You don’t own a car, so you just ride your bike from the dorms to an off-campus apartment. You have a few drinks with friends and then, as the party winds down, you head back to the dorms on your bike.
Can you still get a DUI if the police pull you over for riding your bike while intoxicated? You assumed you were safe from any legal ramifications. Could you be wrong?
You can get a DUI on a bike
It is true that you may face DUI charges, even if you’re on a bike. Never assume that it can’t or won’t happen. If it’s clear to a police officer or a campus security officer that you’re impaired while riding, they may stop you.
Even if you do not face DUI charges, you could get other charges. Perhaps you’re underage. You could get in trouble merely for drinking, even if the police don’t charge you for riding your bike. Perhaps you’re riding through public areas; you could get charged with public intoxication or something similar.
In many ways, biking is safer than driving. Even those who own cars sometimes opt to ride when they know they’re going to be drinking. You’re far less likely to hurt someone else or cause an accident. But you also need to know that you may be violating the law, regardless of your intentions.
What should you do if you get arrested?
If you do get arrested and find yourself facing serious charges that could impact your college career, you must look into all of your legal defense options. This isn’t a situation you want to try to handle yourself.