Red Light Sensors - article and video link

bicyclerider · Post by **bicyclerider** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 2:01 pm

http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_ ... ml?sid=101

Wow, just when I think my local newspaper is crap, they pull this one out. It appears to be also a promotional move for the new Scooter shop (seen in the Video). But hey, I'll take it. We now have I think a total of 2 new scooter shops in Columbus in the last 9/12 months. I think that brings our total to at least 5.

Here is a link to the Video:
It's Titled Red Light Sensors
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/mu ... index.html
interesting perspective from the 'engineer' about where to put your scooter to get the sensor to work.

Side note: One of these days I will get to ride my Blur again. Geesh, the weather here has been crap crap crap this spring.

kneil67@yahoo.com · Post by **kneil67@yahoo.com** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 2:08 pm

awesome video nice of the man to take time to explain how the system works

skotot · Post by **skotot** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 2:40 pm

Good to know exactly how those things work now. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled on my commute tomorrow [way too rainy today]. Thanks for sharing, and thanks for saving me 15 bucks on one of those trippers.

If I still have trouble around town, maybe I'll attach a large thin sheet of metal under the Buddy like the article suggests.

bicyclerider · Post by **bicyclerider** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 2:44 pm

I have had quite a bit of luck putting my kick stand down on top of the wires/sensors as well.

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:59 pm

I already knew about the wires, but it still doesn't work at the 2 main lights on my way to and from work...
SOMETIMES tapping the centerstand on the place where the wires meet works, but I almost always have
to wait for a car to pull up behind me. I guess I should call the authorities.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 6:10 pm

Thanks for posting. I'm calling WeHo City Hall today. I've sat around waiting for the light at the end of my street long enough.

Vic · Post by **Vic** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 6:32 pm

The star of this article is none other than Caitlin, Easy Peasey #2. The shop in question is the one that Gary (EPSP #1) was working on (Old Highway 7 over on MV, may he rest in peace). We are very proud of Capital City Scooters.

My plastic Buddy does not seem to be very effective at triggering the lights, but at least I am going to save myself the money of buying one of those magnets.

There are a few lights that I just know I am going to be hopping off my scoot and running across traffic so I can go push the button for the crosswalk, others I make a right turn and then a u turn in the next opportunity, and a few that I go out of my way to avoid altogether.

-v

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:23 pm

bicyclerider wrote:I have had quite a bit of luck putting my kick stand down on top of the wires/sensors as well.

This works for me most times.

The video is a good piece, but this won't work in all areas, as different cities use different designs for their induction loops. In LA proper, they're usually circles or polygons and you need to stop inside them and tap the kickstand to trigger it.

jijifer · Post by **jijifer** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 4:15 am

yeah at MSF they taught us to put out kickstand down and lean a smidge while watching the other lights so we're ready to giddy-up when it changes. He said, even on the squares, polygons and circles of So Cal that the edges are more sensitive than the centers.

Post by **ericalm** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 4:21 am

Here's an article someone linked to in a discussion about the Dispatch piece on ModernVespa. It describes the various sensors and their "sweet spots."

http://www.geocities.com/siliconvalley/ ... ensors.htm