I strongly disagree. The John Allen's of the world would have use line up, wait, and breathe exhaust at intersections. Not only is this damaging to a cyclist's health but it maximizes contact with the sizable minority of distracted, and clueless drivers in the precise space where cyclists are most at risk.

IMO, the single most important rule when it comes to urban commuting is to get the @#$% away from motorists at intersections. If the coast is clear the safest thing to do is to always run the light or traffic signal.

When it comes to urban cycling outside of a well-designed dedicated bike facility the mantras of "be predictable" and "follow the rules of the road" are can be very bad advice.