I'm talking about big bet (NL) games here.

never straddle.

i don't mind if others do it. dead money is dead money. But I won't do it, even if it means my opponents will stop doing it*

If i was given the choice between a game where everyone straddled, or a game where nobody straddles because I won't do it, I would choose the latter. For the skilled player, the extra blind that the straddle creates is bad for me: I want the stacks to be as big as possible relative to the blinds in order to maximize my advantage.

*exception 1: if the game is really good, and your refusal to straddle will either get you barred (in a home game), or break the game up, then you can straddle.

*exception 2: in a POT LIMIT game, if the stacks are just too big relative to the stacks (like most players have 300+BB stacks) and everyone else is doing it, then go along with it.

*exception 3: if the straddlers are overdefending their straddle, and you think they will stop straddling if you don't, then go with it.

*NB: kill games, however can work to your advantage. Because the good player wins more money but less pots, and the calling/bluffing stations win more pots and therefore post more kills. If you're posting kills less frequently than them by making prudent folds and exercising reasonable preflop selection (this is especially true in games like limit holdem and LO8), you'll kill the game