"You adapt. You overcome. You improvise."

I pretty much try to adhere to this saying. Here's how I apply them to your situations.

1. I filter through traffic. I know VC people always say "Follow the rules of the road. You are a vehicle. They're gonna pass you again anyway. Etc. etc." What they fail to understand is bikes are slowwwer than cars. If you are 5th in line at a stop light do you really expect to accelerate as fast as the cars in front? No. Drivers behind you want to get beyond that light before it turns red. If you cause them to catch the red then, yeah, its your fault.

2. Stay as close to the line opposite of which lane you are on. Huh? This only applies on bike lanes and left hand turn lanes. When I'm on a bike lane I stay as close to the line separating the bike lane from the car lane, to the left. Ever since doing this I have not been right hooked. When making a left on a left turn lane I stay to the right of the lane as much as possible. This prevents cars from passing me on the right.