Drinking (alcohol) and cycling

Simon Brooke said:

I keep noticing (and in my naivete I continue to be astonished every
time) by people here talking about going for a cycle, stopping at a
pub, having a glass or two of beer and then carrying on cycling. I
just could not do that. I will not cycle or drive for about eight
hours after I've had any alcohol - the thought worries me silly. And
yet, clearly, other people do it all the time...

Do you feel it's responsible? Do you feel it's safe?

I've never tried it. I think it would probably make me feel quite nauseous.
Why break your rhythm just to sit in some dingy pub and down pints while
breathing in other people's smoke, etc?

Simon Brooke said:

I keep noticing (and in my naivete I continue to be astonished every
time) by people here talking about going for a cycle, stopping at a
pub, having a glass or two of beer and then carrying on cycling. I just
could not do that. I will not cycle or drive for about eight hours
after I've had any alcohol - the thought worries me silly. And yet,
clearly, other people do it all the time...

Do you feel it's responsible? Do you feel it's safe?

Nope, and nope. Alcohol dehydrates me, I have enough trouble staying
hydrated on a ride as it is, and I avoid anything that does that *and*
leads to pressing urges to dive into hedgerows full of prickly stinging
plants.

Not only that, but I need my skills as sharp as they can be on a bike at
this stage of things - blunting them with alcohol's only going to end
painfully in tears at some point :-)

Personally, I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times
I've drunk *anything* and then driven, let alone as much as a pint or
two, so there's no chance of me doing that then getting on a bike.

Personally I'd like to see a complete bar on
drinking/driving/cycling/operating machinery, but there's too many that
would protest at that still. I just feel that if it impairs your
judgement then it's a bit daft to then do something that puts both
yourself and others at risk.

--

Velvet

Quoted message said:

I will not cycle or drive for about eight hours
after I've had any alcohol - the thought worries me silly.

You aren't the only one. I will not drink alcohol & drive and I won't drink
alcohol & cycle. For both driving & cycling you need your wits about you.

In the car I simply do not want to be responsible for injuring an innocent
third party due to me being drunk and I simply do not want an innocent third
party behind the steering wheel of a car to injure *me* if I am drunk and ride
my bike into them. Nor do I want to drive or cycle into a ditch...

Cheers, helen s

--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
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Simon Brooke said:

I will not cycle or drive for about eight hours
after I've had any alcohol

<deliberate misunderstanding>
I wouldn't go an an eight hour ride after alcohol, it just wouldn't work.
</deliberate misunderstanding>

I wouldn't drink more than a pint and drive (the driving would typically
be several hours later anyway, and the drinking would always be with
food). But I have no qualms about cycling after a couple of pints, or
unicycling after a bit more than that. While obviously my judgment will
be impaired by a couple of pints, I don't for a moment believe that it
is sufficiently impaired to make me a hazard to myself or others.

Your alcohol tolerance may vary. Mine certainly has. When I was a
student I used to drink 5 pints before I started to feel anything, and
most nights I drank a fair bit more than that. Nowadays 4 pints is
about my limit (I'm no longer interested in getting ratarsed, just in
enjoying a decent pint of beer).

--
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address)
<URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

Simon Brooke said:

I keep noticing (and in my naivete I continue to be astonished every
time) by people here talking about going for a cycle, stopping at a
pub, having a glass or two of beer and then carrying on cycling. I just
could not do that. I will not cycle or drive for about eight hours
after I've had any alcohol - the thought worries me silly. And yet,
clearly, other people do it all the time...

Do you feel it's responsible? Do you feel it's safe?

Safe enough. Probably safer than many alternative methods of travel
after drinking. A very large proportion of RTA-injured pedestrians have
been drinking prior to the event.

Why are you particularly worried about cycling while drunk? It's not
like driving a car where there is (a) a significantly elevated risk to
others and (b) a risk to your license (which in practice I'm sure is why
most people don't drink and drive). I don't see how it is worse than
walking.

James
--
If I have seen further than others, it is
by treading on the toes of giants.
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/julesandjames/home/

"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I keep noticing (and in my naivete I continue to be astonished every
time) by people here talking about going for a cycle, stopping at a
pub, having a glass or two of beer and then carrying on cycling. I just
could not do that. I will not cycle or drive for about eight hours
after I've had any alcohol - the thought worries me silly. And yet,
clearly, other people do it all the time...

Do you feel it's responsible? Do you feel it's safe?

I usually have a couple of bottles of bud with my lunch and then cycle the 3
miles back to work each day. This admittedly is only just over a pint, but
I'm not sure I'd want to go with 3 buds!

