Traffic Light question

JJScoot · Post by **JJScoot** » Fri May 19, 2017 6:24 pm

What do you guys do when you're the only one at a traffic light and can't trip the sensor? A couple of times I've just had to turn right and circle back after waiting for a long time.

cummingsjc · Post by **cummingsjc** » Fri May 19, 2017 6:35 pm

Ideally, you wait for someone else to show up to help trip the light. Otherwise, you can try turning right and then make a U-turn or after a while carefully running the light if no one is coming. I don't know if explaining to a cop that you sat through several cycles of the light might get you out of a ticket, but hopefully if you are careful and observant this won't be an issue.

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Fri May 19, 2017 6:52 pm

Check your state's statutes; 'running' a red light that won't change for you could be allowed under certain circumstances.

ucandoit · Post by **ucandoit** » Fri May 19, 2017 9:07 pm

I wait until it is safe and then ride right on through. It is legal where I live. I've gotten to know some of the lights my scooter will not trigger. Check your DMV motorcycle section about this situation. It should be mentioned.

There are roads that are simply too dangerous to cross without help from a light and in those situations I turn around and take another route. I'm not going to wait all day for a car to come trigger the light for me.

ucandoit · Post by **ucandoit** » Fri May 19, 2017 9:13 pm

This is from the MN DMV: "Motorcyclists are provided with an affirmative defense when proceeding through an unchanging red light that has shown red for an unreasonable time if no vehicle or pedestrian is approaching the street. 169.06 subd. 9"

exmayor · Post by **exmayor** » Fri May 19, 2017 10:18 pm

Here what. I was able to find. http://www.businessinsider.com/motorcyc ... es-2013-11
Itjismlwgan in Wisconsin. I do however keep a copy of the section of the code that I covered with clear packing tape in with my registration and insurance. Not all officers are aware of the code.

PhillyKick · Post by **PhillyKick** » Fri May 19, 2017 11:01 pm

Yup, what they said^^ Pennsylvania (the only state I have experience in) just modified the MVC so that motorcycles can run red lights if they wont change, after waiting some quantity of time.

cummingsjc · Post by **cummingsjc** » Sat May 20, 2017 4:15 am

This was an interesting article: http://www.bikebandit.com/blog/post/how ... ts-legally

pcsguy88 · Post by **pcsguy88** » Sat May 20, 2017 4:19 am

Kansas allows running the light after waiting thru 1 cycle w/o you getting a turn signal.

babblefish · Post by **babblefish** » Sat May 20, 2017 6:19 am

pcsguy88 wrote:Kansas allows running the light after waiting thru 1 cycle w/o you getting a turn signal.

I believe Calif is the same, or at least that's what I do anyway.

pcsguy88 · Post by **pcsguy88** » Sat May 20, 2017 1:54 pm

Does anyone know the best place to be on the magnetic sensors? In the middle of the box? Crossing the front or rear line? Directly above one of the side lines (this is what I do when I'm thinking about it)?

GoSlash27 · Post by **GoSlash27** » Sat May 20, 2017 3:46 pm

pcsguy88,
Directly above the edge of the box. swinging your kickstand a couple times also helps. I had a couple lights that used to annoy me until I started doing this. Now they switch reliably.
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/r ... 108/02.cfm
^ Tha science

Best,
-Slashy

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Sat May 20, 2017 4:32 pm

cummingsjc wrote:This was an interesting article: http://www.bikebandit.com/blog/post/how ... ts-legally

This list is somewhat out of date. The Oregon legislature adopted a "dead red" law in 2015. It allows riders to proceed at a red light if the signal "fails" to turn green after a "one full cycle." You are, of course, only allowed to proceed if and when it is safe for you to do so.

JJScoot · Post by **JJScoot** » Sat May 20, 2017 10:53 pm

Ok thanks everyone. I found this more updated list that allows "dead light" running- I never knew this was a thing. Alas, Florida is not in the list.

Arkansas
California
Idaho
Indiana
Kansas
Minnesota
Missouri
Nevada
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Utah
Washington
Wisconsin
Virginia

Remous · Post by **Remous** » Sun May 21, 2017 3:44 am

JJScoot wrote:Ok thanks everyone. I found this more updated list that allows "dead light" running- I never knew this was a thing. Alas, Florida is not in the list.

Arkansas
California
Idaho
Indiana
Kansas
Minnesota
Missouri
Nevada
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Utah
Washington
Wisconsin
Virginia

Add Pennsylvania to the list.. last year they added if the light malfunctions you can go through the red light, as long as you treat it as a stop sign.

I always go through this red light on the way to work. It's at 4am and there is never any cars coming. Of course one morning as soon as I went through it I saw flashing lights behind me.

Right away I told the officer about the law that was just passed and he said it is for MALFUNCTIONING lights. I said well that is a malfunctioning light, it stays on red forever even when there are no cars coming. And his response was it is not a malfunctioning light, it just takes forever to turn red. Lol whatever. He was cool though and let me off the hook.

