We have many bike lanes which are off to the right side of the normal traffic lanes. Often times I want to make a right turn onto one of these roads. Some of my friends just simply make the turn regardless if traffic is coming because there is a bike lane, and the cars aren't in the bike lane anyway, so technically it is safe.

I, however, wait for there to be a break in traffic. Maybe not a break big enough for me to pull into the normal lane in a car, but a break big enough for the car driver to see that I'm pulling into the bike lane and not their lane. It's more courtesy for them, and a bit of defensive biking on my part.

Thoughts? What do you do?