I've always been doing this, and there was one time this habit has saved me. A few years back, a really bad storm had washed out a bridge. There was a single lane temporary bridge put in with portable stop lights and powered arms. I was right behind a large pickup truck at the stop. I had just put my car into neutral and was looking at my rear view mirror, when an Astro van came into view going 45 like there wasn't any problem with the bridge. I could see the driver was looking at a passenger, like they were talking. I got back into 1st and was hitting the gas before I could decide if I really needed to move. There was a moment when I didn't have time to actually think, more like I had the feeling of 'F-This Shit!' I floored it, dumped the clutch and yarded the wheel hard over to the right and then stomped on the brakes just as I was about to pass the truck. I was about to either hit the stop sign, or go into the ditch. I looked back at where I had been and that van was stopped with only one foot to spare, the driver looking at me with a scared look on his face. I let them go in front of me when the light changed & kept plenty of distance

I have to wonder, if there hadn't been any vehicles sitting there if that driver would've slid his van into the river. There was only 20 more feet before reaching a section of roadbed that was tilted downwards into the water & visibly broken away from the roadbed. Only a few safety cones with plastic ribbon blocking that