Sometimes riding with a cycling club isn't the best place to learn road safety! As a ride leader, i have to constantly keep people in line! Around here police are ticketing for riding side by side. I don't blame them. When i drive and see this, it's dangerous and annoying on our narrow country roads.
Lisa, what i was trying to explain was exactly like Eques' (sp?) diagram. I couldn't see the visual at school on my computer. And like you, I am always anticipating what stupid thing a driver will do and planning ahead. I just learned the "jump ahead" thing. On my morning commute, I cross a major highway. But at 5:50 AM, which is when I'm usually there, there are not a lot of cars going across, so the green light is very short when it's just 1-2 cars. The first day I rode, it turned red before I got across! So the next time, as soon as the light on the highway turned yellow, I looked to make sure there were no cars, and went before my light turned green. This is the only way I can make it across. On the way home, I ride up along the side of the line to the front and do the same.