Always come to a full stop. Sometimes it's a trackstand stop, where I don't put a foot down, but a stop nonetheless. I am kinda self-righteous about following rules, and since I have commuted by foot and bicycle and skates and skateboard and motorcycle and large and small cars and vans and trucks I feel more than qualified to comment. I used to be one of those jerks who shouted at stupid jaywalkers, I am almost over that but it's so hard. Don't have a combination endorsement, though and probably won't ever get one.
And yeah, the traffic actuated lights work by induction if they are working properly-a ferrous conductor cutting through a magnetic field. Aluminum is a fantastic conductor but not an inductive material. The lights default back to a timed cycle if the detectors aren't working.
