Cyclist Fined for Drunk Riding

A cyclist had an unpleasant surprise this week when he was found by traffic police officers to have been consuming excessive alcohol before riding his bicycle.

File Photo

Once a bicycle is being ridden it is classed as another vehicle, and the rider is therefore equally responsible for complying with all relevant traffic laws, including not using a mobile phone, not wearing headphones or mobile phone hands free headsets, not speeding, not riding on the pavement, and many more, including not consuming excessive alcohol before riding.

Guardia Civil traffic officers stopped the rider on account of him riding in the middle of the road in a dangerous position.

A breathalyzer test was conducted twice which revealed 0.96 and 0.92 mg/l of expelled air, when the maximum limit is 0.25 mg/l.

The GREEN cycles show the fine issued, the RED show that the vehicle was a bicycle and the breathalyzer results.

This is the first time that recent changes to the law have had to be applied to a cyclist. If you are over the limit then the fine is 500 euro, but when you are over 0.50 mg/l in the breathalyzer test it is treated as a more serious offence and you are subject to a fine of 1,000 euro, and the loss of points from your license.

If the driver was over 0.60 mg/l then it would have resulted in arrest and would be dealt with as a criminal offence, but this applies to vehicles with an engine.

As a cyclist is not required to hold a license, the points are not deducted but the fine is still applied. There is a 50% reduction in the event of prompt payment.