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A hard nose would say it’s up to you to allow enough room in front to see if your light has not yet turned red. And that’s very true. But how do they know what might be rushing up behind you?

I agree with you to a point. If a big truck is moving very slowly through an intersection, you can't quite hang back far enough to see a light in time to avoid entering the intersection and getting through it while its yellow. This has happened to me. I got pulled over for "running a red light" at about 7 MPH in a 40 MPH zone (lots of traffic). The officer gave me a warning because 1) I was polite in explaining what happened and 2) He noticed how slow the truck in front of me (and I) were moving. When I started into the very large intersection, it JUST turned yellow. Before I was through it, it was definitely red.

As I approach a green light at traffic speed, I always check to see where the car is behind me just to get an idea of what the affects of stopping quickly might be, especially on stale green lights. I might tap the brakes way in advance if a driver is too close as we approach the intersection. But if they are close and the light turns yellow late, I will not brake hard to avoid running the light. I'd rather get a ticket than have and idiot plow into me.

I will not brake hard to avoid running the light. I’d rather get a ticket than have and idiot plow into me.

Looks like our take is exactly opposite. ;-)

BTW, my understanding is that as long as the intersection is red when you cross into it, you are not breaking any laws.