If is it illegal to ride a bicycle under the influence of alcohol can a cycle driver who is drunk be charged in the same way a car driver is?

Answer 1

In the UK you can be prosecuted for being drunk and disorderly whilst riding on the highway but you cannot be legally breathalysed.

I do not know if any cyclist has been convicted. In comparison there were 534,000 drink driving convictions of car drivers in 2003. It is estimated that 560 deaths and 20,000 injuries resulted from crashes where a driver was over the legal blood-alcohol limit

As for international comparisons, while riding on public roads, cyclists must observe the same traffic rules as other road users. In some countries, drunk or drugged cycling is an offence which may be punished similar to drunk driving. It can in principle even be an offence to allow a drunk person to cycle. Thus, the owners or waiters of restaurants should prevent drunk cyclists from cycling and report if necessary to the police. As a consequence, cyclists suspected for drunk cycling must pass a blood alcohol test. In Sweden, although the law does not forbid cycling after drinking, cyclists may be prosecuted for careless behaviour in traffic.