I've learned the "VC" method of cycling from roaming around the internet and finding proponents of it on various pro-utility/commuter cycling websites. It seemed common sense enough to me to the point where I felt that reading Effective Cycling, attending a LAB course, or any other qualification Helmet Head requires in this thread to be, well...superfluous
Besides, it only took one 3 mile ride to figure it all out,
ON MY OWN, with a little bit of assistance from the tips given by said internet websites.
I've only been harassed once (told to get on the sidewalk), and honked at about 4 times (although I must admit that 1 of those times was mostly my own fault...the rest were typical JAM/Cager types). I guess that's a pretty good average when you consider that it happened over the course of about 18 months.
I stay to the right, take the lane if it gets too narrow, signal my turns, stops, etc. What I found on the internet was basically that sort of stuff, and I generally ride a modified version of VC which is basically this: I ride the way the law dictates. I'll make changes to anything that seems too "rigid" if that's what it takes to ensure my safety. Since California vehicle code doesn't seem to have any conflict that I can see with VC principles. Of course, I haven't read EC, nor have I taken a LAB course, nor...well, you know.
With all of that said, yes, it's made me safer, if by safer, you mean it made me feel safer and more confident in negotiating the streets with automotive traffic. Without it, I'd probably still be moseying on the sidewalk or staying on the bike paths around here.