OK this was a first for me
 

I was out on my normal ride/route. There is a relatively busy street that I have to cross with a light that has a button to change the light so pedestrians/cyclists will be able to go. The button works very quick if the light hasn't changed in a little while. So this morning I came up to the light. There was a car pretty close to the intersection so I held off pushing the button. After the car passed I pushed the button and the light turned green almost immediately. The nearest car was a way down the street. I was able to get on the bike, clip in, and start going - after the light turned green. The car down the street just kept going. He had plenty of time to stop. The light was red his way for a good 5-10 seconds. Well he blasts through the red light and yells at me as he drove by! Riding a motorcyle trained me to hold back a few seconds when the light changes. Good thing.

Probably mad that I pushed the light button.

Sad but true.

You pushed his button, it would appear.

Greetings all,

The OP reminds me of a problem that someone recently explained to me. Their spouse is colorblind and they are easily confused by horizontally oriented traffic signal lights. As long as the light is vertical, they remember that the top light is the red light. But when they approach a horizontal signal light (we have several in my area) they are not sure which is the red and which is the green light.

So, if you ever need to cross at an intersection with a horizontal signal light---be extra careful.

Kind regards, RoadLight

In my area, one has to assume that people will run the red in the first 5 seconds. Failing to wait and look both ways on a just-changed green can be your last move.

Sad though it is I've come to learn that trusting any motorist (or cyclist or pedestrian for that matter) to do the correct thing is asking for danger. Hope for the best but assume the worst.

He'll get glad in the same pants he got mad in. Good on you for pausing before taking off, I follow this action whether I am driving my truck, or riding my bicycle. Around here a yellow light means to speed up and blast through the intersection. Sometimes, even the red light means to go ahead, and run through, others be damned. Gerry has summed it up quite well, above my reply.

Bill

Reading the all too common storiesike this reminds me of why I like the Red Light cameras.

Mike

Why I don't.....Red light cameras tag thousands for unfair tickets - Chicago Tribune

Thanks for the post -- there is indeed no substitute for defensive walking, cycling, or motoring. One does learn to observe whether or not a motorist is decelerating for a red light or stop sign. My maternal grandfather said that about once a year he would see a Los Angeles driver run either a stop sign or a red light, so he was ever vigilant.

Here the bottom light is green. Is that a Michigan thing?

Top red is near universal in my experience. Roadlight must be mistaken. On horizontal lights, red is left because the port light is red. If you can't remember that, the port light is red because port wine is red.

Some folks get angry anytime they have to press the brake pedal. These also have cars with horn buttons on the brake.

We have red at the top.

My bad! Yes, the top is red here, too.

The same type of person who floors the gas pedal when you signal a lane change.

There was a time when I would have pulled the imaginary rope...

Bike -- small, vulnerable

Car -- big, isolates driver

I don't know what it is like for other folks, but there are a lot of drivers that will take advantage of the above facts, and just muscle their way around. They probably wouldn't do this in person, but you know what they say about giving an insecure person power. Also possible the person wasn't paying attention and just blew the light. It happens.

Glad you had a slight delay in reaction time. Some times it is indeed advantageous to procrastinate. "He who hesitates might just live to crap again"

We all know what the result can be when we assume a vehicle will stop for a red light or make the turn when the directional signal is blinking.

Johnny LEFT Port and Red Right Returning

"There's no Red Port Left"

Bill

Reminds me of a Peugeot I once had. The horn button was on the stalk that controlled the headlights. It was very useful for honking and flashing at the same time. What a feature to improve the efficiency of obnoxious entitlement to the road!

My '77 Triumph Spitfire was like that. What a confusing mess for me to get used to. Then my young wife broke it so every time I hit the lights the horn honked. I did a lot of smiling and waving then.

It would certainly seem that way, especially with Jeep Grand Cherokees. These things seem to appeal to the most belligerent, most aggressive drivers,
at least in my area. OP, sounds like you did the best thing, given the situation.