Originally Posted by
weshigh
I can see that, I've just never consider it to be rude as a driver or rider. I am usually almost all the way across the intersection of the left turn by the time the next car behind me even starts to turn. All the streets that I would do it on, I also make sure that I am out of the way of the cars behind once through the turn. I guess as usual, it all comes down to individual circumstance.
The manner in which you filter might never inconvenience anyone, might even facilitate traffic flow, and would still be considered rude by the people that you pass; it's a perception thing. Same as how some people get pissed at late mergers, even though studies have shown that the traffic system as a whole moves more efficiently when all lanes are used at optimal capacity; that is, merging early, while seen as polite, under-utilizes the road's capacity and lengthens the bottleneck resultant from a reduction of traffic lanes. To drive all the way to the front and merge at the point of restriction is the most efficient for everyone, but is perceived as jumping the line over those who merged as soon as they saw the "lane ends, move left/right" signage.