Great post.
I take the lane because I have the right to be there, It is safer.
Other cyclists I see meekly hugging the side of the road in an apologetic manner get bullied by cars with close side swipes and cars getting right on their @$$.

I do not impede the flow of traffic, follow ALL traffic rules and I ride the speed of traffic or I take another route, a lot of common sense applies here.
I am not going to comment on the cops in LA, I lived there for 30yrs......(don't want to turn this in to a cop bashing thread).