Is there no break in traffic to "run the red"?

In Bicycling and the Law, bicycle racer turned lawyer Bob Mionske states on page 42: "It turns out that in every state, this is one instance where you can legally run a red light. The sensor is considered defective in this case, and it is not considered against the law to go through a defective red light. However, in order to be sure that the signal is defective (and to be able to demonstrate in court that you had sufficient reason to be sure), you should sit through the equivalent of one complete light cycle ... without the light being triggered. If you still don't get the green, the light is defective, and you can then proceed through the intersection, yielding the right-of-way to any approaching vehicles. If you were to receive a ticket for running the red light, fault should be placed on the person who installed the sensor. If you were to become involved in an accident as a result, fault would be apportioned among the person who installed the sensor, you, and the motorist, according to your comparative liabilities."

In an ideal world, of course...