Running red lights at left hand turns

If it's just you, and the light is weight-activated, you will sit there forever. i have 2 or 3 lights like this on my daily commute, and i am not sitting around waiting for another car. one of the lights is unavoidable; i'd have to take a right, go down a ways, and take a left into a parking lot, turn around to get on my way.. Do you guys just run the light after 2 or 3 cycles? or do you keep it legal?

The first time I did it, a cop pulled up behind me, but way far back so as not to affect the light cycle. i was on cycle 3, and i ran the light. I didn't know it was a cop until I heard a cop/emergency sounding horn. I thought I was toast but he didn't pursue me, but still; what would the courts say about this?