Modern Buddy

got this from digg, short vid on how not to get stuck at a traffic light/ ENJOY!!
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/828731/tr ... ic_lights/

The utility of magnets in triggering traffic lights is rather questionable. A better bet might be to contact the powers that be in your city and complain that the lights aren't sensitive enough...

PS- Nice example of proper riding gear...

Questionable??

It anit a MIRT.

Riders have reported varying degrees of success using magnets to trigger lights. Most of the ones I've read say it doesn't work, at least not well or consistently. But I think that some may work for some sensors...

The magnets in the video are probably cheaper than the "rare earth" magnets sold specifically as light triggers, so it may be worth trying just to see if it works.

My free & easy solution, which works for me most of the time: stop the scoot over the sensor (in L.A. they're round cut outs at the intersections, not the long loop of wire in the video) and tap your center stand on the pavement. The metal contact is enough to trigger the sensor.

If anyone tries out the magnets, let us know if you how they work.

Think of it this way, how much of your 220lb scoot is already nice, ferrous metal? A pretty good chunk of it, I imagine. Now, how much more action are you going to get from a magnet weighing a few ounces? Probably not very much. Hence, it's questionable.

Like I said, contact the city and ask them to turn up the sensitivity. We're lucky around here, as there are lots of bicyclists, so all the lights are quite sensitive.

Some help on the subject if anyone is interested.

go to Parts Express. com
do a search for The Neodymium Magnets. They have a few raw pieces/parts you can purchase. Here's what they say about them: The Neodymium (NdFeB) rare earth magnet is the strongest permanent magnet today...
In the world of pro-audio/sound, these magnets are about 25% of the weight of the "old school" speaker magnets, and are much more efficient.

Electro-Voice has used them most of their Pro-Audio speakers for many years now.
http://electrovoice.com/products/14.html

I'll look around and see if we have some speakers here at work that are not in use anymore or not repairable, where the magnet can be removed.

I would love to give this a try, there are indeed some traffic signals I must avoid or change my route, or even wave/beg the car behind me to move up onto the sensor.

ah well. worth mentioning isnt it?

weaseltamer wrote:ah well. worth mentioning isnt it?

everything's worth mentioning.

vitaminC wrote:Think of it this way, how much of your 220lb scoot is already nice, ferrous metal? A pretty good chunk of it, I imagine. Now, how much more action are you going to get from a magnet weighing a few ounces? Probably not very much. Hence, it's questionable.

Like I said, contact the city and ask them to turn up the sensitivity. We're lucky around here, as there are lots of bicyclists, so all the lights are quite sensitive.

220 lbs of metal gives off significantly less electromagnetic energy than a 2000 lb car. the idea is that a magnet will give off more energy (significantly more than even a 2000 lb car) and trigger the sensor. so even though the magnet is small in weight, it isnt so small in potential energy. that being said, some sensors are optical (hence the convenience store looking cameras) and obviously wouldnt be affected, others are just on plain timers. Even intersections that "sense" a cars presence through using electromagnetisism doesnt mean it will change right away. Its a way to mimic a car, not a magic trick that automatically turns the light green. hope this helps!

Just in case you ever are in Cottonwood, AZ., neither the magnet NOR the kickstand tricks work. Ya just have to plan your trips around the lights. It's okay during the day when there's always a car handy to trip the lights, but at night, you're slap outa luck...

--Keys

Keys wrote:Just in case you ever are in Cottonwood, AZ., neither the magnet NOR the kickstand tricks work. Ya just have to plan your trips around the lights. It's okay during the day when there's always a car handy to trip the lights, but at night, you're slap outa luck...

Are there visible sensors in the road or do they use some other kind of trigger? Just curious.

They have the visible hoo-hahs. You can see the grooves cut in the asphalt where the lines are laid.

--Keys

They are called loops. Usually they are cut into the asphalt and covered with a sealant.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question234.htm

ericalm wrote:...tap your center stand on the pavement. The metal contact is enough to trigger the sensor.

down the hill from keys' neck of the woods in phoenix, the center stand touching the ground does the trick 100% of the time...

A motorcycle at a light that does not change is legally allowed to procede through the red light after a set time (45 seconds) and when traffic conditions allow him to do so safely. That's the law in Wisconsin. I saw that California is trying to enact a similar law. This site is dedicated to this
topic www.redlightbill.com/

I could verify that with my company's legislative tracking service but I'm too lazy to really look into it the moment.

My MSF instructor never got back to us on it but seems to recall the way the current law is written it's something like 3 rotations missed you can burn through the light:

But if an officer might see you burn the red and well...depending on the cop you might be cited if you couldn't talk your way out of it.

i got stopped the second day i had my buddy at a light that wouldn't change. a cruiser turned the corner one street behind me as i scooted under the red light. he was mostly offended that i did it right in front of him. no ticket though.

i set the scooter battery over the cross section of those hoo hahs. there is only one light on my regular path that doesn't respond. now that i know this i just avoid it.

I have run those lights before. The only time I did get a ticket it was thrown by by the municiple judge as soon as I told him whjat I was riding. Later I learned the judge is a biker also so he understood the problem. Most cops in my area will also let it slide provided traffis was slow and safe to cross.