New2Scoots · Post by **New2Scoots** » Sun May 21, 2017 5:02 am

One of my motorcycle forums mentioned this & said to look for a groove cut into the road in a rectangular shape. At a traffic light you're in the middle of the rectangle. Sometimes you'll see X shaped grooves at the corners. They mentioned to roll across the front groove to trip the sensor, though sometimes the groove is in the crosswalk & I have to roll forward & back a couple of feet. Some say to roll over the X if there's one. Seems to work most of the time on my scooters but rarely on my motorcycle. Might be because the higher ground clearance on the motorcycle, more metal but higher up. I've seen devices that bolt underneath bikes designed to trip sensors, some claim they work & others claim they're useless. Not sure if all areas use the same type sensors so I don't know if everyone has seen these grooves. I have run a few dead lights before that have cameras & haven't gotten a ticket.

PhillyKick · Post by **PhillyKick** » Sun May 21, 2017 9:06 pm

People who drive Saturn's (less magnetic signature because of the door panels being plastic) and other small cars sometimes put hard drive magnets on the bottom of their cars, or suspended by fishing line. No idea if it works or if it's a placebo thing. If you have trouble with this frequently it might be worth a shot.

GoSlash27 · Post by **GoSlash27** » Sun May 21, 2017 11:25 pm

PhillyKick wrote:People who drive Saturn's (less magnetic signature because of the door panels being plastic) and other small cars sometimes put hard drive magnets on the bottom of their cars, or suspended by fishing line. No idea if it works or if it's a placebo thing. If you have trouble with this frequently it might be worth a shot.

I wouldn't bother. The sensor works by inducing eddy current in metal that passes near it. Magnets have no effect on it.
Best,
-Slashy

Syd · Post by **Syd** » Mon May 22, 2017 12:07 am

GoSlash27 wrote:
PhillyKick wrote:People who drive Saturn's (less magnetic signature because of the door panels being plastic) and other small cars sometimes put hard drive magnets on the bottom of their cars, or suspended by fishing line. No idea if it works or if it's a placebo thing. If you have trouble with this frequently it might be worth a shot.
I wouldn't bother. The sensor works by inducing eddy current in metal that passes near it. Magnets have no effect on it.
Best,
-Slashy

What GoSlash said. Put pieces of those hard drive magnets on all your screwdrivers to help pick up bits.

charlie55 · Post by **charlie55** » Mon May 22, 2017 2:40 am

GoSlash27 wrote:
PhillyKick wrote:People who drive Saturn's (less magnetic signature because of the door panels being plastic) and other small cars sometimes put hard drive magnets on the bottom of their cars, or suspended by fishing line. No idea if it works or if it's a placebo thing. If you have trouble with this frequently it might be worth a shot.
I wouldn't bother. The sensor works by inducing eddy current in metal that passes near it. Magnets have no effect on it.
Best,
-Slashy

Exactly right. But if you do decide to try it, avoid manhole covers as you tend to lose some top end once you've accumulated 4 or 5.

New2Scoots · Post by **New2Scoots** » Mon May 22, 2017 5:15 am

Charlie55, great avatar. I bought that album when it first came out. Got every album Jethro Tull made which I later replaced with CDs that I still listen too. Anyway, didn't mean to hijack the thread, back to the topic again.

GregsBuddy · Post by **GregsBuddy** » Mon May 22, 2017 6:07 pm

I carefully run recalcitrant red lights.
It can become very hot sitting in the sun waiting for someone in a car to come trip the sensor.

PhillyKick · Post by **PhillyKick** » Mon May 22, 2017 9:52 pm

New2Scoots wrote:Charlie55, great avatar. I bought that album when it first came out. Got every album Jethro Tull made which I later replaced with CDs that I still listen too. Anyway, didn't mean to hijack the thread, back to the topic again.

Offtopic: I'm with you. I have a pristine album cover of it hanging on my wall, opened so I can read the comic inside as I walk by.

On-topic: If you're doing this right, there's probably nobody around to hit you or give you a ticket in the first place.

JJScoot · Post by **JJScoot** » Tue May 23, 2017 2:35 am

I tried putting my kickstand down right in the sensor but no luck. I'll try in the corners and see if that works tomorrow.

GoSlash27 · Post by **GoSlash27** » Tue May 23, 2017 11:04 am

JJScoot wrote:I tried putting my kickstand down right in the sensor but no luck. I'll try in the corners and see if that works tomorrow.

JJScoot,
It should be at the edge of the sensor (along the side of the box) and you should swing the kickstand a couple times. The sensor looks for a change in reluctance.

Best,
-Slashy

JJScoot · Post by **JJScoot** » Tue May 23, 2017 9:50 pm

GoSlash27 wrote:
JJScoot wrote:I tried putting my kickstand down right in the sensor but no luck. I'll try in the corners and see if that works tomorrow.
JJScoot,
It should be at the edge of the sensor (along the side of the box) and you should swing the kickstand a couple times. The sensor looks for a change in reluctance.

Best,
-Slashy

Gotcha- I meant ON the sensor itself, not IN the sensor box. I will try up and down a couple of times. Working late today and didnt ride in due to threat of rain.

EvilNerdLord · Post by **EvilNerdLord** » Thu May 25, 2017 8:31 pm

Before I 'run a dead light' I first try to pull up so the scoot is actually over the coil (you can see the outline cut in the pavement) and I put both feet down and roll forward and back my leg length through at least 1-2 cycles for it detect me, then f* it, I'm going if I can.

The sensor is effectively a big metal detector, first I try to get it's attention...then, well...