Drunk bicycling on rise amid nighttime cab shortage

Ttareungyi bicycles of Seoul's bike-sharing system are parked near City Hall Station in central Seoul in this September 2018 photo. Korea Times file

By Lee Hyo-jin

An increasing number of Seoul residents have been caught riding bicycles under the influence of alcohol, which is illegal under the Road Traffic Act, amid an ongoing shortage of taxis at night.

Recent data from the police showed that the number of drunk cycling cases reported in Seoul between April 18 and May 16 stood at 72, a 41-percent increase from the 51 cases reported between March 20 to April 17.

Since April 18, when the government eased the social distancing measures limiting private gathering sizes and the operating hours of restaurants and bars, many people have been struggling to grab cabs during nighttime peak hours, which has apparently led them to attempt to ride bikes instead.

Under the Road Traffic Act, it is illegal to ride a bicycle under the influence of alcohol. Since September 2018, those found riding a bicycle or other vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.03 percent or higher may face a fine of 30,000 won.

In particular, the police noted that a growing number of Seoul residents have been using Ttareungyi ― the capital's public bike-sharing service ― while drunk.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, those who are found to have used Ttareungyi while drunk will be banned from using the service for a year. But the city authorities are having difficulty locating violators due to limited access to information on the users.

"We have requested the law enforcement authorities to provide information about the people who were caught using Ttareungyi while drunk, but we have yet to hear back from them," said a Seoul City official.

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