DUI on a Bicycle?

[Traditional_Ale]

If I know I'm going to have more drinks than I should and obviously won't be driving my truck home, can I get a DUI on a bicycle? I've ridden my bike home (on the roads) completely smashed before and never worried about it. But now I'm hearing from my boss that they can technically hit me up with a DUI while on a bicycle.

Would that make my driver's insurance go up then, in that case?

[Temporary_User]

I've ridden a bike past on a cop drunk before @ 3am. He didn't stop me.
I would think that if you were able to actually ride the bike well enough that you falling into traffic isn't too likely, they would let you off with just a warning. Maybe they would even throw your bike in the trunk and give you a lift the rest of the way?

This all assuming that they can actually charge you.

[sadora]

just a word of advice, if you plan to be that drunk, ride your bike on the sidewalk.

[jayswin]

There was a kid killed on Anderson road last year, coming home from Willow park golf course where he worked. He got drunk and rode his bike, and apparantly that was the biggest factor in his death.

Riding your bike drunk would have to feel pretty cool though, although still not as fun as driving your car drunk.

[gottabekd]

Well, you can definitely be charged for public drunkenness. Hell, it is "illegal" to walk home drunk.

[sadora]

Originally Posted by gottabekd

Well, you can definitely be charged for public drunkenness. Hell, it is "illegal" to walk home drunk.

It is illegal but you'll only be charged if you're being a disturbance. I remember walking home drunk from down town a few years ago, when I lived in the NE. I can't remember the reason why but I just thought it would be a cool idea. Anyway, I started to get lost walking along memorial on the bike patch so I decided that the best way to get home would be to follow the c-train line, literally. It was about 3 in the morning so there were no trains, and about 20 minutes into my walk a cop stopped, laughing, asking me what I was doing. He never charged me and just ended up giving me a ride home.

[Daradon]

I think that technically you could be charged, as it's technically a vehicle, though your way more of a danger to your own life than anyone elses. Also, because you should be following the rules of the road, if your on the road, you could get charged with other things if you caused an accident.

Though I imagine most cops finding you in such a situation, they'd probably just be happy enough you didn't drive a motor vehicle. Like Sadora's story I think most would let it go or even help you out.

Stick to paths and sidewalks if you can and I don't really see any problem with it.

No.

From the Criminal Code of Canada:

“motor vehicle” means a vehicle that is drawn, propelled or driven by any means other than muscular power, but does not include railway equipment;

Impaired Driving:

253. Every one commits an offence who operates a motor vehicle or vessel or operates or assists in the operation of an aircraft or of railway equipment or has the care or control of a motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft or railway equipment, whether it is in motion or not,
(a) while the person’s ability to operate the vehicle, vessel, aircraft or railway equipment is impaired by alcohol or a drug; or
(b) having consumed alcohol in such a quantity that the concentration in the person’s blood exceeds eighty milligrams of alcohol in one hundred millilitres of blood.



Riding mowers, electric wheelchairs, pocket bikes are fair game.

[The Fonz]

Be careful, a buddy and myself got bikes for the sole reason of riding them home from the bar. I only wiped out once, and it wasn't too bad because I managed to fall onto someones front lawn. My friend wasn't so lucky though, too many times he'd wake up in the morning with bloody hands and knees...

[BlackArcher101]

Sounds like a recipe for disaster....

And a good story

[Calgaryborn]

I know a guy who got a DUI in B.C. while on a bicycle. He ran into a stop sign. The police found him or saw it or something. Wayne got his licence back shortly after I met him. He picked up his second DUI in his car the first weekend after getting the licence back. This time he went through a road check which friends have warned him to avoid.

[Temporary_User]

Originally Posted by Calgaryborn

I know a guy who got a DUI in B.C. while on a bicycle. He ran into a stop sign. The police found him or saw it or something. Wayne got his licence back shortly after I met him. He picked up his second DUI in his car the first weekend after getting the licence back. This time he went through a road check which friends have warned him to avoid.

haha good friends! Let him drive drunk, but warn him about checkstop spots.