Cyclists face arrest if they are over the alcohol limit in Bordeaux
Cyclists face arrest if they are over the alcohol limit in Bordeaux
Police in Bordeaux are clamping down on cyclists who drink and ride. Anyone stopped on their bike and found to be over the alcohol limit risks being taken into custody.
10 cyclists were detained for being drunk in one evening, reports The Times. One of those involved told how she was stopped after drinking five glasses of wine at a dinner party. She was strip searched and placed in a cell, an experience she described as "a nightmare".
Police argue that their actions are necessary and are in response to a series of
accidents involving cyclists. However, the French feel differently and are calling for more tolerance. Nevertheless, travellers renting
gites in France and other accommodation should be aware of the risks.
The
clampdown forms part of recent campaigns by officials in France to curb the nation's drinking habits, which have sparked anger in wine growing regions. Wine expert Marie-Christine Tarby-Maire said that France had fallen into the grip of a "prohibitionist lobby".
"Soon we'll be arrested for walking home drunk," one listener told Radio France. Meanwhile, Bordeaux's deputy mayor, Michel Duch-ène said that cyclists were being treated as "potential criminals" and being "stigmatised".
Overall, 15 cyclists have been detained in
Bordeaux after being found to be above the
legal alcohol limit, facing fines of 90 euros (£84). However, it is not just cyclists in Bordeaux who have fallen foul of the law. According to cycling associations, dozens more have been arrested in other French towns and cities.
Bordeaux police defend their stance and say that they are targeting both those with pedal bikes and motorcyclists. "If we didn't allow these people to sober up in
custody, we'd be leaving them in a dangerous condition where they'd be liable to commit an offence," said Bordeaux's police chief, Albert Doutre. Doutre said that two-wheeled vehicles were responsible for 60 per cent of accidents on urban roads.
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