I call these "The Two Golden Myths of Cycling in Traffic":
- No cyclist shall slow down a car;
- No car shall slow down a cyclist.
As to the first one, we have all dealt with car drivers who think that it's unreasonable for cyclists to delay a car for even a few seconds. Some cyclists seem to believe this, too. They hug the curb, ride the sidewalk, or insist on special bike lanes. But I don't worry about causing short delays for cars. They can stay behind me for a block before turning or finding space to pass.
There is a flip side--some cyclists seem to think that they have the right never to be delayed by cars. Some cyclists think it's perfectly OK to filter through to the beginning of a line of traffic at a light, forcing the cars to pass the cyclist a second. Transportation Alternatives, the New York anti-road-cycling group,
posted a video that alleged that the lack of barrier separated lanes created safety problems. But if you watch the video, the so-called safety problems were mostly the result of cyclists weaving unsafely through slow-moving traffic.
One solution is to complete re-arrange the roads (even 25 mph downtown roads), spend tons of money, take space from the road, build facilities that may or may not be used (the last time NYC used barrier lanes, they were removed in part because cyclists didn't want to use them), and bar cyclists from the road (except for when non-cyclists think it's OK for cyclists to leave the lane).
Another solution is for cyclists to show a little patience. No matter how you arrange the road, you will have to deal with other vehicles. When you get to a line of traffic, wait your turn. When traffic is moving slowly, don't weave ahead carelessly. And leave far enough ahead so that delays will be no big deal.