Police escort cyclist off M1 motorway

In Spain you're allowed to ride on motorways (autovias) if there's no reasonable alternative.

In fact, just yesterday I rode a two km stretch of the M501 - not the nicest of roads, must be said, but an unavoidable part of the loop I was doing.

For an example of why it s not advisable to cycle on a motorway, try cycling down the a316 near Staines, most motorists think they are already on the m3, with speed and behaviour to match.

Statistically the Motorways are the safest places for cycling..fewer cyclist deaths than any other road

Quite often those people you see walking their dogs on the motorway are parked up on the hard shoulder because they would rather not have to clean dog muck out of the boot.

Cycling on busy dual carriageways is bad enough. I've been forced to do that once or twice because of no alternative routes and feared for my life.

Found myself on a motorway once not too long after taking up cycling... I didn't know it was for motor vehicles only, and got a bit of a talking to from a guy in a tow truck. Fair enough, lesson learned.

I've spotted two cyclists on the motorway as well as a guy walking his dogs. Fuckwits.

I've followed a "cycle lane" marked Liphook alongside the A3, which gave up on an army tank range without warning about a mile short of its supposed destination. Had to cycle along the dual carriageway itself - 70 mph traffic and no hard shoulder, but at least I didn't meet any tanks.

Me and my brother found ourselves on the hard shoulder of M4 as young lads, we must have been 13 or 14 at the time. I'm still not sure how. Police spotted us, and pointed us in the direction of a slightly safer road going over the motorway.

Youthful japes

Liking the 'confessions' aspect to these comments!

This is proof that they are the most direct routes, ergo parallel cycle routes are required.

Let us laugh at these countries where they do not have clear distinction between their motorways and less major roads.....

OK, don't. In fact I was on the A329 one time and didn't notice it had become the A328(M). Still, I was flying. Doubt anyone noticed.

Shaun Audane reckons he was stuck in traffic on the M25 in Essex a few years back when a guy in full lycra on a road bike nonchalantly rode past - he watched him carry on to the next junction and then turn off.

Managed to get myself onto Ireland's only motorway, north of Dublin about 25 years ago - I was trying to get to Belfast by the quickest route!

When i was younger, fitter and faster (and dafter) i cycled down the M602 in Salford.
Only one junction - it was 4am in the morning and it was in the days before CCTV.
Of course, i do not condone such reckless and potentially lethal behaviour and please let my stupidity stand as a lesson to us all.

meh, these things happen. Spent about 10 minutes accidentally riding on an Autobahn in 2006. That was interesting. New chamois please...

Same in the US; cycling is allowed on rural freeways & may be the only route available. I can't think of a motorway equivalent in the UK since there are invariably other options. I find it hard to believe that someone would choose to cycle on a motorway....mind you, at least you'd get a decent hard shoulder unlike on many dual carriageways where it is legal to cycle. Maybe not so crazy.....

Daft bint. Just plain stupid, I don't even like driving on the motorway let alone riding my bike!

All it takes is an HGV driver having a tug in his cab and you're brown bread.

Seems to be a divergence of opinion re. Australia so here goes:

"You can cycle on freeways in parts of Australia. The State of Victoria allows cycling on rural freeways because they "usually provide the most practical route for cyclists" and they "carry relatively low volumes of traffic on entry and exit ramps that cyclists need to cross." Cycling is not permitted on urban freeways because "there are other routes that cyclists can take." On the rural freeways cyclists are expected to ride in single file and as near as practical to the side of the hard shoulder."

Perhaps it speaks of the car centric view people have of transport that even when using a mode more suited to country lanes people still end up on main roads because that's the way they've always gone. I regularly see people walking on the verge of main roads in the peak district. Where there's not exactly a drought of traffic free routes.

You can legally ride on the motorway in Australia, regularly see riders doing it. Not too bad until you come to a junction!