Originally Posted by Bekologist
bicyclists and motorcyclists get left hooked regardless of their lane position, steve.
You've made a completely irrelevant comment. Please try to read more carefully before posting.
The subject collision in Raleigh was a near-side drive-out, not a left hook. Operating farther from the curb is helpful for reducing the danger of near-side drive-outs, because it greatly increases the cyclist's conspicuity to the driver at the side street, increases the time and distance the side-street driver must travel to enter the cyclist's path, and increases the amount of room the cyclist has to maneuver.
In my own city, the number of right-side cyclists struck by drive-outs is similar to the number struck by left crosses. (The number of left-side cyclists on sidewalks struck by drive-outs is about five times higher.) The total number of intersection collisions is about fifteen times the number of overtaking collisions.
The hazards posed by less effective intersection negotiation on sidewalks or curbside are not so great as to warrant prohibiting such behavior or trying to make people feel bad for operating that way. But, assuming we care about reducing collision risks among cyclists who are willing to listen, it is sensible that we encourage operating on the right half of the roadway, avoiding suddently swerving in front of overtaking traffic close enough to create a hazard, but operating in a visible location at junctions. It is also sensible that we avoid employment of traffic control devices (such as curbside bike lanes through intersections and signage of sidewalks as two-way bike paths) that encourage operation contrary to this benevolent advice.