Stop signs and intersections

Newbie question here...

I live in a rural suburb-type area. Basically residential, with some larger feeder streets. Lots of stop signs, but very little traffic.

My question is, when you approach an intersection with a stop sign and there is no one driving on the street, do you always come to a complete stop? Or do you do a "California stop" (that's what they call it here) - slowing down to a roll, checking the intersection for oncoming vehicles, and continuing on?

These are just the small 25mph streets I'm talking about, not the larger streets with a lot of traffic.

Just wanting to know what the general opinion is on this. I tend to stop, but sometimes I just slow down and check, especially if it's going to take a lot of effort to get going again. In my car, though, I always stop.

I am always ready to come to a complete stop at a stop sign if necessary, but if all is clear I just roll through it.

I stop.

And remember, all 50 states consider bikes to be vehicles. So it is possible for you to get a ticket for rolling through a stop sign.

I remember an acquaintance telling me about using his driver's license as id and getting a ticket for some behavior while cycling - and he apparently had quite a battle with his auto insurance company not to have that counted as a negative on his insurance rates. (OK, this was a long time ago, but still!)

--- Denise

I do a type of "california stop" which isn't quite rolling through the sign. More like I come to a full standstill for all of 5 seconds while standing on my pedals, and if it's clear I keep going. Sort of a mini-trackstand. I don't put my foot down, but I often unclip in readiness.

ETA: This behavior applies only to the dead suburban intersection with apparently noone around. If there are cars, I stop and put a foot down.

Denise is absolutely correct. However, I'll admit that I roll through them if there aren't any cars in sight. If there are cars, I slow and am prepared to stop. Usually people around here will give me the right of way and wave me on as I'm slowing to the stopsign. If there's more than one car, I definitely stop.

This issue makes two principles of riding conflict: "obey vehicle laws" vs. "ride predictably."
Fact is, most cyclists around here at *most* do a rolling stop. Lots of 'em are curb-hopping light-runners. So, drivers *expect* me to roll through... I'm being unpredictable when I break that. (I am never confused for the curb-hoppers, though.)
If there are witnesses, I do prefer to come to a stop just to confound and amaze them. However, if we're both approaching at close to the same time (*rarely* around here is there a backup at a four-way stop), then even if I'm first, if I come to a full stop, by then the car is thinking that I'm going to let him go through... except it's really my turn. So I slow a *lot* and make eye contact and then proceed.
There's that third principle, which is overruled by the first two usually, that I want to keep traffic efficiently flowing. If I come to a full feet-down stop, especially on an upgrade, that car gets to wait for me to stop, then lumber on through. If I yield, then people are less confused and get to go in the same kind of time span as if I were a car... so by that logic, I am "acting like a car" even though I am, technically, not "obeying the law just like a car."
I'm afraid I'm a "spirit before letter" person. I'm also exploring the notion that neurologically, the more we require the same automatic responses from the "information filter systems" that drivers are using as they scan and steer and drive, the safer we will be. Hence wanting to have close to the same "wait time" at the intersection. Hmmm... file it under "PhD theses"...

I always stop, even though most of my intersections are also rural

I figure they are stop signs for a reason, not give ways

And just like I don't always see cyclists when I am driving, I don't always completely register all vehicles at the speed they are approaching at.

I also assume (know) there are other car-drivers like that ... and if they are assuming all traffic has stopped at a stop sign, then I am asking for trouble if I don't stop at one

We were just taught at a bike club ride that Pennsylvania law says that cyclists can slow at stop signs and roll through if all is clear. It may differ from state to state, though!

I do the trackstand-stop too: I come to a stop, stay in my pedals, count to 10 as I check for other traffic, and if it's safe I go.

I was riding this morning and thought of this thread as I passed stopsigns every 0.1 miles. I was approaching one and slowed down to check for cars (as I usually do) and saw a police car coming towards the intersection. I want you to know that I did come to a stop (staying in the pedals, though) even though the cop was still not at the stopsign. I could just see Dianyla giving me a smile. I had to laugh.:p

I generally do the mini-trackstand. If there might be a car coming I put a foot down. I am always prepared to stop, I hate seeing cyclists run through a stop sign full-throttle.