Originally Posted by
daihard
If I am familiar with the road, I should know whether or not the traffic is heavy enough that I should ride in the right lane to begin with. If I'm not, I would probably stop at the intersection and use the pedestrian crossings. If I didn't mind running a red light, I still wouldn't want to do so at an unfamiliar intersection.
First of all, NYC has a "must use" law regarding bike lanes. I don't know whether it has a turning exception or not (I avoid NYC's avenues with bike lanes) but this is one example of why I don't like segregated infrastructure.
The only safe & legal way to make this turn is to wait for a green, cross the intersection to the far side, then wait for the light to change and start off to the right. However if one comes to it on a red, that means waiting 1-1/2 light cycles, when simply turning on the red accomplishes the same thing from a practical standpoint.
Those who place abiding by the law above practical common sense are free to wait, but I'm the opposite and say common sense and practicality trumps the law.
I don't fault those who chose to abide by every traffic signal, but simply want to refute the notion that careful disobedience is dangerous (except for the risk of a citation).
Being legal and being safe do not go hand in hand, and it's possible to be both, but it's also possible to be either without the other.