A van driver thought this shredded tyre was ‘safe to drive on’ at more than 40mph.
That’s according to traffic cops who stopped the motorist on the A34 dual carriageway in Stockport.
The driver was given a lesson by police on what a legal tyre looks like — and was then made to change it and reported.
Incredibly, the person behind the wheel told police that he thought the ripped-up rubber merely needed ‘pumping up’.
In a tweet, Greater Manchester Police added a ‘facepalm’ emoji to signify their dismay at the nature of the driver’s actions.
It said: “[Police vehicle] XT41 stopped this vehicle travelling at speeds above 40mph on A34 dual carriageway, [in] Stockport.
“Driver stated the tyre was safe to drive on & thought it just needed pumping up.
“Driver [was then] educated on what a safe, legal tyre looks like, made to change the tyre & reported.”
In the UK, it is an offence to drive a car with less than 1.6mm of tyre tread on the central three-quarters of its surface.
That regulation applies to the entire circumference of the tyre, so even a dip in one section of the contact patch means it needs replacing.
The AA says motorists should aim to change their tyres when they get to below 2mm for safety reasons.
Front tyres typically can last for 20,000 miles from new to needing replacement, with back tyres usually lasting for 40,000.
Your driving style can wear them down quicker, too, the organisation says — with high-speeds, high loads, aggressive cornering and braking, and under-inflation all contributing to needing a new tyre sooner.
