I'd be offended if a cyclist was in front of me slowing me down turning through the light. Who cares if he came from behind me if he's on the right of me anyway. Do people get in line when going straight as well?

Going straight I will do just like turning left, I will go to the right of the rightmost lane going my way, and extrapolate the lane-line forward to the front of the crosswalk. I will actually get as far forward and left as safely possible to make room for cars to right-turn behind me.

More like give a little, take a little. I expect others to sacrifice a few moments of their precious time when appropriate, no reason why I can't do the same. As to the exhaust "issue", it all depends on how the wind is blowing and where the exhaust exits. Nice try, but a fail.

If I get in line with the cars, I risk falling behind the cars in front of me and delaying cars behind me when everybody starts moving. If I split the lane, I am in my own 'lane'.

If the right-most lane allows both straight and right-turning movements, that's a good way to get right hooked.

Well of course I'm watching the front cars, if it's a red light the cars are either stopped because they're waiting to go forward, or they're creeping up in (my) bike lane because they want to turn right, in which case I ride behind them until/unless they get pinched, in which case I'll go around if I can fit, or wait behind if I can't.

Approaching a GREEN light with a right lane that can go straight/right is a totally different procedure, because of risk of right hook.

There are several reasons why filtering to the front on a left turn is a very bad idea. First, if the left turning lane of cars has to wait on a left turn signal or if there is no left turn signal and the cars have to wait for on-coming traffic to clear, as a cyclist you are trapped to the right of the first left turning car and next to a line of cars that is moving on your right. People don't expect you to be in that position and, if someone is less than attentive, you could end up as a smear on the right front quarter panel of the first car in line.

Second, cars that are turning left aren't expecting to see a vehicle making the same left turn on their right. Again, you aren't in a place where a turning vehicle expect to see you. If the motorist makes a wider than normal left turn, you could still end up as a smear on the right front quarter panel of the first car in line.

Additionally, a turning car might not see you and could make a right turn into a driveway as soon as they turn left. This is a left/right hook combination.

By queuing up in line, you are in control of the cars behind you. You aren't sitting exposed to moving traffic on your right and, contrary to what some seem to think you are less likely to be hit by a car moving behind you. You are also predictable and the cars know how to deal with your movement. An on-coming motorist won't be confused by your actions as they recognize that you are turning left.

Excellent explanations there. I know of at least 2 situations like the last one you mentioned where a left-turning motorists could immediately turn right into a driveway. If there are 2 lanes on the "receiving" road, left-turning motorists SHOULD be turning into the near-most lane, or the left lane. However many, many people turn directly into the right lane. Not a good idea to be out of the line of left turning traffic when you're also trying to turn left, and trying to get into the right lane when a motorist may also be heading directly for the right lane. If not a smear on the front fender, you could end up under the right rear tire.

Making a left turn from a turn lane basically plays out one of two ways.
1. If there's a usable bike lane or shoulder one can be clear of following vehicles before clearing the intersection by slightly squaring ones turn.
2. if there's no usable bike lane or shoulder one will continue using the lane and following vehicles will have to wait for an opportunity to pass.

Filtering in scenario 1 accomplishes nothing of real value for the increased risk. Filtering in scenario 2 is just playing leapfrog.

I should mention one location down near Destin, Florida where I made a left turn using a sidewalk on the left side, riding contraflow for a short distance.

The reason for doing so is that based on prior experience, the nearly 1/4 mile long left turn lane usually ends up with a massive line of cars trying to turn left, in addition to the massive amount of traffic in the 2 straight-through travel lanes. This is heading west on Hwy 98 in Miramar Beach towards Destin, with the left turn onto Old Scenic 98 running along the beach, if you want to look it up.

I had previously used the bike lane to make a box left turn at that location. The problem is that the light cycles are incredibly long at that particular light. So the next time I took advantage of a break in traffic platoons to move to the center turn lane (before it went away at the left turn lane with concrete median), and turned left onto the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road. Then I rode the sidewalk very carefully to get to the intersection, and used the crosswalk at the appropriate time to get to the travel lane on Scenic 98.

But that is a very specialized, unique situation. I have never encountered such a long, high-traffic left turn lane anywhere else in all my time cycling.

