"The law" is far too vague. I've had people tell me that cyclists are supposed to dismount before crossing any intersection, cause that's in "the law". Yes, it is. Namely the USSR traffic rules from 1964 or something along those lines. The person talking to me was sure it applied to today's North America.

So, first of all, what is "the law" you read? Traffic laws for your own state? State where the OP lives? Just some unspecified bit of traffic law that is magically supposed to apply to all the world?

Secondly, what exactly did "the law" say? Just because you read it, don't mean you understood it. Perhaps we can clear up a misunderstanding here.