I definitly see why its the same charge as a car would be. It's two fold, first is like sombody said above, what if they are not really aware enough to see a car was comming from behind them in the left lane and they change lanes and cause that car to have to swerve onto a median or even into oncomming traffic and causes an accident. Thats one reason to be charged the same way.

The next that nobody said yet, and I am supprised the officer didn't say is they are sworn to "protect and serve" the public that also means you as the drunk cyclist. Unfortunatly in alot of drunk driving accidents the person responcible for the accident is unharmed or barly injured while the victims are severly injured or even dead. Now on a bicycle instead of behind the wheel of a car your a signicant threat to yourself if you cause an accident.

As a very neutral person I do somwhat agree with what the person said above with in how the DUI laws are inforced, sure if you pull sombody over and they have watery eyes and slurred speach chances are even if they appear to drive ok they are pretty drunk and they might be driving straight just out of muscle memory and have very poor reaction times and awarness.

But if you pulled me over after work when I was a bartender, I bet I was over the legal limit quite a few times but I had no slured speech, no watery eyes, and could drive perfectly. Each person reacts diffrently to how alchol effects them. Sure I am the minority: Martial Arts training, Fast Matabolism, Bartending and Marines made it so that I very much have almost an immunity to alchohol. I dont even drink to get drunk as it would be a waist of my money.

So in my case I think it would be unfair to get pulled over for a equipment voilation and get a DUI for going 3 mintues down the road to get home when I can and do drive better at that point than half the people on the road with not one drop of alcohol in there system.

I would do any road side test, or even drive thru a obsitcal corse to prove it ^^

the officer is also right about increasing intoxication tho, I have to give him that. If sombody just had 3 shots "for the road" and got pulled over 10 mintues later on there 30 mintue trip home. They might be buzzed when they got pulled over but striaght up "**** faced" by the time they get home.

Thats why I would pay carfull observation to how far the person has to drive as an officer. A ticket or two can ruin sombodies life. I am a close friend to many law enforcment officers in my area and I know the ones I feel are truly there to "protect and serve" and the ones that are just abusing there power or trying to meet there unspoken quota.