Anyone with any real experience in tire work still believes it. None of the shops around here will cross sides with tires......unless they come up with a radial pull and usually that means there's something wrong with that tire.
They probably dont rotate them except front to back because they know by not turning them around has a greater chance of the tires wearing out quicker thus selling more tires. I rotate tires how i see fit, most of the time its bringing the rear to the front and crossing the front to the rear. If a customer requests a specific rotate pattern i am more than happy to do it the way they want.
Also on ford duallys with the alcoa rims how else can you rotate them but side to side without demounting and remounting 4 tires. The rims are polished only on one side.
But what do i know i guess 10 years isnt any worthy experience even though ive touched more tires than most people have seen