Can You Get A DUI For Riding A Bicycle While Drunk In New Jersey

So we all know that it's illegal and extremely dangerous to drink and drive, but what about riding a bike after you've had a few cold ones?

One of my favorite parts of living in Ocean Gate is that with a quick 5 or 10-minute bike ride I can be at the beach, the gym, or any number of awesome local watering holes.

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And if I do find myself grabbing a drink or two at the end of the day, the last thing I feel like doing is driving there.

So, I've been riding my bike to places like B2, the Anchor Inn, and MJ' in order to avoid having to find parking and of course, so I don't have to risk drinking and driving.

That got me thinking though, what are Jersey's laws when it comes to drinking and biking?

Is It Illegal To Ride A Bicycle Under The Influence In New Jersey?

The short and simple answer is yes.

Operating a bike while under the influence can land you with a DUI since under state law you are prohibited from operating a vehicle under the influence and that includes manual and electric-powered bikes.

In fact, bicyclists are supposed to follow all traffic laws while out on the road, I didn't know this either.

Will You Get A DUI For Riding A Bicycle While Under The Influence?

This I thought was interesting; according to Kugel Law since a bicycle isn't actually a motor vehicle, if you're caught riding while intoxicated the charges won't immediately jump to a DUI.

In fact, Jersey doesn't have a set BAC limit when it comes to riding a bike while under the influence, but that doesn't mean that you won't get in some sort of trouble with the law.