So with the seasons festivities just around the corner. The parties are already starting, a few beers after work. How do you handle it? We all know we shouldn’t drink and ride. For a biker its as much your own life at risk - more so - even than other peoples. So whats your view?
Do you go out and stay non-alcoholic? Do you find this a waste of time and rather take the bike than bother socialising?
Do you have a limit where you will still ride home? What is it? 1 pint? 2? 3 as long as its over 3 hours? Where do you draw the line?
How about riding on a hangover the morning after? Do you consider this safe enough? Will you never ride when hungover? Maybe you ride no matter how bad the hangover because pubic transport is so bad. The crisp air will make you feel better anyway, no? Maybe you just take the car instead!?
It’s zero alcohol if im riding the bike… when I was younger and I had a summer BBQ at my house I had just HALF a can of beer and was egg’d on by my mates to pull some wheelies on my motocross bike in a field which is just behind my house. I fired the bike up, took it out into the field… rode it down to the other end so I could do a whole field long wheelie… but… on getting to the end of the field and turning round to start my wheelie I then found myself crashing :doze: and that was just on HALF a can… since then I never ride with any alcohol in my body.
Its NEVER worth the risk… as we all know alcohol effects your balance and balance is a KEY part of riding a bike.
I don’t touch a drop if I am riding and will only have half a lager top when in the car, it’s just not worth it. But I agree that it’s way more fun to watch other people get p1ssed and laugh at them :w00t:
I have a pretty low alcohol tolerance and I also invested a lot of time and money in getting my licenses so I don’t drink at all if I would be driving.
I do imagine that drink driving would be great fun if you could do it in a controlled envrionment like an airfield. Drink riding might be a bit dangerous even in a controled environment.
I have done drink cycling in The Netherlands. I believe it is illegal but tolerated (like most good things in The Netherlands). The cycling infrastructure protects you from most evils but the odd canal can catch you out. It’s fine so longs as you keep going but when you stop it can be problematic. I wouldn’t drink cycle in London.
I set myself a limit of 2 pints. And drink slowly - that is not keep up with the rounds. This’ll be over a couple of hours at least. I agree its risky, but because I cant quantify the difference and I’m not legally over the limit I’m happy to do this. Not noticed that I have more ‘near misses’ in this condition.
And i do ride with a hangover, primarily because the transport sucks so much. Im not a big drinker, so i dont think I’m still drunk in the morning! I should get myself a self breathaliser for interest.
I imagine you’re not the only one who’ll have one or two.
I’m in the no alcohol if riding or driving camp, myself. I can enjoy a social gathering after work without the need for alcohol. Also having known more than my fair share of alcoholicas in my time, it puts you off drinking anyway.
Generally I leave the bike at home if i’m out on a proper booze up, but if its just a quiet drink and i’m on the bike I may have a couple of pints over an hour or two, but generally have shandies to halve the amount of booze and then I don’t have to sip really slowly which is too frustrating.
As above though, Becks Blue is a great beer to keep off the booze if your mates are all out to get drunk and you’ve got to stay sober.
I don’t really drink and ride because I don’t drink much these days and even after 1 pint I know I’m not quite right lol. My dad can happily drink a pint or two and feel confident to carry on riding but then he potters round on a BMW. I don’t mind having a pint or two if i’m just round the corner from home, though.
When I passed my CBT I really needed some cigs after a night out and took my xr125 to the shops…I wasn’t THAT drunk but I was concentrating so hard on making sure that I looked sober I was doing well over the 30mph speed limits :Whistling: Luckily it was like 5am and no other traffic was around (this wasnt in London)
Not big or clever, wouldnt do it again
I do ride quite alot in the morning the day after a night out unless I’m REALLY f*cked up, but I’m aware I’m not at my best, drink plenty of water, have breakfast and take it easy!
Being teetotal, drink driving is something that has ever really concerned me, and my wife is also teetotal.
But, having spent 20 years picking up the pieces as a result of those stupid enough to think they could handle their drink and still drive probably put me off anyway, and on the basis that my licence is a privelige rather than an entitlement, it is something I caught onto at quite an early age.
I nicked a little old lady one night who had crashed her car. She was three times over the legal limit, and witnesses confirmed that all she had drunk during the evening was one glass of sherry.
Everyones capacity is different, but what I can never understand is that some people are adamant that they will not drink alcohol when riding the bike, but they are quite happy to have a drink when they are driving the car. The level of impairment remains a constant, but the damage that can be caused by the car is potentialy greater than can be caused by the bike, so why do people differentiate?
Not having a pop at anyone, just a genuine question.
I think also that if you kill a pedestrian that walks out infront of you without looking you’ll probably be ok in court. If you are found to be under the influence they will probably throw the book at you.
And with respect to work parties, alcohol doesn’t make them any better it just doesn’t make them seem as bad at the time.
I know 3 people who have been banned the morning after a night out on the lash.
One was involved in an accident , she was waiting at the lights when a car jumped them and hit her whilst she was stationary. 20k worth of damage and the insurance refused to pay out as when she had to blow in the bag was over !
Why risk it ? 2 pints wont even touch the sides nowadays !
I’ve ridden with hangovers before, not if I’m still really fuked though !
I don’t take the bike if I’m out on a session, if I’m popping somewhere briefly with the bike I might have 1 or 2 pints but that’s about it.
