Ignorance of the law.

Again?

So you can’t ride a bike on the road after a pint ? STW is full of photos of after ride pints, even mid ride pints. Banned in Scotland ?

It’s a different law as bicycles aren’t a mechanically propelled vehicle.

perchypanther – Member
they don’t need to prosecute anyone who’s eaten a sherry trifle…. because, as we all know…

De minimis non curat lex.*

*This is a shite Law joke in Latin. Solicitors** all over the country are pissing themselves right now.

** and possibly Ancient Romans.

I didn’t piss myself, but it did raise a wry smile inbetween beasting my clients and generally doing down the man on the street, or whatever it is STW thinks we do (not a Roman BTW). 😉

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.

You can not get endorsements on your UK driving licence for a ‘drink cycling’ offence.

Bird’s Trifle

Thanks for that Shane…

P-Jay – Member
I think, especially in Scotland and most of mainland Europe were the limits are lower than in England & Wales they want to do away the idea that you can drink “a little bit” and drive – the limit is more a buffer for things like food with trace amount of alcohol in it, if someone’s just used mouthwash or had a drink the day before or something.

Yet, judging by virtually all mainland European ski resorts, it’s ok to drink and ski.
I’m surprised no-one’s considered banning walking home from the pub.

Everyone knows that when you’re pissed and you ride a bike, you ride that fast not even the police helicopter would keep up 😆

I’m surprised no-one’s considered banning walking home from the pub.

Maybe it could be called drunk and disorderly.

I’ve saved the possibility of getting stopped on the way back from the pub by getting absolutely rat arsed at home while working on bikes ;}

Drac – Moderator
If they lower it in England I will certainly invest in a breathalyser of some sort for morning after driving. I don’t ever have “one pint” and drive but do have a beer or three on a weekend and “feeling ok” the morning after just isn’t going to be good enough.
If only there was another way

So is that no acceptable to you then drac?

I was stopped and breathalysed a few weeks back. I’d had a pint but was well under the limit. I’ll be honest and say that I will have one beer and drive, sorry.

You could just not drive the next morning, then you’re 100% safe.

How is that possible and actually ever have a drink? That would rule out having a beer sun to Thursday night, then no beer Fri or Saturday if you require using the van/car.

Surely you are better knowing you are safe rather than the age old “I feel sound” methodology.

Yeah quite simply like that. I’ve drank lots the night before in the past then driven and not proud of it, now I won’t if I’m driving early the next day.

Surely you are better knowing you are safe rather than the age old “I feel sound” methodology.

Hence the not driving or not drinking.

Yet, judging by virtually all mainland European ski resorts, it’s ok to drink and ski.

I skiers weighed several tons, were made of metal, and caused thousands of deaths every year then I suspect that law would change.

But what is wrong with I had a drink last night, I’ll just check because I’m a responsible person before I set off. Shit, I’m over, what a ****, I knew that last beer would do it. I’m gonna have to get a cab or cycle in, and be late. Surely it’s a great option to have?

How do you feel about a 3/5 mph canal boat? I’m getting a few beers in on that next month whether you like it or not 😉

My father was a pilot. He stuck by, and instilled in me, “8 hours, bottle to throttle”.

Easy, really.

You see if I’d been on an afternoon evening sesh from say 5pm till 11pm I’d never consider driving till the next 5pm. No way would I go 8 hrs.

The place where I work (serviced office) has fridge of free beers on Friday afternoons to encourage a bit of socialising.

They are also having a beer tasting tomorrow.

Judging by the car park they all drive. 😯

But what is wrong with I had a drink last night, I’ll just check because I’m a responsible person before I set off. Shit, I’m over, what a ****, I knew that last beer would do it. I’m gonna have to get a cab or cycle in, and be late. Surely it’s a great option to have?

Surely the question is, why aren’t you doing that now?

highlandman – Member
Hey b r, if you don’t like the way the country is being run, you could always try living somewhere else.
I like the very low alcohol limit, it seems to be working quite well. It’s a bit like the (quite effective) average speed limit on the A9, where for the first time ever in a 12 month period, no-one died in a road accident last year.
Funny coincidence that…

Really

http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/News/A9-Inverness-Perth-road-deaths-up-since-average-speed-cameras-installed-28072015.htm

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/new-speed-cameras-a9-limited-6147534#mFzTuPpJsQVlqB04.97

CaptainFlashheart – Member
My father was a pilot. He stuck by, and instilled in me, “8 hours, bottle to throttle”.

