

[Tin Pot]

I feel a False Equivalence scoreboard coming on...I'm not sure who to award the first point to though!

 

[Hip Priest]

Whenever we drove through the mersey tunnel, my parents used to tell me we had to keep the windows closed because the fumes would kill us.

The lying b******.

 

[snorri]

Blimey - therefore people should only drink where they're going to sleep?

Not nowadays, the safe limit for driving in Scotland would make it inadvisable to take alcohol the evening before driving in the morning.