Originally Posted by
Leisesturm
Personally I get as close to the intersection as possible. I'll wait behind the very first car but not directly behind. I'm always a little to the right. Even in fairly bike friendly Portland, if you are fifth person in line you are not going to make it through the intersection. The car behind you will be convinced that he could have made it if you weren't in his way. I've been screamed at, cussed out, horned, everything but hit, by drivers losing it as the signal times out. If I'm not in their way, its on them as to why they didn't make it through.
Why wait behind the 1st car? Why not wait in front of, and to the right of, the 1st car waiting to turn left? Either way you could swing wide and let other cars turn left as you head for the right side of the receiving road. Of course that assumes there's a place for you on the receiving road, either a separate travel lane or a bike lane.
It's not something I do, just curious.