Stop signs and intersections

[Geonz]

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"...