DUII for Bikers

Portland and Beaverton are famous for their love of biking and being extremely bike friendly towns.  But beware.  After getting the bike mojo back, and getting with the flow to become one with the bike, be careful not to ride after doing drugs or drinking alcohol. In Oregon, a biker can be arrested for pedaling under the influence of intoxicants (“PUII”).

Because the drunk driving law in Oregon treats an intoxicated driver the same regardless of whether he or she is driving a car or pedaling a bike, there can be severe criminal consequences. A DUII charge for bicycling while intoxicated can result in community service, jail time and serious fines depending on the number of prior offenses and whether property or people were harmed during the event. Without an experienced Oregon criminal defense attorney, a defendant charged with a DUI may not have someone to ensure the police had a valid reason to pull over a defendant, the police properly administered field sobriety tests, or tests appropriately determined Blood Alcohol Content.  Again, you might think that you did the right thing by biking home while intoxicated rather than driving drunk, but Oregon law does not care.  But you should.