But what is “it” which is not worth the risk of being hit? It sounds like you are advocating agains the general concept of crossing roads?
Onviously people shouldn’t throw themselves in front of speeding cars. Nobody in the tread or elsewhere is advocating for that. You should check that the incomming traffic can see you and has enough time and space to stop and then you should cross in a manner which makes it easy to predict what are you doing.
You don't know if oncoming traffic sees you, so unless you see them actively stopping, is is not safe to step out in front of them (you still have to watche like a hawk), even if they have enough room to stop. This "asserting your right of way" is the it to which the commentor is presumably referring.
The vast majority of days drivers are not looking and/or do not care and will not yield. I've been yelled at by drovers for crossing with the pedestrian light, I've had an entire light's worth of cars make a right turn at speed through a pedestrian lights and had to act like I was going to jump in front of them to get one to slam on their brakes.
"Right of way" for pedestrians won't mean anything until people start getting tickets regularly for violating it. Asserting right of way is dangerous and you are better off assuming cars never see you and will not stop.
Crossing the road when a car is close. Even if they could see you and you have the right of the way, you never know whether they abide the rules and are paying attention. It's much safer to wait until it's free enough that you are out of the way when the next car arrives.