23/09/2026
Riding between w**eries feels like the smart choice. No car, no designated driver. But is it legal to taste and ride?
Most people assume drink-driving rules stop at cars. In Italy, Austria and Switzerland, a bicycle is still a vehicle on a public road.
Italy sets 0.5 g/l for cyclists. Austria sets 0.8 per mille. Switzerland has no fixed number for bicycles, but police can fine you if you are unfit to ride.
Between 0.5 and 0.8 g/l, the fine runs from 543 to 2,170 EUR. Above 0.8 g/l, riding under the influence becomes a criminal offence.
In 2019, Italy’s Corte di Cassazione confirmed that drink-riding rules apply to cyclists. Cyclists don’t lose licence points, but the fine and the criminal record are the same.
In Switzerland, a slow e-bike assisted up to 25 km/h counts as a bicycle. A fast e-bike up to 45 km/h is a motor vehicle, and the 0.5 per mille limit applies. Ask which one you rented.
No one can tell you how many glasses keep you under the limit. What you can control is how much you actually swallow. Spit, eat, drink water, and book the longest tasting close to where you return the bike.
The full guide covers the law in all three countries and how to plan a tasting day on two wheels. Find it on W**era | W**e experiences, link in bio.