Originally Posted by
wphamilton
I can and have argued the other side, that it's better to come to a full stop every time because pedestrians have a right to expect the stop, and with that expectation will confidently walk out in front of a rider without any warning signs. You can't always see them, and they may assume you're stopping. It is after all the law.
this is why I stop at signs whether I'm in my car or on my bike. I've had a number of pedestrians just pop out from behind obstacles (bushes, parked cars, etc.) that it's just not worth having an accident to save a few seconds and the minimal effort of actually stopping. As you say, you are expected to stop.
That said, it amazes me how people will just blithely walk out into the street and trust that anyone coming at them will stop. I guess it's years of walking in big cities, but I always try to make sure that the vehicle coming at me sees me and is going to actually stop.