Straddling is mostly a technique to increase the action and drive up the stakes. As was stated earlier, mathamatically it makes no sense and causes you to pay an additional "blind" if you are the one straddling, not knowing if you will be raised or have a playable hand.

Adjusting to straddling, IMO, is the goal, as players who employ this technique often crave the action and can add to your win rate if you can make the adjustment profitably. Post flop play factors in more heavily as pots are often bigger, and the better your are in adjusting, the more money you can make.

Trying to build your image by employing this technique yourself can cause your to lose money longterm. Live play, especially at the lower limits, is more profitable when exploiting the weak players by playing a solid game and adjusting to their playing styles.