Originally Posted by operator
This is a common newb view. Any commuter or messenger worth his salt will tell you that it's safest to approach cars stopped by lane splitting, not by eeking it out on the right side of all the cars. This is where people tend to get out of their cars and is actually more dangerous.
Ignoring the not-so-subtle insult, I have been commuting for 25 years and have not had an accident during that period. You can speak of noobs and couriers all you like, but riding between cars where they change lanes and do not expect to find a vehicle is both illegal and more dangerous (in my humble opinion) than riding on the right. I have seen cops cite cyclists and motorcyclists for doing what you suggest, but never have I seen them cited for approaching the light along the right hand side. I've also very rarely had a motorist object to me moving up so that I am ahead of the right-hand turning vehicles and am now visible to all the right lane motorists.
I apologize I am not worth my salt as a bike messenger (though I did that for 2 years in the mid-80's): I choose not be reckless, irresponsible and inconsiderate as they often (not always) are. They are not the best example to use, incidentally, when it comes to matters of safety or legal conduct.
The fact was the motorist and the passenger were at fault here, not the cyclist and what Alcyon did was neither illegal nor reckless.