When answering OPs question I was thinking of the two significant stoplighted left-turns on my commute; one on the way to work, one on the way home. Both are large intersections with two dedicated left-turn lanes, and their own dedicated portions of the light cycle. So when rolling up to a red light, left-turning and straight-going cars are all stopped (it's a red light), and I filter up and move to the front of the crosswalk, about 8-10ft in front of the cars.

I think in these two cases, this actually helps me. Rolling right into view and waiting in the crosswalk would be startling to a stopped driver waiting at a red light, and I cannot fail to be noticed. When the left-turn signal goes green, cars are always very tentative, I get off the line quicker than they do (and am ahead of them in the crosswalk anyways), and I am almost never passed during the turn. And the intersections are quite wide, and left-turning traffic normally tends to cut tighter rather than wider (even without cyclists there), so I make an exaggeratedly wide turn, aiming for the bike lane, and feel I am never in danger from oncoming left-turners.

That's a good point; in the case of my two intersections, there is no right turn or driveway for at least 1/4 mile. But I think that if I had rolled to the front of the crosswalk, the startled driver would not suddenly forget I was there.

Situations and particular intersections are all different. This morning I came to one of my stoplight left turns with timing such that the left-turn arrow went green as I was crossing to the left turn lane(s). I instantly recognized that, even though I maybe could have filtered with a burst of speed, the best course of action was to ride up behind the back stopped car and head into the intersection in turn.

This! And only this. Not only do you "risk falling behind", you absolutely will fall behind. At least two more cars could get through the arrow if you weren't in the way. Talk about rage? I'm not sure why any cyclist would want to put themselves in that kind of situation regularly. I have to assume that the people advocating a placement in the center of the left turn lanes do not live in high traffic areas where these lanes can have close to a dozen cars. And yes, cars, are supposed to turn into the left-most of multiple lanes in the receiving road but no one expect a bicycle to do that. But it really doesn't matter, no one else will be in the right hand lane yet, so a cyclist can do whatever makes sense for the situation at hand.

I don't have to tell you, but it appears that I have to point out to others, again, that a bicycle is NOT a vehicle. What drivers expect of other vehicles is IRRELEVANT. A car cannot split lanes, a motorcycle can, but probably should not, split lanes, but bicycles should always split lanes, unless they have their own dedicated bike lane. FRAP. Its the law everywhere, except in the minds of VC advocates that do not speak for the majority of sane and defensive cyclists. The only time I would be in the center of a left turn lane is if I was the first to arrive at the light. Also if it was a single lane for everything. I also might stay in the center, or even to the left of a lane behind the car in front. I would turn when s/he does using their vehicle to protect my right side. As soon as I get through the turn I would be dropping back and heading to my usual position of FRAP. That's really the way to do it.

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. If I'm first to the light, I definitely take the lane and try to trigger the sensor, but watch for cars coming up behind me, if they do I walk my bike to my lane-split, front-of-crosswalk position, and hope the car is not too timid to come up over the sensor.

I am usually as often as not on a tandem in traffic, and tandems only move forward and backwards a few inches once stopped. There is none of the "going up on the sidewalk and punching the walk button" or "jockeying over the sensor loop" or in any way doing much of anything once stopped. Most of the sensors in Portland have a bike symbol to position yourself over. I aim for it coming in to a stop. I'm pretty good at getting the front wheel right over the marks. Out in the suburbs, if a car eventually comes up behind us, we pull forward as much as possible. I then point to the sensor loop, point at the driver, and coax the (often) reluctant cager to move forward over it. If they refuse, we wait till the straight through traffic gets their green and we then turn left on the red arrow.

FRAP/S is a different circumstance than lane splitting. Being in a congested high traffic area I always prefer to ride a bicycle as a bicycle using bike lanes, shoulders, and FRAP/S whenever it's a viable option. On the other hand when there's no options, and I must use the lane, I use it as a vehicle. All in, or all out. As pointed out, its not a matter of if, but when one will hold up others so splitting is basically doubling the number of lanes one is effecting.

As mentioned earlier, not being aware of how one effects others doesn't mean they're not.

There are any number of ways that filtering to the front of a left turning line of cars can go wrong. What happens if you are in the act of filtering and the light turns green? You could easily be in a position where the motorist won't...or can't or doesn't...notice you. Being in a location where a motorist doesn't expect another vehicle is never a good place to be. If the motorist is trying to beat the light or beat some on-coming traffic, the chances that they will hit you are much greater than if you control the flow of traffic around you.

