exactly. being a little lit just makes it so you cannot feel the lactic acid in your legs and makes the wind hitting your face feel totally outrageous. it's a good ****ing time, especially with friends. i'm sorry that the detractors here are too absolutist to realize that one can drink and ride with discretion. i can just say that i'm glad i don't hang out with any of you.

i will admit that i've ridden home from the bar before when i've been pretty damn gone, but that's not what i'm advocating (if there is anything at all that i am). at a certain point, it is definitely bad judgment. however, even in those cases, you really only stand to hurt yourself. like others have said, that's where driving and cycling differ importantly. for me - i will walk if i am to the point that even walking in a straight line is dicey. but, that takes a whole lot of alcohol. i can ride just about as well as i can walk in any circumstances. of course, that differs from person to person. i've known kids who have trouble on their bikes after 3 or 4 drinks -- they probably shouldn't be riding.

that all said, it may not be prudent to ride drunk due to legal issues. if it constitutes a DUI where you live, and the cops are known to arrest cyclists, then you are probably well-advised to be extremely careful. you might be playing against the odds. around here, however, i've never heard of a cycling DUI, or, really, any cases where a cop has bothered someone riding a bike about intoxication issues (there was one time that a cop stopped a friend and recommended that he ride on the sidewalk to get home, but was apparently extremely nice about it). even though it's just columbus, the cops have better things to deal with -- like drunken fratboys torching couches.

the situation isn't black and white, so don't pretend that it is.