The Green Party is openly supportive of tightening the blood‑alcohol threshold for cyclists.
Swantje Michaelsen, the traffic spokesperson for the party’s Bundestag faction, told the “Rheinische Post” on Saturday that they would, in principle, back an additional alcohol limit of 1.1 ‰ for riders. The current German limit of 1.6 ‰-defined as absolute inability to drive-would therefore be lowered.
Michaelsen stressed that cycling overall must become safer. “Stricter rules for alcohol at the wheel would be sensible as well” she added. She also called for a decisive acceleration of building safer, continuous cycling networks to protect riders.
In the debate over a stricter threshold, Stephan Stracke, the deputy parliamentary group leader for the Union (CSU), urged a stricter stance on cannabis use by cyclists. “Cannabis consumption should also be scrutinized. I see it as equally concerning for on‑bike safety as alcohol consumption” Stracke said to the “Rheinische Post”.
He further pointed out that reviewing and possibly tightening the limits is sensible, especially if statistical data from the Federal Statistical Office show a continuous rise in bike accidents involving alcohol. “It is taken too lightly to hop onto a bicycle while drunk and endanger oneself and others” he remarked, and added that action is needed.
According to a recent survey commissioned by the German Road Safety Council, a majority of respondents favour a stricter blood‑alcohol limit for cyclists.