| Author | Message | ||
     Augustus74 |
I live in NY and have had this problem with all of my bikes. A few of the traffic lights around here don't "recognize" motorcycles and thus won't change the traffic light. Anyone else have this problem and does anyone use one of those products (a big magnet i believe) that trips the sensor to change the light? | ||
| Ochoa0042 |
I made one of these for my bike, works well. But I havent installed it, highly illegal whoops- link (Message edited by ochoa0042 on June 07, 2009) | ||
| Hotrod427 |
Dude, that sounds like a pretty stiff penalty for being caught with one of those things! I always try the old "flash-your-highbeams-at-the-light" deal. My mom told me this years ago while she was a S.C. cop. It seems some traffic signals were designed to pick up on police cars running "code" and their strobes trip the lights. It doesn't work on every light, but on quite a few of them- even here in Mn! Usually it'll trip them within a half a block or so- if it works at all. If not, I usually just run it. That fine's cheaper than $10k and 5yrs in jail! | ||
| Augustus74 |
Yeah, I thought someone might post one of those. I am not looking to change red lights to green so I don't have to stop. On some roads there is a square sensor in the pavement that can tell when a car is on top of it and it triggers a regular traffic light change sequence. Bikes are either too light or don't have enough metal or something to trigger them. As a result, if I am on a side road and come up to a main drag, the light never changes and I am stuck there until a car approaches close enough behind me (or I run the light or make illegal turn).  | ||
| Sparky |
The magnet device installed on the underside of a motorcycle is supposed to work with the embedded wire traffic signal sensors. This has nothing to do with Mobile Infra Red Transmitter technology. Supposedly a powerful magnet attached to a bike can disturb the loop antenna reception of the embedded wire sensor so that if a motorcycle does not have enough iron or steel to trip the sensor, the magnet will git 'er done.  | ||
| Teddagreek |
I've worked in the traffic Industry for 5 years.. Best bet, Note the intersection and call your citys traffic department. We can't fix it if we don't know about it.. Always stop behind the stop bar I'd say most inductive loops never extend past the stop bar Flashing doesn't work or bouncing your vehicle The magnets dont work that we have tested for fun... The emitter is like a giant universal TV remote its not going to turn on your TV without the right code. So it wouldn't pre-empt/change the traffic signal.. | ||
| Sifo |
I've got rare earth magnets in the toes of my boots tucked under the insole. They are very thin so you don't even know they are in there. Works great it you can see where the induction loop was put into the pavement. I just stop with my toes right on the loop. Works great! Tricky part is when the road has been resurfaced and you can't see where the loop is. Then I wind up shuffling back and forth until the light triggers. I found that computer hard drives have a pair of these magnets in them that control the read/write heads. I had a dead drive that I pulled them from for a free try. Best money I never spent on my bike gear! It's not 100% but it gets me through a specific light going to work every morning. I have wondered about a bike mounted solution. Maybe an electromagnet would be strong enough? | ||
| Doughnut |
Let the light cycle through once, if it does not give you the turn, Make the turn when safe. I have told people on bikes to just make the turn against the light while I was on duty. An Officer with at least some sense won't bust your balls for it. | ||
| Augustus74 |
Teddagreek - what exactly should I tell the traffic dept.??? Is the sensitivity of the sensors adjustable? Doughnut - Sorry but I have a CDL (must be kept clean) and the cops in my town are very anal. | ||
| Iamarchangel |
Turn right, u-turn or pull into a driveway and turn around. Take a sidestreet. I only have one to worry about on the way home, It seems to recognize my bike. | ||
| Doughnut |
I have a cdl as well (ABC + DM of course.) and I am serious, A copper would have to be a real dumb ass in the first place to issue the ticket, (just explian it), and if he did, I just can't see it holding up in court. I have turned against the light, been pulled, and explained it to the Officer (before I was one) and it was fine. If the coppers are really that bad where you are at, I am soo sorry. Iamarchangel: depending on where the u-turn happens it is illegal (At least here in Milwaukee a u-turn at any light controled intersection is illegal) | ||
| Doughnut |
Yeah! Posted at 12:03! | ||
| Iamarchangel |
I think it's illegal here too. It's going to be less of a penalty to go about half a block and, "Oh whoops, I meant to go the other way." Here, we have a couple of long delay lights. They figure nobody uses the side street on weekend mornings so the highway, main road, light doesn't change. I lived on that side street for years. | ||
| Doughnut |
I can understand. When I had my bike I was stopped more then six times turning againt the same light. (Was a popular light to run going across.) I was never cited. Again, I am REALLY sorry if some of those Bastard Pigs are that stupid and mean!  | ||
| Ducbsa |
