When driving, have you ever checked your blind spot carefully before changing lanes and then see someone directly behind you after you've changed lanes and you wonder why you didn't see him before? Or have you ever entered an intersection after checking it was clear and then suddenly see someone right behind you? In both these cases have you ever wondered if you did check carefully or if the driver did suddenly zoom in from behind?

I was making a left turn in a busy downtown street. As the light turn from amber to red I was preparing to go but didn't because I was looking a cyclist right in the eye sincerely deciding if we was going to run the red - and that's after he saw me jerk and stop.

I would not bet that there probably has been more than one occasion where others were more observant than you. And that's part of the reason why you had never had a collision when running through reds.