gerv 

Yes... that's my guideline too and I try to avoid the high alcohol brews you often find with craft beer. If you can hold that line, riding is pretty pleasant w/o being dangerous.

I'm pretty sure that would put you over the limit in Canada though which has stricter laws.

ro-monster

Riding bikes to bars doesn't seem to be a thing where I live. But we only have a few bars in the area, and they're not very interesting places.

wipekitty

Riding to bars has definitely been a thing in three of the last four cities I've lived in. The rowdiest was probably a Thursday Cruiser Ride, which consisted of 100+ people in costumes riding around to bars for five hours and getting totally lit. I participated in a few organized bar-hopping rides, but it turns out that they weren't very much fun after I quit drinking.

I'm generally supportive of people riding bikes to go out to bars, especially if it prevents drunk driving. Even with OUI laws, I'm guessing that it takes a lot more alcohol to do damage with a bike than with a car.

wahoonc

I don't mind a cold beer or two while out riding... but around here the closest bars are known for their bar brawls, not something I am interested in. In Boston we use the T for the brewery tours...

Aaron

Walter S

I usually have a night at a local pub on Fridays. I might spend a few hours there and have several beers. I'm sure I've been technically DUI on many occasions. I do try to recognize that and stay within safe limits on my ride home (which is five miles from the pub). I'm on quiet neighborhood roads (25 mph limit) except for a couple of busy road crossings.

I think there's a lot to be said for being DUI on a bicycle vs. DUI in a car. In a car, you have a ton (literally) of liability hurling down the road. On my bicycle and with the route I follow, if I crashed (which I never have) then I'm probably not going to kill myself and I'll be the only one hurt by it (in all likelihood) and at least I won't kill or maim anybody.

gerv 

Good point. The likelihood of fatality is a lot less. But you might be every bit as liable if something did happen.

krobinson103

Never ever drink and ride. Anything that impairs reaction/judgement is sure to affect how safely I ride.

capejohn

Touring the GAP recently it was very common to stop in some small town for lunch. There were always more than a couple of touring cyclist having a beer or two with their lunch.

Walter S

It's a calculated risk. And one I manage reasonably well. Things like "never ever" are too limiting to me. I have slight impairment on my way home. I compensate with quiet roads for my route home from the bar. I also slow down a good bit because I know it's common to quickly put on too much speed for your surroundings when intoxicated. Finally, there's a difference between being high vs falling down drunk. I haven't been stumbling drunk for at least 25 years.

If there's still some risk, so be it. Should that risk manifest itself, at least I had my fun while I could. Better than living by rigid rules to keep me safe and then suffering from a fate that I never considered. Or just let enough "safe" time go by.

SwampDude

I don't care what others do while riding, within reasonable limits, of course, but biking and drinking just doesn't appeal to me. I might enjoy one beer at a trail-side bar on a hot afternoon, but biking with a buzz just seems...unnatural.

Newt Reno

8 miles to the Buffalo House; Stella Artois and the barnyard burger; 8 miles home.

I-Like-To-Bike

Excellent post. Your sensible and intelligent approach to managing your own risk is not often seen on BF threads where the intent often appears to be a desire to (mis)manage everybody else's risk while bicycling.