Over half of cyclists drink and ride, and 25% don’t care

Over half of people in the Netherlands have at one time ridden their bike under the influence of alcohol, according to a survey on behalf of insurer Univé.

And 25% of those in the survey think cycling while drunk is a “normal” thing to do, the survey found.

Nevertheless, in 2023, some 2,000 cyclists suffered a brain injury as a result of a fall when drunk, twice as many compared to 10 years ago, the Telegraaf reported on Friday.

“We do not have the figures for this year yet, but I have a feeling the upward trend will continue. We are also going to see drunk fatbike riders,” Yara Basta, chairwoman of the association of emergency doctors NVSHA told the paper.

Basta said drunk cyclists receive injuries more often to their their face or brain because they lack the reflexes to break their fall.

“What is needed is information about the medical, financial and legal consequences,” she said. “Policing should be stepped up because just telling people off doesn’t work.”

“It is an offence to cycle while drunk, and not every cyclist is aware of this,” police spokesman Bert van Haaften told the paper. “The size of the fine is determined by the prosecution office. It’s not a minor infraction; offenders will be left with a fine and a police record,” he said.

Traffic safety organisation VNN is in favour of more measures but said these shouldn’t lead to more people drinking and driving a car. “If you are at a party and people tell you cycling home is not such a good plan, just get a bus or a taxi,” VNN spokeswoman Willemijn Pomper said.