Chocks on the bow

So, are chocks on the bow of a boat:

1. To guide a mooring line from an inboard cleat as cleanly as possible in order to cut down on chafe.
2. A shock absorber to protect an inboard cleat, an essential part of any mooring system
3. Another point to chafe through a mooring line because the boat designer/builder couldn't figure out, or couldn't be bothered, to put a cleat on a rail
4. Something that could, and should be eliminated by putting a cleat on the rail instead.

Answers on a postcard. Or here.