North American (including Canucks) drivers can be funny about stop signs, and I regularly experience the same scenario Machka is talking about, where they'll wave you through even when they have right of way.

I remember a Danish friend of mine at the university who was perplexed about not being able to just slow down in his car and run stop signs that were blatantly devoid of other traffic or pedestrians.

He said to me, "I don't understand American stop signs. It's like one of those cowboy & Indian movies, where they have to put their ear to the ground to see if anyone is coming!"