Originally Posted by
ROJA
If you take the lane, what is to keep a driver that clobbers you from behind from saying that you darted out in front of him or her? You will probably be dead, so it's not like there will be any witnesses or other evidence to refute the driver's story. The kind of people who are evil or reckless enough to mow down cyclists from behind are probably not moral enough to tell the truth or take responsibility for their actions.
The point of "taking the lane" is to
reduce the likelihood that a collision will occur. If "taking the lane" increases the risk of a collision, then it would make no sense to do so. The driver is likely to say "you darted" regardless of where you were when hit.