Excellent Minnesota law, from https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/statutes/?id=1 69.06 Subd. 9.Affirmative defense relating to unchanging traffic-control signal. (a) A person operating a motorcycle who violates subdivision 4 by entering or crossing an intersection controlled by a traffic-control signal against a red light has an affirmative defense to that charge if the person establishes all of the following conditions: (1) the motorcycle has been brought to a complete stop; (2) the traffic-control signal continues to show a red light for an unreasonable time; (3) the traffic-control signal is apparently malfunctioning or, if programmed or engineered to change to a green light only after detecting the approach of a motor vehicle, the signal has apparently failed to detect the arrival of the motorcycle; and (4) no motor vehicle or person is approaching on the street or highway to be crossed or entered or is so far away from the intersection that it does not constitute an immediate hazard. I carry this text in my wallet, in case I am stopped by an officer. It feels odd to go through a red left turn signal while there are cars behind me that got there too late to trip the sensor. I should try to remember the spots like that in my town and report them. | ||
| Fastxb12r |
Two words..."neodymium magnets" its what Sifo is talking about they are strong as hell even a small one.I put them under my bike I even have them under my car I seriously never have to wait long or at all at lights. | ||
| Hotrod427 |
Good info Ducbsa! I was told the same thing by a Mn state trooper. And when I asked him what a "reasonable amount of time" was, he stated that if you've sat through two cycles of the light, and still no turn arrow, he would view that as a reasonable amount- but ultimately its up to the discretion of the citing officer. But thats Minnesota- results may vary!  And for god's sake BE CAREFUL if you do choose to blow a red turn signal!!! Its mostly only an issue with me @ 3am when I'm on my way to work and there aren't any cages around to trip the light for me! And remember, if you do get creamed going through a red turn arrow, YOU ARE AT FAULT! Ride safe, and be sure its worth a possible ticket- or even death! | ||
| Old_man |
It's not illegal, it works the same as a car over the sensors. | ||
| Old_man |
The "MAGNET" is not illegal, I should have said. Electronic signal means are probably illegal everywhere. | ||
| Doughnut |
My view (personal and as professional), If I grabbed someone on a bike for the turn on red, and they told me they waited but the light never changed, I would tell them what I liked about their bike and told them to ride safe. This is just my view, and should NOT be seen as the view of the Law. | ||
| Teddagreek |
Teddagreek - what exactly should I tell the traffic dept.??? Is the sensitivity of the sensors adjustable? Bunch of things that can be done sensitivity being one of them. Sitting at the side street sucks.. Especially if you missed your window When this happens the wait at a coordinated light can be pretty long. Amplify that by being by your self it seems like forever. I wouldn't run a red I've seen too much bad stuff, plus with a having a CDL not being able to make up points sucks too... Me a couple guys from my shop tried a bunch of different magnets on our tester one day and nothing worked.. We even tried the one of the store bought ones.. | ||
| Old_man |
I have a magnet on the bottom of my bike, works some places, doesn't others. | ||
| Iamarchangel |
BTW, what's a CDL? ABC+DM? | ||
| Stevewauk |
I got stopped a few weeks ago and the officer told me the law in Wisconsin is: wait 90 seconds and if it is safe, you can go against the light. He didn't ticket me. He said he heard the magnet thingy works. I read somewhere that if you approach the intersection with your wheels going up one side of the loop buried in the lane (if you can see it), this increases the likelihood that your bike will be detected. This seems to work in some cases if I remember to target the side of the loop on my approach to the intersection. | ||
| Dbird29 |
The traffic loops are inductors and need a ferrous material to change the reluctance of the circuit so the controller can cycle the lights. That is why I like the Buell and that big steel muffler. If that doesn't trip it then call the State DOT. | ||
| Ducbsa |
CDL = Commercial Drivers License | ||
| Dingosm8 |
Of course the IR transmitter will also only work if the emergency services use them there. I've always heard of it. But always see popo and ambulances blowing red lights (after a slow down/stop) never having the light magically turn for them (urban myth?). I live between a hospital and a fire house on a very traffic laden road.. they just run up the shoulder and sound their sirens.. if anything, all-ways turn red.. but probably just nothing. and I've lived all over the place.. both coasts and beyond.. metro and rural. I read an article somewhere, the guy said just using some of those strong magnets (tiny fridge mags or the ones in hard drives) will work fine. Just stick one or 2 to your muffler. I usually just make lefts on red, if there's so little traffic that no one is pulling up to the intersection anyway. | ||
| Pinkie_and_the_buell |
Stevewauk, The law in Wisconsin is actually 45 seconds, not 90 IIRC. But I'd bet Doughnut knows for sure. BTW, I notice you're in Waukesha.... So am I. | ||
| Ourdee |
Illinois is 45 seconds also. It is called reasonable accommodation. I start counting to 60 at every light. | ||
| Court |
>>>Is the sensitivity of the sensors adjustable? Yes. . . it is  |
