I ride like an "@$$" as defined in the A&S Forum. Started at 15, now 55, car free since 1989 and car-light before that. Biked to every corner of the USofA from New Orleans and then some. No telling how many tens of thousands of city miles I have logged. Still...never been hit. That is three lifetimes of cycling for most people. It is possible. A lot of focus and a little luck goes a long way.

I do neither. I split the lane between the right-turning vehicles and the cars in the adjacent lane to my left. When I get up front (assuming I have to stop at the red) I just STAY on the line I just split. Cars can file past me all day to make their right turn and the cars to my left don't feel like I broke in front of them. When the light turns green I just sprint up to speed and merge in with the cars to my left if necessary - which is EASY now that everyone is staring at their phones when the light turns green leaving huge gaps between each car.

Unlike your community, motorists in mine will not tolerate a cyclist blocking the turn lane. Horns will blow, blowhards will yell. I actually think it is mindless and rude to block the right turn lane on a bike. On the other hand, splitting lanes is culturally accepted and expected. Sometimes, when cars in the right lane don't turn right, both lanes of auto traffic just split past me until I can catch a gap to move further right.

Best course of action is to just run the red if possible and leave ALL of that mayhem behind forever. This is also culturally expected of cyclists in New Orleans.