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Mapping app sends cyclist onto M60 motorway

Well, he had been trying to find the quickest way to his destination

A ​cyclist found riding on the M60 was sent there by his mapping app, according to police.

The male rider had been looking for the quickest route to his destination – and perhaps because he hadn’t ensured that the app was set to give bike-specific results, got a bit more than he bargained for.

He was intercepted by traffic officers from Greater Manchester Police who were on their way to a separate incident.

In a tweet posted on Saturday morning, officers said: “#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.”

Highway Code rule 253 states:

Prohibited vehicles. 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.

> Cyclist on motorway pedals past sign warning of … cyclist on motorway

We regularly see reports of cyclists ending up on motorways, whether through ignoring signage or inadvertently being guided there by sat-nav apps.

During last year’s the first national lockdown, a cyclist who had strayed onto the M58 near Skelmersdale in Lancashire due to a sat-nav error was fined after a van driver crashed while trying to avoid him.

> Motorway cyclist fined after van driver crashed trying to avoid him

While no-one was injured, police said that the cyclist himself was very lucky he had not been “wiped out.”

One of the most high-profile instances of cyclists found riding on a motorway came the day before the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, when four cyclists from the Sri Lanka national team were spotted cycling on the M74 near the exit for Motherwell and Hamilton.

> Commonwealth Games cyclists go training ... on a motorway

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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9 comments

Avatar
Philh68 | 2 years ago
1 like

If only police were as diligent with motorists who park in cycle lanes as they are with cyclists riding on motorways…

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to Philh68 | 2 years ago
1 like
Philh68 wrote:

If only police were as diligent with motorists who park in cycle lanes as they are with cyclists riding on motorways…

"removed from the public highway" We can dream.....

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0-0 | 2 years ago
0 likes

I'm waiting for a story about an eScooter rider on the Motorway 😉

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mdavidford | 2 years ago
2 likes

Surprised they were able to spot him - as the photo shows, he wasn't wearing any hi-viz, and so was completely invisible.

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PRSboy replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
0 likes
mdavidford wrote:

Surprised they were able to spot him - as the photo shows, he wasn't wearing any hi-viz, and so was completely invisible.

And his arms and head are grey and featureless.  Evidently he is a ghost.

Avatar
cdamian | 2 years ago
3 likes

When I am King of the World my first decrees will be:

  • every road (including motorways) needs to have a pavement for the public next to it that is wide enough for wheelchairs
  • if a pavement is to small to be shared with cyclists there needs to be a separate bike lane
  • every climb will have a bike lane going up, no matter what
Avatar
Captain Badger replied to cdamian | 2 years ago
0 likes
cdamian wrote:

......

  • every climb will have a bike lane going up, no matter what

In preparation for the revolution, you'll be pleased to know that, for consultation purposes, I'm setting aside space on my stairs for the bike lane. Sire

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
20 likes

It's so easy to stray onto one of these new-fangled "motorways" without even knowing. I mean, I don't even know what those signs mean and the fact that there's an invisible line across the road means that I never even know when the road suddenly changes into one.

It's just another example of people fleecing poor, hard-working cyclists by tricking them to ride on motorways. They've now fined me and sent me the same letter 3 times - what a rip-off.

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Solocle replied to hawkinspeter | 2 years ago
2 likes

You're lucky to get a sign, matey boy!

Sure, you see it now, but when you're looking to make a left turn from the A329 onto the A40 at 3am? The advance signs don't count the farm entrance, so you reach this turning, and should the gate be propped open? The sign on the back isn't even reflective.

Hippety hoppity, you're cycling down the M40.

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