And, while you might be able to start moving more quickly than a car, the advantage is very short lived. You could easily be half way through the intersection and a second car could be trying to pass you on the inside. If the second (or even third) motorist doesn't notice you, the results don't come out too well.

You are assuming that you have "startled" the motorist but I think that is assuming too much. Far too many motorists aren't that attentive. If you are directly in front of their hood ornament, they will probably notice you. Off to the side, they probably won't.

I've never found a situation where I proceed any differently than get into the left turn lane and take my share out of the middle.

You are assuming something that just isn't true. I live in a city and do most of my biking in a city. I always position myself in the middle of the left turn lane behind the last car in line. Frankly, I can't believe that anyone who rides in traffic would filter on a left turn. Would you filter on a left turn if the light for traffic going straight is green? I know I wouldn't because I'm not a fan of being between moving cars. Why do it when the light is red? There's no advantage.

Perhaps you should look up the regulations in your state. Bicycles are vehicles in a legal sense in all 50 state of the US. They are subject to the same rules and regulations as motor vehicles. A lot of people fought for a very long time to get bicycles that designation. If you look up your state's statues, language is probably similar to Colorado's

And what operators expect of other vehicles is extremely RELEVANT. Traffic works best and works safest if vehicle are operated in a predictable manner.

"As far right as practicable" only applies to moving in a straight line. Every US state vehicle statue that I've seen states is again similar to Colorado's statue for left turns

Since bicycles are vehicles, this applies to bicycles as well.

Something tells me that what you think FRAP means isn't really what it means.

First of all, it is NOT the law everywhere, as you say. Second, as far right as PRACTICABLE (as is safe) is not the same as far right as POSSIBLE. There is a huge, massive difference that has a direct effect on the safety of cyclists. I know that some municipalities have poorly worded statutes that say "possible", but most if not all states with such laws say "practicable" as it says in the MUTCD.

The state of Washington regulations say "far right as is safe".

That did happen once, and I posted about it. But for my regular lights, I am familiar enough with the cycle to be able to read from the lengths of the 8 different lines of cars (2-3 forward lanes and 2 left turn lanes in all four directions) whether the red will be long enough for me to filter up.

If I've missed the left-green for this cycle, and forward is still green, then I go straight (militantly watching for and avoiding right-hooks) to the far side of the intersection and wait in the bike lane for the green light in my direction. But the OP was about what do you do rolling up to a RED light.

I have turned left from this left turn lane before, on my heavy utility bike, with loaded trailer full of groceries attached. I was a few cars back in line, and yes there was a little gap that opened up in front of me as we went on the left turn arrow, but we all made the turn and no one behind me seemed to have any problems. I turned into the right lane on the perpendicular street, and the cars behind me turned into the left lane and passed me after the turn.

Not once did I even consider filtering ahead here. Wouldn't feel safe doing so, especially not with a trailer.

https://goo.gl/maps/TaFnPCYCyC22

which is basically what "practicable" means.

Yeah I would totally filter that; in the situation that the light is red, and all the cars are sitting waiting, I would weave between bigger gaps between stopped cars to get across then filter up the paint to stop with at least half my bike forward of the white line.

With a trailer though, I would not be confident that I could make tight turns between cars and would just play it safe, go forward to the far side of the intersection and wait for the cross-light.

There's far too much traffic, with far too much right-turn-on-red traffic, at that intersection to make a box turn safe. And in fact I would have to wait much longer as I would wait for the green light in the straight direction (after the left turn arrow that I would go on if in the left turn lane), then go to the other side and wait for the green light in the cross direction.

I do recall weaving through stopped traffic to get to the left turn lane (I was coming out of a side street to the right of the linked street view) one time when I did not have the trailer. But I still took my place in line in the left turn lane.

Head up to the intersection in the street view. You'll see it's typical BS suburban car-centric planning. No sidewalks, no cross walks, no crossing signals. Ironically there is some "to cross push button" signs on the corner poles with wires hanging out of the holes. The left turn lane is definitely the safest option here, if you can't avoid this intersection altogether (I usually do).

That street view above is also a situation where a left-turning motorist might try to make an immediate right turn into the BP gas station from Airways Blvd.

Ah, yes, I re-read and it appears I conflated your post with another. So, in essence it turns out that I agree with you. I'll try to pay attention next time.