Nelson Street, Bristol

Has anyone else used the exciting new nelson street contralow painted cycle lane, yet?

The contraflow used to be up on the footway (separated by a painted line) but there are building works, so they've moved it out as a contraflow painted lane on the carriageway instead.

Except I'm not convinced that they've told any of the bus drivers, nor have they considered actually enforcing the double yellow lines along there.

What this means is that I'm riding in the contraflow cycle lane, a bus is approaching (did I forget to say its more-or-less a single lane road, one way, but a main bus route?); the bus moves to go around a van parked unloading to the Chinese supermarket, not paying attention, then brakes as he sees me and another bloke riding a trike coming toward him.

Now, I was riding in a marked lane and was actually at the pinch point caused by the parked van before the bus was, which from my point of view gives me priority so the bus ought to have waited until the road was clear of oncoming traffic (ie. me and trike guy!).

Instead, the bus kept right on coming and then stopped about five feet away from me so the driver could practice his swearing and rude hand gestures.

I shouted that it was a contraflow cycle lane. He shouted back that the cycle lane was on the pavement (you know, behind the builders' big metal fence) and that I should have been up on their or out of his f-ing way, or anywhere else.

He could only proceed if me and trike guy left the contraflow lane and went around him (which I'm pretty sure would have been illegal?).

The builders (who'd put the fence up and closed the cycle lane in the first place) all thought it was hilarious.

Yes, dear reader, me and trike guy both did indeed (illegally) ride around him and then carry on.

So, my questions - (1) if I reach a pinch point first (and am actually in the pinch point) then sureluy the bus ought to have waited? (2) is it worth me complaining to the council that when there are illegally parked vehicles all along the other side of the road from the new cycle lane, the road is not wide enough for a bus and a bicycle to safely pass each other?, and (3) what f-ing idiot thought that this was a good idea to sign it off???