Had the the pleasure of doing a cpc course with a cycle safe team, one of the first questions is “should bikes always use cycle lanes” to which everyone replies YES!!
As the day progresses they teach you how to cycle to protect yourself, and demonstrate how most cycle lanes are in the worst places/ unsafe. This was in Manchester and part of it would have you at risk of a wheel down the side of a tram track and off your bike.
Sadly cycle infrastructure is put in to get the council money, think they get so much £ per mile. So no thought goes in to good infrastructure, it just get crammed in anywhere to the frustration of all road users, the cyclists hate it as much as drivers.
I’ve commuted to work for 3 years now and i feel so much healthier, fortunately there are showers at work as the UK climate isn’t really ideal for cycling! and i can go by canal towpath so don’t hold anyone up, although the walkers hate me as much as drivers do! (Ps, I don’t wear lycra either)
We all need to rub along together, after all every cyclist or pedestrian is a car removed from the queue in front of you.