This is why I tried to make clear that this is only valid in special situations like the one discribed, when you have no read and not a piece of information you can use.
Obviously you are right, you can't play poker with rigid rules.
And it should be obvious that this advice has this little joke in it. Rule number three isn't rigid at all. I should also quote the author, even if I have to guess - but I think this sounds like John Vorhaus.
Thinking like this has helped me a lot in situations where I a) had no read, b) had just switched tables and c) had no timebank anymore.
I think from an EV point of view it is +EV to have some rules that kick in in such situations instead of just autofold when time is up.
