Legal question about cycle lanes

I really don't know why!

Many drivers will suddenly become irate when there is a cyclist in front of them. They often will make stupid, pointless overtaking manoeuvres simply to get in front of the cyclist even though they may be coming to a queue of stopped traffic.

Assuming @Toblerone1978 was moving along the road then they were travelling legally and we're not obstructing anyone.

Entitled driver who doesn't care about the safety of a vulnerable road user?

Or else she was just a dangerous person.

Most cyclists are also drivers. We are actually regular people who happen to occasionally use two wheels rather than four.

Are you saying that when I have right of way, I should pull over because someone wants to go faster than me? Why shoukdnt the driver behind not wait for a safe overtaking opportunity rather than me having to pull over to create one? What makes their journey more important than mine?

Furthermore, I've often had drivers impede me but not stop to let me by. Should it not be reciprocated?

I've encountered pedestrians who were dickheads. I've encountered cyclists who were dickheads. I've encountered drivers who were dickheads. Unfortunately, the dickhead drivers usually are the only ones who needlessly put me in danger. What is your point anyhow?

There does appear to be a lot of people who are unaware of thè rule and will happily proceed to instruct cyclists travelling legally on what to do. Frequently, I have a motorcyclist pass me on the N4 around Lucan. He is travelling along the bus lane and will always point at the adjacent cycle path/footpath telling me that I should be there. This is despite the blue signs indicating my entitlement. That he is the one actually travelling illegally does not appear to register with him...

This morning the N4 was backed up and the private cars were moving much slower than I was. The usual habit is for some drivers is to nip into the bus lane and drive quickly to the next junction. Of course, with me there "holding them up" the natural thing the eejit in the black Audi could do was blast his horn at me several times when I didn't get out of his way, even though I was travelling legally and he wasn't.

I've had multiple road users including bus drivers, taxi drivers and private vehicle drivers beep me for using bus lanes even though I wasn't delaying them or anything. They see a "perfectly good cycle lane" and assume that I'm a prick because I am not in it. That I could be doing 30 or 40km//h on a narrow bumpy surface with joggers, pedestrians, dogs, glass, etc doesn't register. That I've to cede priority at junctions doesn't register with them. They have no experience of riding a bike and make the incorrect assumption that I am being an obnoxious dick.

However, outside of a discussion with other cyclists, have you ever heard an RSA advert or read anything that told you that cyclists don't need to use cycle lanes where provided? How are the general public supposed to know when nobody in authority will tell them?