I’m sure there’s a legless pilot joke here, if only I was brave enough.

Because I don’t drink late and drive the next day ever. However if the limits were lowered to virtually zero then you would surely be a lot more likely to be over that limit?

I’m sure there’s a legless pilot joke here, if only I was brave enough.

(not my father, BTW!)

wrightyson, it’s not totally prescriptive. It requires the user/drinker to make some value judgement. The sentiment, however, is sound. Don’t drink and drive. Give it a good rest between beer and vroom vroom.

That’s the fella 🙂

To be fair, I do find it confusing, who measures their own drinking in the same terms as the law? But I’m not an idiot, so faced with the tricky question of “can I have 1 pint, or not” I have no pints, rather than going “it’s a bit confusing this” and having 3.

Then again I think I’m technically a binge drinker, because I can’t usually see the point in 1 pint.

Because I don’t drink late and drive the next day ever. However if the limits were lowered to virtually zero then you would surely be a lot more likely to be over that limit?

Excellent. Well that’s kind of the reason they’ve been lowered in the past.

Whilst being very anti driving under the influence of drink or drugs there is a difference between those who drink and drive the same day/night and those over the limit after say 6hrs sleep. Not condoning either but one always seems way more deliberate to me.
I’d have the system we have now for minor offences and a lifetime ban for the more significant. Oh and lifetime bans for driving with a mobile phone to your ear as that seems standard practice for far too many idiots!

Texting while driving is where it’s at now.

Whilst being very anti driving under the influence of drink or drugs there is a difference between those who drink and drive the same day/night and those over the limit after say 6hrs sleep. Not condoning either but one always seems way more deliberate to me.

Some people would try to rationalise the driving on the night by saying the drink affected their judgement, it was late at night, the roads were quiet, there was no public transport, perhaps a plan fell to pieces (e.g. wallet lost, fell out with lift home, or missed the last bus)…

…now compare that to driving the next day: in rush hour, when public transport is available, and you are presumably thinking straight enough to go to work…

Are you sure the culpability is less?

Pilots, cabin crew, train drivers, etc have a limit of 9 micrograms of alcohol in breath, 22 is still too high IMHO

Drac, So if reliable breathalysers came down in price and were readily available would you still sit high up on your horse and say just don’t drink even if there’s a remote chance you might drive the next day? I can’t see the issue, pre driving check is surely the safest way other than not drinking at all, and for many that just isn’t going to happen so don’t quote that bit in your next reply. Surely that’s the same thinking as in places in Europe where they are compulsory in your car, I’m sure they’re not there to help you change a tyre or fuse.
Anyway crack on with your one man morality show as I have enough arguing to do at work each day.

‘I’ve only had one’ would never wash as an excuse if you blew over. The limit up here has been dropped and it’s something I agree with. It really has made the majority of people reconsider the attitude of a couple will be ok.

Has it caught more people the morning after ? Not sure, probably but not massively, at a guess. Lowering it further would not be necessary just yet I don’t think. there will always be people who think they are immune to it all and drink a ton and fail the test massively. A lower limit wouldn’t change the results of those fools.

Has it caught more people the morning after ? Not sure

Probably not caught unless backed up with a bunch of random testing, quite common out here in Oz and picks up a load of other problems too.

poly – member
Some people would try to rationalise the driving on the night by saying the drink affected their judgement, it was late at night, the roads were quiet, there was no public transport, perhaps a plan fell to pieces (e.g. wallet lost, fell out with lift home, or missed the last bus)…
…now compare that to driving the next day: in rush hour, when public transport is available, and you are presumably thinking straight enough to go to work…
Are you sure the culpability is less?

Yep. The ‘same night’ offender has 100% knowledge of committing an offence, the morning after offender less so. I suspect they are also involved in more serious accidents but I haven’t researched that or whether such stats even exist.

I’m not allowed to comment. 😐

Drac – Moderator
I’m not allowed to comment.

You just did so you might as well be hung for a drunken sheep as an over the limit but rested lamb.

if reliable breathalysers came down in price and were readily available

Interesting one that – my wife is diabetic, so she must test her blood glucose before she drives to ensure she is not a danger to herself or others.

I guess in some ways having a breathalyser in the car would be the same thing – rather than, as some seem to portray it, a way to avoid being caught.