Ok. Everyone has made good points here but I am going to play devil's advocate.

I think you must treat a stop sign differently as a cyclist. In a car it is ALWAYS safer to stop. On a bike however I believe that your safety is always #1 and that means that you must analyze the situation and carefully consider whether or not to stop. If I am at a place where cross traffic doesn't stop I am more likely to slow and analyze the situation. If there is ample room I will roll right through. Otherwise I'm stuck starting, clipping in, with a small chance of having a catastrophically slower than usual crossing. I am causing LESS risk to myself and other drivers by being in full control and slowing and analyzing and then possibly going through. This IMHO is defensive driving which is what excellent cyclists must do.