I typically carry a single action with a round in the chamber and the hammer down. If I believe I am in a dangerous situation it goes to cocked and locked.
I think being wary and always suspicious of your surroundings is more important than carry mode.
I personally like having a hammer on pistols but John Browning preferred hammerless or internal hammer pistols. He put hammers on two of his most famous designs because that is what was asked for.
He also thought keeping a hammerless with a round in the chamber, cocked and with the little safety on was the proper way to carry say, his little .32 autos. I think he also thought the grip safeties unnecessary and only added them again because they were requested. I am not certain on this one tho.
Browning’s 1908 “hammerless” (it’s internal, just can’t see it) is a fantastic design, hampered only by sights only a 14 year old has the eyes to use and the manual safety is hard to manipulate by comparison to more modern ones. I have one of 1922 vintage, and it’s the only .380 I’ve found that cycles everything.
“John Browning preferred hammerless or internal hammer pistols. He put hammers on two of his most famous designs because that is what was asked for.”
The cavalry way, when the 1911 was introduced was hammer down on a loaded chamber. Cocked and locked as a constant carry mode is pretty much a post WWII method.