there are many ways to detect a car reaching a set of lights, they probably wouldn’t need to actually get out and press. Just as they manage on sensor controlled junctions, now if only those junctions could be equipped with a cyclist button so you could be sure that you are waiting because the light will change, and not left wondering has the camera/metal detector even registered my presence or am i waiting for a car to arrive.
Around me there are some newly installed sensor-controlled cycle lanes (cyclists get a separate phase to pedestrians and cars, but the cycle phase is triggered by sensors). They do work, but it took me a while to realise you have to stop well short of the stop line to trick the sensors into thinking there’s a few cyclists waiting. Roll right up to the stop line on your own and it just won’t change. We also have some annoying pedestrian crossings like this, where if you’re not standing in the right place for the sensor to see you, you won’t get a pedestrian phase even though you’ve pressed the button – the lights cancel the request if they don’t detect a ped.