[radec]

>Novice riders are trained to stick to an invisible (or painted) bike lake which ends up with them being far less visible than they need to be.

I don't think it necessarily has to do with being a novice, sometimes it's just the law. I bike mostly in Oregon and as far as I am aware you have stay in the bike lane if there is one, unless you are passing it the lane is blocked. ORS 814.420

[antisthenes]

And I believe what the OP and the article are saying in spirit (if not explicitly) - it's OK to break stupid laws in the interest of your own safety.

Laws are just a bunch of words that may or may not be on paper. Not all of them are equally useful or thought-out. Many won't be upheld in court, depending on circumstances.

In 99.9% cases, it's better to break a law than risk injury/death.

[radec]

Oh ok. I don't have the resources (time/money) to fight things in court or pay fines. I also have been hit enough times and have found things go a lot smoother if the driver is clearly at fault. Even in Portland Oregon (I say even because it is a fairly bike friendly city) cops seem to side with the car because the general mentality is, that is what the road is there for. Anyway that seems like a strange recommendation from my experience dealing with cops while riding a bike. Not to mention the fact that some drivers tend to get aggressive towards bikes if your not following the rules.