Amsterdam's 'Beer Bikes' Drive Into Trouble

“Beer bikes”—party vehicles that combine two of Amsterdam's favorite things—are under scrutiny after two recent accidents involving the gizmos, Reuters reports. Each large conveyance seats 10 peddlers at a central bar while a non-drinker steers. “This beer bike is completely legal,” said a transport official who is nonetheless “not very enthusiastic about this idea of people drinking while being amongst traffic.”

One company that operates beer bikes says it always provides a driver. “We have a very beautiful route and people simply enjoy it,” the owner said. “But some people ruin it for others.” The city isn't openly weighing a ban, but it may require all operators to provide drivers. A motorist involved in a beer bike accident called the vehicle an “uncontrolled projectile.” (More beer bike stories.)