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 21:35:03 GMT, Simon Brooke <[email hidden]>
wrote (more or less):

Quoted message said:

I keep noticing (and in my naivete I continue to be astonished every
time) by people here talking about going for a cycle, stopping at a
pub, having a glass or two of beer and then carrying on cycling. I just
could not do that. I will not cycle or drive for about eight hours
after I've had any alcohol - the thought worries me silly. And yet,
clearly, other people do it all the time...

Do you feel it's responsible? Do you feel it's safe?

Well, the effect of driving-legal quantities of alcohol on driving is
similiar to the effect of having a cold/flu on driving.

Do you ever cycle with the sniffles? Do you feel it's responsible? Do
you feel it's safe?

--
Cheers,
Euan
Gawnsoft: http://www.gawnsoft.co.sr
Symbian/Epoc wiki: http://html.dnsalias.net:1122
Smalltalk links (harvested from comp.lang.smalltalk) http://html.dnsalias.net/gawnsoft/smalltalk

"Adrian Boliston" wrote

Quoted message said:

I usually have a couple of bottles of bud with my lunch and then cycle the

3

Quoted message said:

miles back to work each day. This admittedly is only just over a pint,

but

Quoted message said:

I'm not sure I'd want to go with 3 buds!

1. 2 bottles of Budweiser = 24 fluid ounce = 1 1/2 pints. Not exactly just
over a pint, IMHO.

2. I've noticed a definite impairment of my peripheral vision after one can
of beer, not sure if I like the idea of cycling in traffic after two cans
(or is your route traffic free?).

3. I had to smile when I saw Budweiser being sold at premium prices in the
UK.
--
mark

Quoted message said:

"Adrian Boliston" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Simon Brooke" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I keep noticing (and in my naivete I continue to be astonished every
time) by people here talking about going for a cycle, stopping at a
pub, having a glass or two of beer and then carrying on cycling. I just
could not do that. I will not cycle or drive for about eight hours
after I've had any alcohol - the thought worries me silly. And yet,
clearly, other people do it all the time...

Do you feel it's responsible? Do you feel it's safe?

I usually have a couple of bottles of bud with my lunch and then cycle the

3

Quoted message said:

miles back to work each day. This admittedly is only just over a pint,

but

Quoted message said:

I'm not sure I'd want to go with 3 buds!

I thought we were talking about beer?

cheers,
clive

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 21:35:03 GMT, Simon Brooke <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I keep noticing (and in my naivete I continue to be astonished every
time) by people here talking about going for a cycle, stopping at a
pub, having a glass or two of beer and then carrying on cycling. I just
could not do that. I will not cycle or drive for about eight hours
after I've had any alcohol - the thought worries me silly. And yet,
clearly, other people do it all the time...

Do you feel it's responsible? Do you feel it's safe?

Drinking and cycling is not something I do often but up to about 3
pints (for me) seems to be OK. More than that and it's time for a
taxi. I agree with Danny that walking is likely to be as hazardous as
cycling after a real skinful.

--
Dave...

Get a bicycle. You will not regret it. If you live. - Mark Twain

"mark" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

3. I had to smile when I saw Budweiser being sold at premium prices in the
UK.

It's only 65p per 330ml bottle at sainsbury's.

In news:[email hidden],
mark <[email hidden]> typed:

Quoted message said:

"Adrian Boliston" wrote

Quoted message said:

I usually have a couple of bottles of bud with my lunch and then
cycle the 3 miles back to work each day. This admittedly is only
just over a pint, but I'm not sure I'd want to go with 3 buds!

1. 2 bottles of Budweiser = 24 fluid ounce = 1 1/2 pints. Not exactly
just over a pint, IMHO.

For some values of pint.

660ml = Just less than 1.2 pints.

Quoted message said:

3. I had to smile when I saw Budweiser being sold at premium prices
in the UK.

It's just a brand. Nobody thinks its special just because it's American.

A

On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 22:57:40 +0100,

Danny Colyer said:

Your alcohol tolerance may vary. Mine certainly has. When I was a
student I used to drink 5 pints before I started to feel anything, and
most nights I drank a fair bit more than that. Nowadays 4 pints is
about my limit (I'm no longer interested in getting ratarsed, just in
enjoying a decent pint of beer).

Alcohol tolerance is a strange thing. While not being a heavy drinker
I will have one or two glasses of wine with my evening meal and not
notice - except today I was practicing one of the Chopin Op.10 Etudes
after tea and also trying to sightread some wierd pre-baroque stuff
for my partner to sing. I could tell I had been drinking.

So I'm not so sure it doesn't affect you, just that you don't (usually)
notice the effects.

Tim.

