vol:There's nothing cowardly in it. It is indeed extremely dangerous to take left turns, especially in 1 step.
However, I would not use either of the two left-turning methods you described(1-step and 2-step). Here's how I would do:(see attached thumbnail).
Yes, that is indeed the lamest method to "turn left", but I think it's the safest way to take the desired route.
As already mentioned in another thread, I always walk my bike at intersections.