Police stop cyclist seen riding along the M60 because maps told him ‘it was the quickest route’

A gutsy cyclist who decided to cycle down the busy M60 motorway was pulled over, reported and publicly shamed by traffic police officers over the weekend.

Greater Manchester Police traffic officers were on their way to an emergency on Saturday when they spotted a young man cycling down the motorway, where 50,000 vehicles travel at the national speed limit every day.

The police stopped the cyclist and reported him, before sharing a photo of him to give him a big old dose of social media shaming.

Alongside a photo of the culprit sitting shiftily on his bike, they wrote: “#XT84 was going to an emergency when they came across this pedal cyclist cycling along the #M60.

“Rider stopped and stated his maps told him to go on the motorway as it was the quickest route. Rider removed from motorway network and reported.”

Twitter users were quick to express their disbelief over the young man’s actions, with one person writing: “No helmet or any type if safety equipment! It’s all a bit mind boggling.”

Another commented: “Obviously never heard of the Highway Code – is it even referred to nowadays, other than for the driving test of course? Does the cycling proficiency test still exist?”

Bob Abell / Wikimedia Commons

For those of you wondering, Rule 253 of the Highway Code states that ‘motorways must not be used by pedestrians, holders of provisional motorcycle or car licences, riders of motorcycles under 50 cc, cyclists, horse riders, certain slow-moving vehicles and those carrying oversized loads (except by special permission), agricultural vehicles, and powered wheelchairs/powered mobility scooters.’

Cycling on the motorway is illegal, and can result in charges being pressed and hefty fines.

If you’re unsure on the current rules of the road for cyclists (and you don’t want to make the same mistake as this unfortunate pedaler), visit the Cycling UK website for all the dos and donts.