Drinking alcohol and bicycling don't mix Published July 2, 2008 By Senior Airman LaRhesa Morgan 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- There have been speculations surfacing about being able to ride a bicycle after consuming alcohol. Not only is it against the law, but it's a safety hazard. Some may think that it is not as severe as getting into a car and driving drunk, but it is. According to the 52nd Fighter Wing's Safety Office: A study by a team of researchers at Johns Hopkins University concluded that, "It has been shown that riding a bike requires a higher level of psychomotor skills than driving a car and that performance conditions decline progressively as blood concentrations of alcohol increase. One study found that one third of fatally injured riders had elevated blood alcohol levels at the time of their accident. In addition, a blood alcohol concentration of .08BAC was found to increase the rider's risk of fatal or serious injury by 2,000 percent. Only five percent were wearing a helmet. To ride safely, you must pay attention to your surroundings, identify potential hazards and quickly and skillfully make decisions. Alcohol can impair all these skills. Road and traffic conditions change constantly. Motorcyclists are vulnerable and can't afford to make mistakes. One study indicated that bicyclists are nearly four times more likely to suffer a head or brain injury if they had been drinking alcohol. Despite what some may believe, drinking and riding a bicycle is against the law. The same laws and consequences apply to a drunken bicyclist as a drunk automobile driver. They can still receive a DUI or DWI. Once they get on the road, they are not only putting themselves at a high risk, but others as well. So go out and have a great time, but use your head; think safety first.