First time posting...been commuting about 14 months now and just needed to get this off my chest.
This morning I had just left the house and came up to the second lighted intersection I normally deal with. It's at the on-ramp to one of the regional highways that heads into downtown Minneapolis, and is fairly well traveled. I'm in the leftmost lane, which is the straight-through, and there's a right turn lane on my right. I'm pretty much right on the line between the two, like normal. I pull up to the red light, watch as the cross light turns yellow, and just as it goes red and I'm expecting green, kick off. Only this time the opposing traffic in the left turn lane got a green arrow. So I pretty much pulled out RIGHT in front of them, and of course the lead car lays on the horn. I immediately yell SORRY, but the horn kept going so it turned into a "F U" instead. Felt like crap the rest of the ride in and it's still bugging me.
Before anyone jumps on me for jumping the light, this is the same intersection where I had almost an identical situation (light had just changed, so I was starting through the intersection) when some slob in a minivan passed me VERY closely on the right (passed me in the turn lane, basically) while on the horn, then slams his brakes on as soon as he got in front of me. Since then I have been very anxious to get through that particular light, hence my early start.
I know I completely screwed up and wish I could have explained to the driver that I made a mistake - I'm sure he/she thought I did a stop and go. In the grand scheme, it's not the end of the world, but it still irks me as I'm normally very careful and cognizant of my place in traffic, and try very hard not to impede anyone else's progress. I stop at every stop sign (I've rolled through 2 in the 14 months I've been commuting), do at least a stop and go at every red (the lights that I know will change I wait for, the others I don't) and generally jump a red only after the opposing light has changed (and only so I can get through the intersection and out of the way of those behind me). In other words, I try to be safe and courteous as much as possible.
Like I said, just needed to vent a bit. I'm sure this will stick with me and I will be even more hesitant at that intersection now, although I'm close to finding a different route, even if it adds time to my commute. Regardless, thanks for reading.