Good article fairracing.
How you ride has a lot to do with how you are treated by everyone.
I live right on the Phoenix/Glendale border on the north side of town so I ride in both cities.
Unless the speed limit is 20MPH I don't ride that slow, usually 30 to 35 depending on conditions and the roads speed limit, and though numerous police have come along side me I just look over, smile and nod, and they smile back and drive away.
I try to ride to be as little of a nuisance to drivers as I can and there are some things that, to me anyway, simply help with that despite being illegal.
Aside from doing my best to pace traffic there are occasions when using the crosswalk at a light makes total sense to me, and one example is the corner of 43rd ave and Glendale.
I have to make right onto Glendale going west every Friday night during rush hour and then make a left just a block down in the middle of the block.
Legally I am suppose to make a right across 3 lanes of traffic, get in the center turn lane, and make a left across 3 more lanes of traffic.
I take the crosswalk (just pedaling) across to the sidewalk and turn in 30' past it into a store parking lot, take that lot all but the last 30' on the sidewalk to the parking lot I want.
The reverse is true when I leave, but I use the crosswalk twice and then pull into lot and just wait for traffic to clear before pull out on the road.
There are a couple of other places I do this as well, especially along the canal paths.
They typically cross diagonally at every major intersection and designed to be perfectly aligned with the crosswalks so I use them to go one side (again just pedaling), and when the light changes take the crosswalk again and right back onto the canal paths where I fire up the motor again.
I have seen the police witness me doing this multiple times and again, they know I am doing this to be safe and not hindering traffic and they never mess with me.
I guess a little instant profiling is also done on their part and it doesn't hurt to look like an unassuming old guy ;-}
Note that I wear a helmet when I'm out, and flashing lights front and rear come dusk.