Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Police Scotland on X
Police like to tow stuff, be it super-expensive cars or even Batman's favorite ride. However, Police Scotland recently took the WWW by surprise with a photo showing how the officers towed… a beer bike.
If you're a tourist and have been to Europe, you probably know what a beer bike is. While some people think they are disgraceful, beer bikes have become a tourist favorite in many European cities, including Barcelona, Berlin, and London.
Tourists find it incredibly entertaining and amusing to pedal while driving beer, and while I admit there's a thin line between fun and annoying in this case, beer bikes have their fans worldwide. The police in Edinburgh certainly aren't among them.
The officers recently seized a beer bike due to what they described as "safety concerns and road traffic offenses." The police's social media manager thought it'd be interesting to post a photo with the officers seizing the beer bike online, believing the WWW would praise their efforts to keep communities safe.
Well, the post backfired almost immediately, with netizens describing the police officers as killjoys and calling the whole "operation" a waste of time.
While the police attempt to put "the blame" on locals, citing community concerns as the reason for seizing the beer bike, I'm with the officers from a "traffic offenses" perspective. People exploring a city while drinking beer and pedaling couldn't care less about traffic rules, often putting themselves and others at serious risk of accidents. I don't think they should be banned, but not allowing them on public roads unless they use special lanes shouldn't be allowed.
Several European cities have already banned beer bikes, including Amsterdam. The Dutch authorities no longer allow beer bikes due to people using them typically getting drunk and becoming a public order problem. Alcohol doesn't play nice with controlling a vehicle on public roads, so it's not a surprise that many people, including in Scotland, favor a full ban on these beer bikes. Authorities haven't expressed their intention on new regulations, but the police no longer seem to accept traffic offenses. This case could be a turning point, especially as netizens have become very vocal on the presence of beer bikes on the streets of Edinburgh.
Police Scotland explained in the tweet that "further inquiries" are ongoing, with more information likely coming at a later time. Most people seem interested in traffic offenses, but the police didn't share additional information.
Tourists find it incredibly entertaining and amusing to pedal while driving beer, and while I admit there's a thin line between fun and annoying in this case, beer bikes have their fans worldwide. The police in Edinburgh certainly aren't among them.
The officers recently seized a beer bike due to what they described as "safety concerns and road traffic offenses." The police's social media manager thought it'd be interesting to post a photo with the officers seizing the beer bike online, believing the WWW would praise their efforts to keep communities safe.
Well, the post backfired almost immediately, with netizens describing the police officers as killjoys and calling the whole "operation" a waste of time.
While the police attempt to put "the blame" on locals, citing community concerns as the reason for seizing the beer bike, I'm with the officers from a "traffic offenses" perspective. People exploring a city while drinking beer and pedaling couldn't care less about traffic rules, often putting themselves and others at serious risk of accidents. I don't think they should be banned, but not allowing them on public roads unless they use special lanes shouldn't be allowed.
Several European cities have already banned beer bikes, including Amsterdam. The Dutch authorities no longer allow beer bikes due to people using them typically getting drunk and becoming a public order problem. Alcohol doesn't play nice with controlling a vehicle on public roads, so it's not a surprise that many people, including in Scotland, favor a full ban on these beer bikes. Authorities haven't expressed their intention on new regulations, but the police no longer seem to accept traffic offenses. This case could be a turning point, especially as netizens have become very vocal on the presence of beer bikes on the streets of Edinburgh.
Police Scotland explained in the tweet that "further inquiries" are ongoing, with more information likely coming at a later time. Most people seem interested in traffic offenses, but the police didn't share additional information.
Officers from the Leith Community Policing Team stopped and seized a beer bike on Leith Walk, around 11.20am on Saturday, 16 March, 2024, following safety concerns and road traffic offences. We are aware of ongoing community concerns and further enquiries are ongoing.#NECPT pic.twitter.com/y7UQu6M8rL
— Police Scotland North East Edinburgh (@PSOSNEEdinburgh) March 16, 2024
Google News