This guide is for general information only and is not legal advice. Laws change — verify current rules with your state DOT or a licensed attorney before relying on this for any legal matter. Read full disclaimer.
In Vermont, the DUI statute does not apply to bicyclists — it covers motor-vehicle operators only. Vermont's DUI statute (23 V.S.A. § 1201) applies to a person who operates a 'vehicle' on a highway while under the influence. The Vermont Supreme Court held in State v. Goodhue, 2003 VT 85, that the term 'vehicle' in the DUI statute does not encompass bicycles. As a result, the standard DUI statute does not reach bicycle riders. An impaired cyclist may still be cited under public-intoxication or careless-and-negligent-operation statutes. See 23 V.S.A. § 1201 (Operating vehicle under the influence of alcohol or other substance).
A DUI charge isn't on the table for cyclists in Vermont, but that's not a license to ride drunk — public-intoxication, reckless-conduct, and disorderly-conduct charges can still apply, and cycling impaired dramatically raises crash risk.