Lights Don't Sense Me

[My Name Is Dave]

I have a question. What do you do when the sensors at a stoplight don't recognize that you are there? There are two main ones on my daily commute that do not sense me, and I'm wondering what you do, and what is legal.

The first is the freeway on-ramp. It's 2 lanes, alternating which gets the green light. If I am in the front of the line and scoot as far forward as possible and there's another car behind me, I will usually get the green. But if I'm solo or it is being a Buddha Loves You (like this morning) it won't give me the green. So the car next to me got the green first, then I'm ready to go, but the left lane gets it again and I got skipped. So I just hit it as if it was my turn. The car next to me seemed to know what was up because she didn't go. But what is the right thing to do there? The first time it happened, I sat there for 5 cycles not knowing what to do. I finally just went.

The other one is on the way home from AutoZone. I need to take a left at a light onto the busy street. The light on the side street never changes unless there is a car there. So I have sat there for what felt like 30 minutes, just waiting for my green. Finally I said "eff it" and backed up (no cars behind me), moved over and took a right. So I had to go around a bunch of blocks just to get home. It was stupid.

So what is the correct way to handle this? Besides running reds and jumping up and down on the sensor until it recognizes your presence.  :x  

Dave  

[Alphamazing]

Those sennsors work on a metal detection basis. This has happened to me before at times, but my father told me about it happening before I started riding. I run them only if it's safe, otherwise I'll take the long way around. Nothing wrong with the long way, either. It's just more time to ride!

Basically you can't do anything, unless you want to laden your bike down with a hundred pounds or so worth of metal. (Maybe that's why the Harley guys get the green more often than I do...)

[davipu]

accordign to ODOT it is faulty equipment. after enough cycles that you have determined that it isn't functioning correctly treat it as a 4 way stop and proceed.  also it is important to file a report that the light is faulty so that you CYA incase one of those carnie SP fags tries to ticket you.   when did they start putting lights on on ramps?  :mrgreen: just split up them and go.

[My Name Is Dave]

Basically you can't do anything, unless you want to laden your bike down with a hundred pounds or so worth of metal. (Maybe that's why the Harley guys get the green more often than I do...)

Or I could just date a fat chi...never mind.

Dave  

[davipu]

no you have to get one with lots of piercings...

[My Name Is Dave]

Or one who has been in a lot of accidents. A little titanium plate here, some pins there, throw in some steel rods for good measure...she's resilient AND will trip the sensors for me.

Dave  

[scratch]

Several other ways to deal with this, and there are pressure sensitive plates that are triggers as well.
1. Stop the bike over the foremost left corner of the loop (the octagon cut in the pavement).
2. Rev the motor so the alternator generates a larger magentic anomoly (about 4000 rpm on most bikes).
3. Lower the sidestand (gear in neutral) over the foremost left corner of the loop.
4. If you're not in a rush, and it's a busy time of the day, I'll wait for a car to pull in behind me to trigger the light.
5. If the lights cycle twice, it can then be treated as a four-way stop, proceed when safe (I prefer to do this when there is no cars near at all...in any direction).
6. Dismount, run over and push the pedestrian button.
7. Find a different route.

For on ramps, just time it like you did. I just recently read in the Friction Zone magazine (free) that it is illegal to split the light (but it doesn't say you can't split up to the light :mrgreen: , I'd even be tempted to split and then piggyback a car that gets the light :mrgreen: ).

[leo]

There's one on my onramp that doesn't change for me and after a few days of waiting, I just go now. I don't even bother slowing down anymore. I think they finally turn off the light at 8 pm or so. But I should file a complaint because a blatent disregard for it is asking for a ticket.   I'm not even sure why they put on there, there's rarely ever a wait, maybe between the hours of 4:00 - 6:00 and that's pushing it. The most cars ever there in line have  been 5.  :dunno: It also doesn't even lead into the actual freeway. I don't know what it's called, but the actual freeway is about a mile down.

[blue05twin]

Never tried this I wonder if it would work?  :dunno:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Traffic-Red-Stop-Light-CHANGER-ALL-MAKES-Motorcycles_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ34284QQitemZ4577150098QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
Anyone ever try one?

[Roadstergal]

For those in WA:

http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2005-06/Htm/Bill%20Reports/Senate/1466.SBR.htm

[RVertigo]

Did it die in Committee?

[Roadstergal]

The report says it was signed, and took effect on Sep. 1st.   :dunno:

[RVertigo]

Well, that's good since I do it anyway...

Now we need lane sharing and I'll stop worrying about getting pulled over for things other than speeding. :mrgreen:

[My Name Is Dave]

If a motorcyclist approaches a left turn intersection controlled by a triggered traffic control signal using a vehicle detection device, and that signal is inoperative due to the size of the motorcycle, the motorcyclist must come to a complete stop. If the turn signal fails to operate after one cycle, the motorcyclist may proceed to turn left after exercising due care.

OK, so what qualifies as "one cycle". What if you sit and sit and sit, with the lights around you never changing (as in the example I gave earlier of the side street I take and turn onto a busy road)

I am guessing one cycle would mean at an intersection, every light but yours changes. But at a busy light, you would never have a chance to go because even if you waited one cycle, cars would always either be going straight or turning in front of you. Oh boy, this is tricky  

Dave  

[RVertigo]

For those in WA:

Lots of other cool stuff going on too...

http://www.leg.wa.gov/wsladm/billinfo1/billsearch.cfm?Searchterm=Motorcycle

[Badger]

There's one on my onramp that doesn't change for me and after a few days of waiting, I just go now.

A few days?  That's some commitment...I would have given up after a couple of minutes, tops.  

[My Name Is Dave]

There's one on my onramp that doesn't change for me and after a few days of waiting, I just go now.

A few days?  That's some commitment...I would have given up after a couple of minutes, tops.  

:lol:  :lol:

[Badger]

I once lived in a complex with a vehicle-sensing exit gate, there was a flyer that was sent around to residents that explained the 'procedure' if you had a motorcycle that didn't open the gate.  It recommended that you grab the metal trash can lid off the can conveniently located next to the exit and drop it on the sensor to activate the gate.  It included a "please return the lid to it's proper location" reminder.  I'm fairly certain that this was the only purpose for the trash can.

[leo]

There's one on my onramp that doesn't change for me and after a few days of waiting, I just go now.

A few days?  That's some commitment...I would have given up after a couple of minutes, tops.  

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol: I was trying to be like Forest Gump, but I got really hungry.

[Roadstergal]

There's one on my onramp that doesn't change for me and after a few days of waiting, I just go now.

A few days?  That's some commitment...I would have given up after a couple of minutes, tops.  

"I haven't slept for ten days... because that would be too long. "   :lol: