The electric bicycle breathalyzer: The bike you can’t ride drunk

A group of engineers from Taiwan believes that drink riding is likely to be such a problem in the future that electric bikes will need a built-in breathalyzer.

The bicycle built at Chienkuo Technology University includes innovations such as an electric motor to drive each wheel and handlebar warmers, but the most notable feature is a handlebar-mounted breathalyzer that prevents the bike from being ridden if the cyclist is over the legal limit.

Two-wheel drive bicycle

The bike does not have any direct drive between the crank and the rear wheel. Instead of driving the the rear wheel via a chian or belt, the pedals run a dynamo to charge to a lithium iron phosphate battery. Both the front and rear wheel are driven by their own electric motor.

The designers have applied to patent the electric bicycle and hope to offer it for sale after further development.

A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “With over £1.5bn of bicycle exports each year, Taiwan is a centre of knowledge, but we can’t imagine there will be a huge demand for bicycle breathalyzers.”

Riding a bicycle while under the influence

Drink riding and the law

The electric bicycle with built in breathalyzer

Section 30 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, as amended by the Road Traffic Act 1991, provides the offence of cycling on a road or public place whilst under the influence of drink or drugs. It states that a person who, when riding a cycle on a road or other public place, is unfit to ride through drink or drugs is guilty of an offence. A separate offence, ‘cycling dangerously’. can be fined by up to £2500.

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