I don't have an issue with the concept of cycle lanes, what I have an issue with is the fact that they put them in the stupidest of places and often where the road is barely wide enough for cars, never mind the addition of a cycle lane all this does is force cars on to the wrong side of the road and increase the risk of a head on collision.
Clachnaharry is the prime example where half the road is given over to the cycle lane. Not only have I never seen anyone cycling there, but if you drive anything larger than a Fiat Panda you have to either drive in the cycle lane or on the wrong side of the road!!!
Andddd....even where they have the cycle lanes separate from the road (Culloden Road at the A9 end and the end of Barn Church Road nearest the town) the cyclists still insist on using the road :029:
I can't make up my mind if bike users on British Roads are extremely brave or extremely stupid, and I do have a certain sympathy for them, but at the end of the day most roads just aren't suited to coping with the ever increasing levels of traffic and cyclists just add to the problem. If cyclists want priority lanes then they should be expected to pay the costs of widening/upgrading roads to accommodate them instead of expecting it to come out of the pocket of the motorists.