Tailgaters.

I need advice on something I’m concerned might happen during my test.

The other day, I was driving in my test area, and I was being tailgated by someone. I was coming up to a green traffic light. I wasn’t sure how long it had been green as I had turned onto the road not long before it. Anyway, as I approach the traffic light I am going maybe 15mph, slow enough to stop safely and legally - if the guy wasn’t behind me. The traffic light goes amber, and this guy is hot on my tail. Rather than potentially risking breaking the law, I stopped but I was half way into a cycle box. I was unable to brake any harder because the guy behind me would have crashed into the back of me, so I had to brake a little softer. I know that probably would’ve gotten me a fail for being in the box, however I’m curious as to what I should REALLY do if that happens.

Sorry if you infer something different from this, I really am struggling to know how to word exactly what happened but I hope you can get the gist of it 😅

Do driving examiners give some leeway if they can see that you’re being tailgated and couldn’t safely stop without being rammed into, so you have to go through a yellow light that’s been yellow for maybe half a second? I’m very anxious about this, as London has a lot of tailgaters.