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Europe Topics specific to Western and Eastern Europe, from UK to the Russian border, and south-east to Turkey.
Photo by Alessio Corradini, on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, of two locals

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Alessio Corradini,
on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia,
of two locals



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  #1  
Old 28 May 2008
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Exclamation List about alcohol limits and penalties in Europe
Hello dear fellow riders,

I know not many of you drink and ride, but some us do, mainyl when on the road somewhere in Italy, when there is fantastic food (and wine) around. Anyway, for those who like a glas of wine instead of coke, here is a list about the maximum allowed alcohol levels in the different countries of Europe as well as the sometimes very high penalties for drunken riding!

Please be aware, alcohol does effect your riding skills even in low concentrations, so it might be better if you drank water instead of wine, in case you have to ride afterwards!!!

Anyway, here it is:
http://www.moto-adventure.ch/theorie...en_europa.html

So keep it on two wheels and until later
Burnout1
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Old 28 May 2008
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Helpful - but not the full story.

In some countries there are two maximum limit levels. The lower attracting little more than a Fixed Penalty, rather like a Parking Ticket, and the higher attracting full penalties, driving bans etc.

For example in the UK, the anti-DD brigade want the UK to reduce its 80 limit to 50 and cite France as having this lower limit. What they 'forget' to say is that France has (or had) the 2 stage limits, the lower at 50 with a small fine and the higher at 80 with similar penalties as UK - large fine, driving ban, penalty points, possible prison, etc.

Cheers.....!
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Old 1 Jun 2008
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Denmark has a fixed fine system, the fine is not based on income, which I think the table suggests. But they throw you in the brig if you drive with more than 0.5.
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Old 4 Jun 2008
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The answer here, is very very simple, NEVER drink and ride or drive.Just ask someone who as been in accident with someone stupid to enough to have a drink and then get in a car or ride a bike.Once you have had a drink, forget about the bike until the following day. Yes, we all enjoy a drink but the two things do not mix.I do not mean to offend anyone, its just my very honest opinion.
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Old 4 Jun 2008
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count the hours...
Important to remember also that the metabolism of alcohol by the body is limited to 10 grams an hour, which is where the "standard drink" measurement comes from (one standard drink = 10 grams of ethanol).

That means that if you have a big night with plenty of drinks that ends in the wee hours of the morning you can still be over the limit well into the next day...

And remember "work is the curse of the drinking classes" (O. Wilde)

Damien
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Old 4 Jun 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by burnout1 View Post
Hello dear fellow riders,

I know not many of you drink and ride, but some us do, mainyl when on the road somewhere in Italy, when there is fantastic food (and wine) around. Anyway, for those who like a glas of wine instead of coke, here is a list about the maximum allowed alcohol levels in the different countries of Europe as well as the sometimes very high penalties for drunken riding!

Please be aware, alcohol does effect your riding skills even in low concentrations, so it might be better if you drank water instead of wine, in case you have to ride afterwards!!!

Anyway, here it is:
moto-adventure.ch - Alkohol-Promillegrenzen Europa

So keep it on two wheels and until later
Burnout1
I also hear from people living in Italy and Croatia that the police's attitude can vary. They might view a local guy with most of a bottle inside him perfectly capable of riding 10 km home, but won't extend the same to tourists going back to a hotel. Don't use the locals as your guide unless you are part of their group. Even then, i'd be too worried about getting in an accident to even have one.

IMHO don't risk it, buy and carry to your campsite, pick hotels near bars or use public transport when you go out for the night.

Andy
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Old 4 Jun 2008
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Where we live in France Ryanair have recently started 3 flights a week to the UK and I was told at my French class the other week that the police have started a purge of stopping drivers near the airport around flight time.
The theory is that people will have had a last meal with their friends before driving them to the airport and lo and behold driving some friends to the airport last week I got stopped and breathalised.
Another first in my life, I've never been breathalised before.
And yes if you must know I did pass, but considering I haven't had a drink for something like 5 years it was never in doubt really.
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