alan, those arent bike lanes. Theyre the council paying lipservice to government regulations by doing the minimum they can get away with. They are an insult to ratepayers and utterly useless. A bike lane is physically separated from road by a kerb or similar, and can't be driven or parked on. As for cycling in the rain, get waterproofs. I'm biased because I make them for brands in China. They work. So get riding. It's good for your health, saves you money, good for the environment, prevents congestion, and , most important, it's fun. And as an added bonus, that moron Andrew Grimes will hate your guts. AND, it's safe.