You know what really grinds my gears?!

[G.Irish]

The reason I don't tend to creep out into the intersection is because if I'm not able to make it then I'm stuck out in the intersection and may end up blocking traffic in the perpendicular lane. A lot of people end up blocking traffic in DC by trying to either creep out on a green light left turn, or when they're trying to cross an intersection where traffic is backed up. This in turn, blocks traffic on another street.

A cop once told me that if you are in the middle of the intersection when the light turns red, you are legally allowed to make the turn to get out of the intersection. No excuses not to creep.

Sure, that's assuming that you can indeed make the turn. But if a guy in the oncoming lane is trying to beat the light (like many in DC do) then you won't be able to turn right when the light turns red. Or you try to dart out and get t-boned. In the meantime, the other light has turned green and you're now the person blocking traffic from the cross street. For me the risk/reward ratio of creeping doesn't really justify it. If I can make the left turn, me being 5 ft into the intersection isn't gonna make much difference.

EDIT: All bets are off when I'm driving in Latin America. In Panama for instance, you will repeatedly get your right of way violated and in turn, you must violate other people's right of way if you wanna get where you're going. It's what I imagine it would be like shanking someone in jail, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do in a hostile environment.