" wrote:

I was taught to pull out into the intersection and keep wheels straight (so
some numbskull hitting you in the rear doesn't push you into oncoming
traffic). Once in the intersection, you owned it. *ENTERING* on a red-light
was a no-no.

Traffic laws vary from state to state and evolve over time. I was tought the
same thing, but in my current state, the law is to not enter the intersection
unless you can clear it for the reasons the OP cited. Some locations use a red-X
"clearway" design to indicate the same thing for through traffic.