here's my rule of thumb: Cars split lanes with us, we split lanes with them.

Faster cars share lanes with slower bikes, faster cyclists can share lanes with slower cars.

Safety first!
Second, the traffic dynamic will predicate wether you split or stay back behind the cars.

i often wait behind a few cars at a light if i know they're going to be faster than me off the light, and at other lights i will pull to the head of the line if it benefits my safety/visibility. Cyclists accustomed to traffic jamming are generally far more attuned to traffic dynamics than the largely oblivious cagers. A cyclist is often the one with the best read on how to maximize expedience of all road users stopped at the light.

The question that runs thru my mind approaching a light is "how's this going to play out once the light turns green again?" I suspect a similar analysis is undertaken by many of us here while bicycling.

I split lanes with stopped cars in congested traffic jams on multiple lane roads by picking the best side of whatever lane, and riding the slot, and picking another, to get to the head of the traffic backup. I suspect many other riders in congested city conditions also do the same, regardless of legality.



Highmindedness about it being illegal to pass cars on the right in some states and provinces quickly gets throw out the window when a bicyclist encounters a traffic backup on a two lane road, and enough space to pass the backup.

I sincerely doubt many LEOs would ticket a bicyclist for safely passing a long backup of congested cars on the right without other extenuating endangerment or recklessness, regardless of statute.