--
God said, "div D = rho, div B = 0, curl E = - @B/@t, curl H = J + @D/@t,"
and there was light.

http://tjw.hn.org/ http://www.locofungus.btinternet.co.uk/

"mark" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Adrian Boliston" wrote

Quoted message said:

I usually have a couple of bottles of bud with my lunch and then cycle

the

Quoted message said:

3

Quoted message said:

miles back to work each day. This admittedly is only just over a pint,

but

Quoted message said:

I'm not sure I'd want to go with 3 buds!

1. 2 bottles of Budweiser = 24 fluid ounce = 1 1/2 pints. Not exactly just
over a pint, IMHO.

Nah, it's 1 1/5 pints - 20floz to the pint over here...

cheers,
clive

Upon the miasma of midnight, a darkling spirit identified as Simon
Brooke <[email hidden]> gently breathed:

Quoted message said:

I keep noticing (and in my naivete I continue to be astonished every
time) by people here talking about going for a cycle, stopping at a
pub, having a glass or two of beer and then carrying on cycling. I just
could not do that. I will not cycle or drive for about eight hours
after I've had any alcohol - the thought worries me silly. And yet,
clearly, other people do it all the time...

Do you feel it's responsible? Do you feel it's safe?

Depends on the individual, and their alcohol tolerance. Cycling while
drunk isn't as dangerous to others as driving in the same state, and
having just a pint or two isn't going to make most people drunk anyway.

Plus it's quite possible to go to a pub for the social interaction
without drinking anything alcoholic, fruit juice tends to be no more
expensive than beer unless you're unlucky enough to find a place that
still sells it in those daft little mixer bottles. Most places I go to
serve supermarket carton pure juice into pint glasses, and while they
may be making 100% mark-up on it I'm happy to pay 1.50 to 2quid a pint
for it, same as beer plus healthy.

NP: Bruce Dickenson - Tears Of The Dragon.
--
- Pyromancer Stormshadow.
http://www.inkubus-sukkubus.co.uk <-- Pagan Gothic Rock!
http://www.littlematchgirl.co.uk <-- Electronic Metal!
http://www.revival.stormshadow.com <-- The Gothic Revival.

Simon Brooke said:

I keep noticing (and in my naivete I continue to be astonished every
time) by people here talking about going for a cycle, stopping at a
pub, having a glass or two of beer and then carrying on cycling. I just
could not do that. I will not cycle or drive for about eight hours
after I've had any alcohol - the thought worries me silly. And yet,
clearly, other people do it all the time...

Do you feel it's responsible? Do you feel it's safe?

I've never cycled after drinking enough to be over the limit if driving a
car. But the 2 occasions when I have had a pint before cycling, I've
forgotten to turn my rear light on despite feeling completely unimpaired.

I don't drink & cycle any more.

AC

Ambrose Nankive said:

In news:[email hidden]:PumEc.-
[email hidden], mark
<[email hidden]> typed:

Quoted message said:

"Adrian Boliston" wrote

Quoted message said:

I usually have a couple of bottles of bud with my lunch and then
cycle the 3 miles back to work each day. This admittedly is only just
over a pint, but I'm not sure I'd want to go with 3 buds!

1. 2 bottles of Budweiser = 24 fluid ounce = 1 1/2 pints. Not exactly
just over a pint, IMHO.

For some values of pint.
660ml = Just less than 1.2 pints.

Quoted message said:

3. I had to smile when I saw Budweiser being sold at premium prices in
the UK.

It's just a brand. Nobody thinks its special just because it's American.
A

Bud is [censored] anyway,nothing beats a guiness!

--

In article <[email hidden]>,

Simon Brooke said:

Do you feel it's responsible? Do you feel it's safe?

I have no problem with it.

It is different to driving: the exercise/circulation helps keep a clear
head, and - even more to the point - being out in the open air rather
than isolated from it helps with awareness of what's going on and
alertness to anything unusual happening - and hence to hazards.
I should say I'm as safe cycling on three pints (which I very rarely
drink) as driving on one pint (which I commonly drink).

Once in my life I've cycled while so sozzled as to have seriously
reduced control - as I found out when I was unable to turn right
without getting off! But that being at about 3a.m. there was so
little traffic I was able to get off and stand still whenever a
potential hazard (car) approached. As for driving, that one pint
(of something below-average strength) is my strict limit.

--
Nick Kew

"mark" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

1. 2 bottles of Budweiser = 24 fluid ounce = 1 1/2 pints.

Not in uk.rec.cycling it isn't.

Quoted message said:

2. I've noticed a definite impairment of my peripheral vision after one can
of beer, not sure if I like the idea of cycling in traffic after two cans
(or is your route traffic free?).

But would you rather walk to the bus stop, or stand at the edge of a
train platform, including the late-night risk of assault etc?

James