Some time ago, I braked for a light as it went red. I heard the sound of the vehicle behind me locking up on the wet road and backed off the brakes. I shot the lights by about 2/3 of the car's length (plenty of space to do so and no threat whatsoever to anything else) and he stopped behind me, just shy of my rear bumper, looking slightly sheepish.
The alternative would have been a rear-end smash.
Apparently had the lights had a camera, I'd have been done for avoiding a nasty accident. This is why "yes or no" camera enforcement based on rigid rules is just plain idiotic, nothing to do with safety and all about lining someone's pockets.
Braked as it went red? What were you (and the guy behind) doing during the single amber phase?
Actually you'd probably get away with that on on a camera. They're usually triggered by car crossing the line after red and take a second shot in another half second or so after real offenders have completely crossed the line. Too many false +ves otherwise.
Motorists tend to fulminate about cyclists shooting lights yet vast majority of seriuos red light jump injuries are from motor vehicles going through at speed on first second of red.
Cyclists are more likley to be creeping through kerbside or opportunists in an over long all red/pedestrian phase.
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