to think cyclists should use cycle lanes not busy dual carriageway ring road?

[mydoorisalwaysopen]

A cyclist was on the ring road this morning when there is a really good cycle lane next to it. Nearly knocked him off his bike and caused havoc by having to drive v slowly til I could get past so all other drivers behind me getting all shirty with me as they couldn't see him.

Yes I always cycle far enough out that a door opening from a parked car will not hit me. I try to keep a steady line so that I am predictable to those behind me, and I'm not worrying about pulling back into trafic.

YABU. If the cyclist was cycling confidently, in a sensible position on the road, and was well lit, they have as much right to be there as you do.

I hate the assumption that all cyclists are happy to pootle along at 8mph on a crappy cycle path.

And I am trying to think of the last time I saw a cycle path that wasn't a crappy token gesture. If cycle paths were worth using, I'd use them. But they are uniformly dreadful, and assume that you have nowhere to go and all the time in the world to get there.

saintriven-yes normal path, the cycle paths are pretty good, seperate form the bus lane, and then a normal lane. I wish there would get bloody fined. I'd be more sympathetic to children or someone riding with a child on the back, but these where mostly adults fgs.

the police could fine them but like the mobile phone and driving thing, never do. Annoys the crap out of me. I live in an urban area with narrow pavaments and busy roads. Yet some tit will be cycling on the pavement and het all arsey cos there's no room for him to get past dd's wheelchair.

i can lend you dd1 iof you want, she makes very loud comments as they go past, may shame them! doubt it though

Slightly different issue, but last night dh and I were driving along an unlit country lane in the dark when we spotted a jogger, completely dressed in black.

Dh's a sensible driver and saw him in plenty of time, but loads of idiots scream up and down that lane and the jogger's really asking for trouble by not wearing lighter/reflective clothes.

He has every right to run there of course, but just like cyclists need lights and reflective gear after dark, runners are just as vulnerable and it makes sense to protect themselves as much as possible.

Back to the op's subject, yabu - cyclists have a right to go wherever they're allowed - why do you think being in your car surrounded by metal gives you any more right to be on a road than a cyclist?

I am a cyclist, and this annoys me too. Not least because the roads around here are slightly narrower to allow for the larger double pavement/cycle lane at the side of them - it does make it doubly dangerous for the cyclist who ignores the cycle lane (and scary for the driver!)

if drivers are going at a sensible speed and wait until its safe to overtake then whats the problem?

You can't blame the cyclist for your bad driving, mydoor. If you nearly knocked him off his bike, that is your fault, not his for not being in the cycle lane.

There are plenty of reasons why a serious cyclist wouldn't use a cycle lane; most of them have already been listed. But to blame him for your mistake is unfair.

car drivers need to watch out for and be considerate of other more vunerable road users.

I cycle 22 miles a day (to and from work) and cant think of a single reason why I would use any of the cycle paths in my area. Most are designed for leisure cycling and not for those who use bikes as a means of transport. Cycle lanes on the road arent much better tho as its not like the drivers take a blind bit of notice of them anyway.

YABVU.