Cycle lanes next to roads

[medals]

This is what I e-mailed:
At 4.55pm I was cycling city bound between the Kenilworth/Kempas Highway junction and Coat of Arms Bridge Road. The said bus driver when overtaking me, tooted his horn and montioned me to use the cycle lane(I do not use this lane for various reasons, one of which being that I cycle quite fast,15 to 18mph). I looked around but ignored him. I caught the bus up and overtook it in stationary traffic at the junction of Earlsdon Ave South. As I was riding past the prep school the bus overtook me again. As he did so, he used his horn in a prolonged manner and as I looked around he made an obscene gesture at me. When I caught up with him again at the Kenilworth Rd, Leamington Rd junction, I asked him what the problem was and he shouted a string of expletives at me. I pointed up at the bus number to tell him I would be reporting this.
I didn't have an issue with him tooting his horn in the first instance.(although horns should only be used in an appropriate manner and I am legally within my rights to use the road) I would have just let that go.
It was his premeditated intimidatory behavior afterwards that has promted me to make you aware of this. As a professional public service vehicle driver in charge of a large vehicle and responsible for the safety of passengers I would expect better really. In all honesty it is my opinion that he took umbrage to being overtaken by me in stationary traffic and decided to 'teach me a lesson'. I would appreciate it if someone had a word with him about his behavior that day.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.

 

[benb]

text more text
(trying to fix the italics)

 

[HLaB]

Unfortunately they are enforceable, and prosecution and fines are possible.

Generally if you're spotted it's just a ticking off though. I did manage to get a caution letter from Essex Police about ignoring one on the A13. I wasn't impressed, it was 3 O'clock in the morning and the only other vehicle anywhere around was the police car which stopped me.(What I said to Mr Plod was probably more the cause of the letter than the actual cycling offence )

Bummer, I thought it was just Scottish law :-(

 

[mark i]

Let us know how you get on. I have had issues with Travel West Midlands in the past at the Solihull end of my commute from Coventry. I reported these on the travel West Midlands website and had no response beyond the standard we have your comments response. I responded to the last one having been hit (gently) by a bus that next time I would be actively seeking witnesses and would bypass the feedback website with a visit to the Police station for failing to stop at the scene of an accident and writing to Co directors. Since then I have not had any issues..... (touching wood) I still don't know if that is co-incidence or something happened?

 

[medals]

Still not heard anything Mark i. I'll give it another week and ring them.

 

[gb155]

Just a quick question. Is it illegal to ride on the road when there is a designated cycle path running alongside it?

A very rude bus driver I encountered today seems to think it is. Before I fire off a complaint to the bus company, I need to get my facts right.

Many thanks in antis...

As others have said, no its not, but bloody typical of bus drivers.