Don't be a pussy, don't be a dick

The point about "default" is moot, cause the system defaults to the default only when all other factors affecting the position cease. So you assume the default position only when the positioning matters the least, at situations where the overriding edge-hazard, lane-width and junction-approach rules don't affect your positioning.

Having never been to the British Isles, I could safely say that "default"-positioning rule will have very little effect on my position in London.

What you also need to remember is that when cycle lanes are *in situ, *for many, this perpetuates the view that the extremities of the road are the assumed default position for cyclists. If you choose to ride beyond the demaracated lane, (reclaiming road space) you are often treated as a transgressor. It is the issue of mariginalisation (both as a mode of transport and in terms of traffic engineering/land use) that is the problem and needs to be considered when discussing cycling/road positioning.