As a confirmed teetotaller the attraction of alcohol has never been evident. I have no problem with people drinking the stuff (in moderation) but I just don’t get spending copious amounts of money on something that can have all sorts of nasty side-effects
But, when alcohol is combined with motorcycling, I DO have a problem. In the same way as I have never been in favour of cigarette advertising in the sport, the intrusion of the brewers into the sport never appealed to me either, regardless of the amount of money that these rich organisation poured into it.
I cheerfully blow in the bag whenever I am asked to do, reasoning that I am helping the police weed out the idiots that are drinking and driving and potentially risking their lives and mine by doing so.
My problem with alcohol and motorcycling is something much closer to home. Over the years I have done a lot of motorcycle touring and it is here that it has intruded into my space. You see, some (quite a few, actually), motorcycling friends over the years have used a trip away on the bikes as an excuse for hitting the booze a great deal more heavily than they would be doing if they were home. “What happens on the road – stays on the road.” mentality.
This has always presented me with a dilemma. As a non-drinker I respect their right to enjoy themselves and, when the bottle and glasses start piling up, I usually head for the room and get some shut-eye and leave them to it. BUT, my problem is, in the morning, when we set off on the next leg of the journey, I am riding in the company of guys who are, at least to some extent, still affected by the alcohol they drank last night.
On the occasions that I have (diplomatically) brought up the subject with my riding buddies I have been told that it isn’t a problem, that they didn’t really drink that much and that their riding capabilities remain unaffected. Somehow I have never found this to be very reassuring. If it takes as long as the boffins tell us for the body to metabolise the stuff, then it stands to reason that these riders will have that alcohol still in their system in the morning with their bodies still attempting to metabolise it. Add the fact that sometimes the drinking doesn’t stop till well into the small hours, the time gap between the last drink and the start-up in the morning seems to be perilously small.
When I was in the army, many, many years ago, I spent some time in the Sergeant’s Mess at 1RTB. I was young and naive and still learning a lot about life. I was also away from home, bored and lonely. Unlike the majority of my colleagues, I didn’t drink but I did get very good at snooker and darts! But as a dispassionate observer, I was able to watch the effect that the ingestion of large amounts of beer and spirits had on these soldiers. A huge number of them would start drinking as soon as work finished in the afternoon at 1600 and would still be at the bar when the Duty Officer came to close it at 2300. And the sight of them trying to perform their duties the next morning at 0400 was not a pretty one.
So, my concern about riding with a group of riders, some of whom could potentially be impaired, has been one that has existed for quite some time. On some of the tours that I have completed, watching the condition of some of my fellow riders the morning after the night before certainly reminded me of those days.
Can you ingest large quantities of alcohol and be sharp and ready the next morning for the road and the split-second decisions that need to be made there? I can’t say from personal experience but I am not sure that these riders could say, hand on heart, that it hasn’t affected them to some degree. It is no surprise that RBT stations operate early in the mornings as well as at other times.
Before anybody says that RBT is just revenue raising or that the limit for DUI is set too low, let me just add that the weight of all the evidence is against you. In test after test it has been shown that a driver who exceeds, even fractionally, the .05, does have their faculties of perception, reaction and confidence affected.
So, what is the Plan B? It would be churlish in the extreme to suggest that a cold drink or two at the end of a day in the saddle be denied to someone who appreciates it. And, in the case of motorcycle touring, there is no public transport option if one is careless or brash enough to over-indulge the night before. If it is not only the safety of the rider but also of the riders riding with him in question here, then surely there is an individual as well as a corporate responsibility here?
Getting away and exploring on the bike has been one of the great joys of my life. Some of my best memories involve great experiences in the saddle. Perhaps my penchant for solo touring has been a reaction, in part, to the concerns that I have had about riding with mates who have celebrated not too wisely the night before.
Again, let me say that I respect and will defend the right of people to drink alcohol. In a society where our personal liberties are being increasingly intruded upon, we need to be on our guard against the over-proscribing of our lives.
In these situations, self-regulation is the only way that safety can be achieved. And, for those to whom self-control, especially when it comes to drinking, isn’t an option, then it’s “Phone a friend”. In the same way as we look after ourselves ON the road, we should be responsible and caring friends OFF the road as well. If you think your mate has had enough and may not be 100% in the morning, step up to the bar and say so. He may not thank you for it, but it’s his safety and yours in the morning that matters.
This has been an especially difficult article to write. To those where it has hit a nerve, my apologies, no offense has been intended. If, however, it has caused you to think about this issue next time you go riding, then it will have been worthwhile.
Make sure you have a Plan B.
dunc says
same phil
dont drink here and yep worry about the others in a group ride after a night drinking
do a lot of solo riding myself because of this as I feel safer out there
just have to watch all the other driver/riders lol
jeffb says
Tough topic to write about,Phil, but you have handled it well. For many varied reasons, I rarely intake any alcohol but that is my choice. I have had some terrific group rides and functions but can relate to feeling similar thoughts to those that you have written about here. Always fun to be overnighting with a group. Many do show restraint and that is great. Perhaps I should be bold and speak about this issue sometimes when it is needed. Jeff
Phil Hall says
Thanks, Jeff, a particularly hard topic, this one, hard to get the right balance.