Keywords there being, on or off the bike. Off the bike, walking beside it sure, you're a pedestrian, on your bike, riding a vehicle.
>I don't always signal, because bicycles have this major flaw that your breaking/steering tools work best when you have both hands on the handlebars.
I don't always signal because cars have this flaw where you need your hands on the steering wheel and you have to take it off to flick the signal switch.
There are lights you can get to signal on bikes, if you're not comfortable signalling using your hands, maybe invest in one of those. It's just dangerous to turn in traffic without signalling. That shit causes accidents. I don't know the laws there, but here if a cyclist causes an accident because they turned without signalling, they're considered responsible the same as a car would be. Cops will also ticket you.
>Also, the lawless cyclist trope, while often true, is often a case of the lawlessness you are unfamiliar with.
I dunno about the trope, I was speaking from personal experience.
Honestly, I get pissed at drivers and pedestrians that do dangerous shit by breaking traffic rules.
>as someone who is literally making it easier for the cars on the road BY NOT DRIVING TO WORK, I wish I got a little respect instead of the barely tolerated contempt I get a lot of.
You're not a superhero by riding a bike. You're not making it easier, you're adding one type of obstacle for everyone to look out for. One that's small, fast and fragile and behaves unpredictably. Maybe instead of demanding respect from everyone, use situational awareness and understand people are probably pissed at you, because they're worried about killing you. Acting like you can just ride anywhere, anytime with impunity makes the act of not killing you more difficult.