Originally Posted by knifefight
I forgot the only interesting part of my story--
We asked the cop what the "correct" way to take a right hand turn across 6th is instead of merging, and he said that the correct way is to ride to the corner, get off your bike, and walk it across the street.
Now You Know.
The NYC Cycling Map published by the DOT, states there are two legal ways to turn left under Safety Tips.
1 AS A VEHICLE Signal your intensions in advance Move to the left turning lane and complete the turn when it is safe.
2 AS A PEDESTRIAN Ride to the far crosswalk & walk
Of course the diagram shows the cyclist turning from the far right lane.
If you don't already have a copy of the map you might want to pick one up from your LBS or download it from the DOT website.