I have been commuting for several years, and am aware of the conventional biker wisdom to "claim the lane". On faster streets where the traffic is cruising at 35 mph or better I think "claiming the lane" is a recipe for trouble, because it totally blocks the lane. This does two things. It pisses off the drivers who are blocked, and it creates a situation where you are relying on the driver to see you in time to slow down sufficiently after realizing that you have "claimed the lane".

I survived one very close call on this that was witnessed by a friend. On that occasion I had claimed a third lane, for Pete's sake, on a six-lane road, that usually was occupied by buses. That should have been safe, right? A driver in the second lane decided to pass a car on the right, by veering into the third lane where I was, and he barely got onto his brakes in time.

I realize there are no magic answers here, but I feel that the better course is to ride as far to the right as is practical. Typically that is about three or four feet out from the curb. On a normal street that still leaves a clear lane for a car to get through, and everybody is happy.

I don't do this, however, if the lane is narrow, so that a car really couldn't get through. In that case I don't want to create the false illusion that there is room for both me and the car, so I go ahead and claim the lane. HOWEVER....I don't think a road that requires claiming a lane like that should be a normal part of an everyday commuting route, because it is asking to be rear-ended.