Over time, my personal rules have changed for drinking and riding.  They've become more lax.  And that's probably not good.

When I'm in the twisties, there is no drinking.  None with lunch or otherwise.  The coupla of times other people have ordered a beer with lunch, I've turned up an eyebrow, but decided--based on the person, their judgment, how they ride and the sort of route we were taking home--that I wasn't going to say anything.  Beer is allowed afterward.  We often stop to have a beer on Michael Moore's deck after a morning of twisties.  Other times we head to the local moto bar for a post-ride drink. 

When I ride to the bar (1.5 miles away from home) to meet up with riding buddies or after a ride, I drink and ride.  I'll have 3-4 beers over 4-5 hours, 1 beer over 1 hour, or 2 beers over 2 or 3 hours.  No bourbon.  Too hard to gauge amounts and its effects.  I probably shouldn't ride in those situations, but I do.  I can think of at least two occasions when I got home and realized I shouldn't have ridden, even if I was under the legal limit.  If I'm planning on *really* drinking, I take a cab.  Others drink more and ride.  Their choice, as poor as it is.  One of these days, when we grow all curmedgeony (new word!), we're going to re-evaluate meeting at a bar.  But not anytime soon. 

I have...

a beer with lunch maybe.

Makes me brave...not a good thing when riding on the street.

just one impairs my judgement, i'd likely have another, and another.
so i don't have any when i ride.

Quote from: DuCaTiNi on November 09, 2008, 03:46:29 PM
just one impairs my judgement, i'd likely have another, and another.
so i don't have any when i ride.

That is exactly how I am with drinking.  Once I start I tend to keep going.  If I know I am going to be drinking at all I leave the bike at home or parked!

When I was 21 and got my first bike I had my only experience with drinking and riding.  I dumped the bike on a right hand turn and rode the bike into a drainage ditch.  That was it, I never rode and drank again.  Now, I don't drink at all so it is no longer much of an issue. 

Several years ago we used to have a subscription with NHTSA.  Included were alcohol related fatality statistics.  The highest risk groups were those who were really drunk (no surprise there) and those who had one or two drinks.  My guess is the people who were over the limit compensated, but those who only had one or two were just a little dumber and a little braver.  Obviously motorcycles are a different issue since they fall down and are more difficult to operate.

I ain't no saint, so I won't preach, just be aware.

When I drink and ride I find it hard not to spill.

Most of my beer either ends up on the bike or my jacket.

I wouldn't go so far as to killing a 24 pack with 2 buds, but I can have a couple beers and ride fine.  Not that I choose to do so, but I have once and didn't have any problems as I was practically sober.  I've ridden high as shit once too, not by choice though.  I left my bike in an alley and forgot about it and smoked way too much at my friend's house.  I thought I was going like 90mph on the fwy but I was only going like 50. 

With that said, I'd rather ride after a couple beers than after a couple hits.  But I prefer to ride without either.  (When I go out to drink I take my truck and make my gf drive, there's no way I'm driving knowing the way I drink.)

I have met a guy that smokes a bowl before he hits the canyons.  Not sure how he does it but he's pretty damn good.

Quote from: ducpainter on November 09, 2008, 12:11:01 PM
Makes me brave...not a good thing when riding on the street.

Oh! pregnant dog please.

A thoughtful person, like you maybe, probably doesn't get brave, or stupid or anything from a beer - maybe even two.


LA

Quote from: lauramonster on November 08, 2008, 01:15:30 PM
fellow riders gave me an easy rule to remember :  The maximum number of drinks = the number of tires on what you're driving. 

Phew!!   Hope you never get a chance to drive an 18-wheeler!      

I get smashed and then I ride home
... on the T
On the bike I stay clean.  I'm uncoordinated enough when I'm sober.

(the T is the Boston subway system)

I'm 59 now and don't touch a drop of alcohol mainly because it triggers an almost instant Migraine Headache.

When I was in my late teens I rode with a pretty rough bunch .

One Saturday we went to a Town not too far away and our objective was to drink a beer in each bar on each side of the main street.

I would say that there were probably 15 bars total .

About all I remember was at the last bar we went in , I went into the men's room and proceeded to to put my fists through the walls which were that black wall board .

I must have done it a 1/2 dozen times before one of the guys I was riding w, came in and yelled that the owner had called the Police .

I don't know how but next thing I knew it I was screaming out of town and heading for a country road.

I never saw my riding buddies again that day. In fact I have no memory of how I made it home.

That would have been a big fine and jail time. I guess I was lucky that day.

I was running errands today and drove past a biker bar and there were 2 Harleys that looked like they cost $40,000 a piece or more.  They looked like show bikes.

All I could think was how much the riders would drink and what if they wrecked them .

The only thing I can use and ride on is caffeine or prescribed Provigil which the Air Force gives to the B17 Pilots that have to make those bombing flights from Missouri to the Middle East and back to Missouri.

Those 2 things will keep me alert and allow me to ride for 4 hours at a high intensity.  I only drink tea or take the Provigil 1 at a time , never the 2 together.

You know how Caffeine gives you more energy and mental acuity.

At my age and with Osteo Arthritis of both knees and hips , the stimulating effects seem to take my mind of the pain even with a Celebrex, Aleve,  and 2 Arthritis strength Tylenols.

As far as riding is concerned , and getting older , it sucks to have all the pains of a very ,very active lifestyle catch up to you. 

44 years of Golf, lots of Hiking , 15 years of Body Building, and several years of Enduro Riding .    Dolph

You know you've probably had too much to drink when you stop at the lights and forget to put your foot down.

Quote from: brimo on November 15, 2008, 01:58:33 AM
You know you've probably had too much to drink when you stop at the lights and forget to put your foot down.

Thinking back to my earlier years.....I'm afraid I RESEMBLE that remark     

A buddy of mine had just crashed his Kawasaki K900 a few months before and insurance had bought him a brand new K1000.  He was still in a cast but one evening we decided that if I rode pillion with him, at stop lights he could put down his good (left) leg and I would balance the bike if it leaned to the right.  All would be good...right?

Well we get downtown and we slow for a light.  He is busy fishing for neutral so no foot down.  I'm checking out the ladies on the sidewalk instead of paying attention.  We didn't quite hit the pavement but I'm sure we looked like quite the pair of keystone cops trying to keep that bike upright . 

Yes....I think alcohol may have been involved.      

it's a simple equation:

# drinks ≤ # wheels of vehicle operating
∀ familiar w/ their own tolerance