My attention was recently drawn to a poster on a local bus shelter encouraging drivers to look out for cyclists. All very sensible you might think. However, the message told drivers to be careful when opening car doors as - you guessed it - such an act could unseat a passing cyclist.

Thank goodness for that poster. If I hadn't seen it I'd be carelessly swinging open doors to this day. To my mind this really is lowest common denominator stuff – do we really need to be told this stuff?

Clearly we do if the behaviour of an increasing number of drivers is to be believed. You don't need to be a Grade A police trained traffic cop to spot some truly appalling behaviour these days. But such antics aren't the preserve of the driving majority. Guess what - cyclists aren't saints either.

“ Winter is a miserable time for everyone - rubbish weather, short days and long, dark nights - but if you're going to use the road then you really need to play by the rules."

For every driver who doesn't look before opening a car door there are many cyclists committing equally irresponsible acts. From adults who should know better than cycle on pavements to ignoring one-way systems and jumping red lights, such behaviour does little to endear the cycling community to the rest of the population.

Granted, not all cyclists are this badly behaved. However, real world experience suggests it's considerably more than the "selfish and reckless minority" - a line routinely trotted out by pro-cycling groups keen to defend their two-wheeled brethren.

I can deal with the red light and queue jumping antics because I get it - bikes are both more agile and vulnerable than cars so a little free space isn't a bad thing. What I can't stand is if you're going to play the vulnerable card, you really need to use some lights and make yourselves more visible when cycling in the dark. Seriously guys, do you have a death wish or something?

Winter is a miserable time for everyone - rubbish weather, short days and long, dark nights - but if you're going to use the road then you really need to play by the rules. That means bright, reflective clothing and decent lights. And before you start bleating, those 'energy saving' LED lights barely hold a candle to a proper, powerful light affixed fore and aft to your CO2-neutral chariot. Oh, and none of those eye-popping flashing lights please. I’d rightly get nicked if I started that nonsense with my car’s main beam.

“ Everyone needs to play their part to ensure the roads are safe. It’s blindingly clear some need to do so more than others."

Where are the bus shelter posters educating cyclists of their responsibilities? Whatever happened to ‘Get yourself seen’? Clearly public information films of old are no longer fashionable in the brave new world of Lycra and cycle lanes. It's also obvious such initiatives are desperately needed as a carrot, along with a stick in the form of police enforcement.

When was the last time you saw patrols stopping cyclists for non-compliance? If I drive around with a blown bulb there's a fair chance I'll get stopped and punished. Just because you don't pay road tax or display a number plate shouldn’t exempt you from using the facilities responsibly.

Cyclists routinely claim they aren't shown enough respect by motorists. Here's the thing - you need to earn that respect. Flagrantly ignoring the basics and leaving common sense at home won't get you what you think you deserve. Everyone needs to play their part to ensure the roads are safe. It’s blindingly clear some need to do so more than others.

Iain Dooley is a Senior Motoring Writer for BT.com and this week has been mostly dodging pot holes and dark-clothed cyclists, often at the same time

This article is the opinion of Iain Dooley and not necessarily that of BT.