Drivers of non-motorized vehicles warned about drinking

As Spring Festival, the time for family reunions, approaches, traffic police are reminding people that driving non-motorized vehicles while drunk is a punishable offense.

Recently, in Fengxian District, two non-motorized vehicle riders were fined 50 yuan (US$6.95) for drunk driving.

The police said one had collided with a bus, causing serious injury to the rider and damaging both vehicles. The other hit a tree and the rider was injured. Their blood alcohol concentrations were 256 and 197 milligrams per 100 milliliters, respectively.

According to the national road traffic safety law, drunk driving bicycles, tricycles and electric bicycles is prohibited.

Driving while intoxicated is not allowed but drink driving is ok for non-motorized vehicle riders with the blood alcohol concentration between 20 to 80 milligrams per 100 milliliters.

Some netizens were perplexed by these two cases because to avoid drunk driving, some people ride shared bicycles home after drinking.

The traffic police said that alcohol affects people's balance, reflexes and ability to control their vehicle, which may cause traffic accidents.

Some electric bicycles with electric energy consumption and other numerical values exceeding the standards of non-motor vehicles will be recognized as motor vehicles. If people drive such vehicles after drinking, they may be detained.