This is the takeaway of nearly every thread in this forum. I'll just point out that this thread is but one example of how poorly that works in practice. We are all over the map as to what is "best", and our outlier accident and fatality rankings, relative to other First World Countries, underscores just how this 'live and let live" culture affects us in real terms. Even more sad, is the reality that many peoples "best judgment", tells them that riding a bicycle in traffic, period, is insanity, and they neither do it, or allow their spouses or dependents to adopt the practice.

I recall that the last time I saw this particular topic on here (not that long ago), it was accompanied by a photo of a bike sitting in a long (really long) line of traffic waiting to turn left at a controlled intersection. I mentioned that in such a scenario I would filter to the front of the line. This was met with much hostility and claims that doing so in such and such locale would result in the cyclist being shot by at least one of the drivers waiting in line. Well... that may be the road culture in some cities in America, but not all. I don't know... some of the most backwater places I've known recognize that a bicycle 8 cars back from a light is NEVER going to make it through before the turn arrow times out. THAT is what would get you shot around here. If you were to keep the cars behind you from making a light that they could easily make, given the fact that the least of them has no less than 90 horsepower under the hood.

In that picture the bike was (no kidding) about 20 cars back from the intersection, and that was going to take multiple light cycles for even all the cars to make it through. At least they would quickly make up the lost time once through. The bike would arrive at its destination 10 minutes later than a cyclist who had filtered right to the front of traffic in the first place. Not a safety issue, an issue of practicality and common sense. Who am I. I've never understood martyrdom. Common sense rules my sense of "best judgment". The city of Portland where I have moved to, paints big green boxes in the road for bicycles to wait in at the head of the line of traffic at controlled intersections around town. This is tacit encouragement to cyclists to filter to the front of the line to wait in the green boxes for the green arrow. Smarter people than me have decided that this is a safe and efficient way to get bicycles through controlled intersections. If doing otherwise would really get you assaulted or even shot at... maybe vehicular cycling is inadvisable in your particular locale. Myself, I would move away to somewhere more bike friendly. Just saying.

H