June is Bike Month throughout Colorado and is a great time to get out and cycle for transportation and fun but be cautious about Bicycling Under the Influence. We hope you’re enjoying the great weather and our wonderful local bike trails, but be aware that if you’re cycling to Colorado’s great brewpubs you can STILL get a DUI on your bike!
Colorado law states that anyone operating a “vehicle” cannot be driving while impaired or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This includes bicycles, scooters and other sorts of “people-propelled” conveyances as well as the more commonly understood cars, trucks and motorcycles.
If you are traveling on a bicycle and you are exhibiting behaviors that may cause a law enforcement officer to question your ability to drive, they can contact you to determine your fitness to be operating your bicycle. If you are administered a roadside sobriety test, it may be determined that you are “biking under the influence”. If a breathalyzer or blood test determines that your blood alcohol concentration (or BAC) is above the legal limit, you can be arrested and charged with a DUI.
A driver of any vehicle, including a bicycle, who has a BAC between .05% and .08% is considered to be “driving while ability impaired” while a BAC of .08% or higher it is considered to be driving under the influence. If the rider is under 21 a BAC of just .02% is considered sufficient impairment to be charged.
Know the law and know your limits. A charge of driving under the influence on a bicycle carries just as many penalties as driving a motor vehicle with the exception of having points assessed against your motor vehicle driver’s license (and possibly losing that license). However, a DUI is still incredibly costly both financially as well as in terms of time, risk to your livelihood and to your relationships with family and friends.
Having the right attorney is critical to the outcome of ANY charge of driving under the influence, whether by motor vehicle or bicycle. The professional attorneys of Maher & Maher Law are very experienced in DUI law and are highly rated by their satisfied clients. Read their client reviews and the results from the cases they’ve successfully handled. If you’re facing a DUI from any vehicle, call Maher & Maher at 719.301.7500 to see how they can help you.