Originally Posted by
wphamilton
"Can be" is the right choice of words IMO. It depends on the situation: the particular intersection, the traffic, the rider and his bike.
OP says he is a beginner in a big city, who doesn't drive. For a beginner who has no traffic experience even driving, it will be difficult to judge things. Until he has quite a bit of experience. Learning from the start, we're better off following all of the traffic rules, first gaining the confidence and competence of traffic.
Following traffic rules is one thing; following the advice of self appointed BF experts is another.
The OP, and any other non enthusiast/non bike club participant, may do better by taking bicycling advice from
Vehicular Cycling dogmatist John Forester (and disciples such as John Allen) or from self appointed
BF Wizards of the Conventional Wisdom about Serious Cycling™ with many grains of salt.
Even better to save such
stuff for a later period when experience in their own cycling environment (the best teacher) will tell them just how safe and practical/impractical "expert" advice may be.