Image courtesy of Bild, Licensed Under Creative Commons

Do you recall Charles Alexander Diez, the man who shot bicyclist Alan Simons? Reportedly, Diez was infuriated by Simons because he was leisurely riding a bicycle with a 3-year-old child? Luckily, the bike-rider dodged the bullet, but equally surprising, Diez received only 120 days jail time; that is a 4 months sentence. Has harassment and targeting of bicyclists become a recent trend? In Germany, Christopher-Felix Hahn, a student of theater science in Gießen, was banned for fifteen years, from riding a bike, skateboard or any other “unlicensed vehicle” on the streets. Although Hahn’s case does not involve unlawful death or attempted murder, it seems outrageous that a cyclist could receive such a harsh punishment. What was the cause?

In the early morning of June 2008, Christopher-Felix Hahn was on his way home from a a party. During his bicycle-ride, he was stopped by the local police. After a breath test was administered, Hahn’s blood-alcohol content read 0.171%, over three times the German legal limit of 0.05%. As a result, Hahn paid a €500 ($700) penalty and it was further declared that he could not apply for a driver’s license until his record was cleared.

However, what later followed was a slew of requirements that pressured Hahn into a medical and psychological examination at the high cost of €500 euro. ”In Germany, all arrests with a blood alcohol content finding of over 0.16% must be reported to the drivers’ licensing bureau.”  Therefore, an exam must be rendered. After receiving notice, Hahn dismissed the letter figuring he had no plans on seeking a driver’s license, so why bother. Authorities did not take his decision lightly. A second missive was distributed, but in this letter, it was stated that Hahn was prohibited from using any license-free vehicle on the public streets for at least fifteen years.

According to TreeHugger, “Most cyclists in Germany know someone with a friend-of-a-friend who lost their driver’s license because they were caught cycling drunk.”  In some parts of the U.S.,  you can receive a citation for riding a bicycle under the influence, and in Hawaii, your driver’s license can actually be revoked. Statutes regulating drunkenness under operated vehicles vary from state to state. Usually, it is in the court’s decision to define a ”vehicle” and determine the distinction between transportation powered by humans and a motorized vehicle.

Either way, I’d take the safe route. If you are feeling tipsy, don’t get behind the steering wheel -you just might injurer yourself. And sport a helmet, (even if it is un-cool), you never know when you might upset an unfriendly passer-byer.

via Sarah Wolfson, 1 December 2009 2:34pm | 1 |