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Police tell M25 cyclist: It's not a velodromeM 25 sign.png

Police tell M25 cyclist: It's not a velodrome

Rider was found on hard shoulder near Watford on Sunday lunchtime
by Simon_MacMichael
Mon, Feb 06, 2017 18:13
10

Police in Hertffordshire yesterday told a cyclist that the M25 motorway is not a velodrome - as they accompanied him offf the busy route for his own safety.

The police found the man, riding a black and green road bike, at around 2pm on Sunday afternoon near Watford.

The interception was revealed in a tweet from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgshire and Hertfordshire Road Policing Unit.

Cyclists are banned from mtorways in the UK, although despite prominent signs at junctions warning them not to take the slip road onto one.

Whether due to failure to understand signs, blindly following GPS directions or through a deliberate decision to ignore the law, riders do often end up on the busy routes.

Examples from last year include a 12-year-old boy from Eccles being found by police riding along the M60, and a family of four, believed to be from abroad, escorted from the A74(M) at Beattock in south west Scotland.

 

M25
motorway
Hertfordshire
Simon MacMichael

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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10 comments

Avatar
Valbrona | 7 years ago
0 likes

Is this where the wallabies are?

Avatar
LastBoyScout | 7 years ago
0 likes

Couple of years ago, I saw someone riding a mountain bike down the hard shoulder of the M4 approaching J13. It's a fair trek from J12 and not sure where else he could have got on from.

Avatar
jollygoodvelo | 7 years ago
1 like

And yet, it has those lovely wide lanes at the side that no-one seems to be using!

 

(I know, the M25 in Herts is now "smart", so actually they are being used.  Shush).

Avatar
PaulBox replied to jollygoodvelo | 7 years ago
0 likes
jollygoodvelo wrote:

(I know, the M25 in Herts is now "smart", so actually they are being used.  Shush).

Where?

Avatar
Stumps | 7 years ago
2 likes

"The M25 is not Hertfordshire's new velodrome"

lush, sarcasm at its best.

Avatar
Dnnnnnn replied to Stumps | 7 years ago
0 likes
Stumps wrote:

"The M25 is not Hertfordshire's new velodrome"

lush, sarcasm at its best.

Exactly. It's Kent's and Surrey's and Essex's too.

Avatar
Valbrona | 7 years ago
0 likes

The signage is unclear, particularly so to foreigners. Where is any indication that cycling isn't allowed?

I use autostrada in Italy and at all entry points there is signage saying cycles/mopeds/horse drawn vehicles are not allowed.

Avatar
Yorkshire wallet replied to Valbrona | 7 years ago
5 likes
Valbrona wrote:

The signage is unclear, particularly so to foreigners. Where is any indication that cycling isn't allowed?

I use autostrada in Italy and at all entry points there is signage saying cycles/mopeds/horse drawn vehicles are not allowed.

Maybe you should read up on the traffic laws of the country you're visiting rather than hoping everything is spelt out in big letters.

Avatar
ktache | 7 years ago
4 likes

And motorised vehicles are meant to obey speed limits that are prominently displayed on signposts pretty much everywhere.

 

Avatar
Ush | 7 years ago
0 likes

Judging by the  car-worshipping Twitter profile they have up I am sure it gave them great pleasure:

https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_banners/1870784455/1480525911/1500x500

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