Guess I am the bad girl of the bunch! I sew over pins all the time with my Bernina. I like to make Irish Chains and to keep my seams going in the correct direction, I use pins, but they are the very fine silk pins, and I slow the machine down and sew very slowly over the seam intersections. I don't always use pins, but I do like to make sure my intersections come out perfectly and they help.
I did break a pin once and it was the large quilting pin with the yellow plastic head. I always thought they were too thick but was concerned about the silk pins getting lost in the quilt, but since I press seams right after sewing them, I have not lost a pin, nor have I broken one.
I used to make lots of clothing with my sewing machine and always kept the pins in (I learned to sew in the 60s). I don't know if I have just been lucky or more aware of the pins, but I have not had a problem.
Since I have been quilting, I do change machine needles more often than I used to, so I don't know if this is one of the reasons I miss the pins or not, but so far, so good.
Yes, I do lots of sewing without pins too, especially when I am chain piecing.
Diane