Is it possible that in the case of cycling that "Legally right" and "Personal safety" may not be one in the same?

When I was riding alot rarely was I asking my self the question "Is what I'm doing legally right?". The most often asked question to myself was "Is what I am doing safe?" In many cases I had the "Legal right" to do things that I purposefully DID NOT do because they weren't safe. Like it or not a 15lb pound and completely exposed rider of that bike will never win an encounter with a 2500 lb+ vehicle, never. Attempt to "Prove" and take control of my legal rights under such conditions is a fools errand.

This is particularly true since the majority of car drivers have no clue about the legal rights of cyclists and many of those that do care no more about those rights then many other rights of others they violate on a regular basis.

I find this entire debate rather foolish. People need to ride as defensively as possible even if that means giving up some of their rights. Hard to claim your rights another day when you're compressed inside the wheel well of an SUV.

~Matt