I am on the BB every weekday except when it rains. I have been doing this for about 5 years. My belief is that most of the cagers have gotten used to our presence and give us room to split safely.
I see a lot of the same bikes, depending upon what time I travel. I also use the left commuter lane up to the toll plaza, then stay in 1, 1.5 or 2 so long as the traffic allows decent movement. Occasionally I shift over to 3 or 4, but only if the F'n buses, box trucks, and other lane hogs prevent me from splitting at 1.5. I generally split at a fast enough speed that only a few riders get antsy behind me, and then I slide over and waive them by. Since I ride one of my vintage Kawasakis, my handlebar width prevents me from splitting certain situations when a sportbike could get through. Just be patient, and let me blast through when the gap opens up a little bit more. I don't want to be bumped under the wheels of that 18 wheeler.
I find the evening commute back to Berkeley to be more hazardous. The drivers are all on their cells phones calling their honeys, and are not focusing on the traffic around them. Also, if I leave the City after 6 pm, the number of intoxicated drivers increases with each minute. Yes, I can tell when a driver is driving impaired.
If you are just begining to use the BB for commuting, I suggest you pick a lane and stay there until you get the feel for the traffic flow. It is best to ride behind a small car, so that you can see forward around them easily. That, and stay away from anything that is labelled "AC TRANSIT", since those drivers own the bridge, and are entitled to drive in front of, and into, any other vehicle with impunity.
Waive if you see me. I usually ride my black 1980 KZ750, yellow helmet, and black and yellow jacket. I may be old, but I ain't dying.
Here's some pictures I took a few years ago.
