Urbana-Champaign Bicycle Commute

Midwestern Margin

So I'm taking the cheesy through-the-campus-sidewalks route to church (it is the most direct) and coming up on the all-way stop (as in, traffic has to stop both ways for the pedestrian traffic even tho' there is no cross street except a driveway to a parking lot on the other side, which I can't remember whether has any yieldage or not, except that everywhere else in life where a sidewalk meets the street you're supposed to look both ways)...
... the car pulling up to stop there a: was getting there first, and b: would have had time to paint her toenails and have three cell phone calls and then pull out even had I accelerated from where I was (the "cut curbs" aren't a straight shot so I have to do some serious weaving)). Still, in the instant-assessment-process I knew she was trying to figure out "wait for the bicycle?"
I squeezed the brakes and sat up higher. I didn't actually *apply* the brakes. (The Gazelle.) SHe smiled and went through.
It took 5 seconds (maybe) - and the more experienced commuters are doing that, the easier it gets for everybody. Get out and practice :) :) :)