Traffic Lights

[wever411]

Does anyone else have a problem with stopping at red lights that won't change? I've just been running the red light when things were clear. Sometimes I just wait for a car to come and trigger the light. What do you guys do?

[Chuck]

Same as you.

[red_phil]

I've had that.
Look for the lines in the road where the sensor wire is burried.
Then try planting your front wheel right on top of it.
My steel toe cap boots sometimes help too.

[Affschnozel]

Yes it's most annoying,sometimes no choice but run the red light.
Some people say putting the sidestand down triggers the sensors but it never worked for me,I check that all is clear and go.
Some say bolting on big magnet under belly helps but again can't say it works for sure.
Check there are no cameras also,cause they might work just fine 

[aaronstj]

Yeah, I normally try stopping right on top of the wire.  I haven't really had a problem.  Some people put magnets on the bottom of their bike, that's supossed to work well.  It is legal in most places to run a red light if the light won't change, after a certain amount of time.  Out here, I believe if the light goes two cycles without letting you go, you can run it.

[wever411]

Has anybody been pulled over for running the light on their bike? If so, what did the cop say?

[natedawg120]

there are some lights that always gave me hell.  I put a couple large HDD magnets on the bottom of my bike and that helps.  Normally if it doesn't go the first time i put the bike on its side stand and run over and hit the crosswalk button lol.  If there is no crosswalk button then i either pull forward and wave the car behind me to inch up or run it.  I have asked many officers in the area what i should do and they say run it, just don't let us see you 

[qjt18]

i got pulled over for running a red light, luckly the cop rides too, and he let me off with a warning and told me to make right turns. i asked him about waiting 3 cycles then running is legal and he said no.

[pandy]

i got pulled over for running a red light, luckly the cop rides too, and he let me off with a warning and told me to make right turns. i asked him about waiting 3 cycles then running is legal and he said no.

What if there are cars between you and the right-turn? What if the right turn is four lanes over? I'm glad he was a rider, too, but I think he needs to brush up what to do when stuck at a light.

I try to change the light by turning my motor off and then on. I haven't a clue whether or not it works. I suspect it doesn't, so if it's safe to proceed, I run the light if it's cycled two or three times.

[LimaXray]

If I have to wait more than a couple of minutes, I just run it.  I've been told if you get pulled over just claim it was a 'malfunctioning traffic control device.'

Actually, I kind of enjoy blowing lights, so I don't bother trying to find a fix for it.  

[MrDan]

there are some lights that always gave me hell.  I put a couple large HDD magnets on the bottom of my bike and that helps.  Normally if it doesn't go the first time i put the bike on its side stand and run over and hit the crosswalk button lol.  If there is no crosswalk button then i either pull forward and wave the car behind me to inch up or run it.  I have asked many officers in the area what i should do and they say run it, just don't let us see you 

Actually, in Virginia and Maryland, it's legal to run after 2 cycles of the light have failed to work.  You're then supposed to report it to the State so they can fix it - but I've never heard of that working.  I'll try to find the source for that when I get a chance - it was cited on the Acura board I'm on a year or so back.

Personally, I tend to pull up so a car can hit it, hit the crosswalk button, or make the right and a quick U.  I do that at some lights by default though

[natedawg120]

there are some lights that always gave me hell.  I put a couple large HDD magnets on the bottom of my bike and that helps.  Normally if it doesn't go the first time i put the bike on its side stand and run over and hit the crosswalk button lol.  If there is no crosswalk button then i either pull forward and wave the car behind me to inch up or run it.  I have asked many officers in the area what i should do and they say run it, just don't let us see you 

Actually, in Virginia and Maryland, it's legal to run after 2 cycles of the light have failed to work.  You're then supposed to report it to the State so they can fix it - but I've never heard of that working.  I'll try to find the source for that when I get a chance - it was cited on the Acura board I'm on a year or so back.

Personally, I tend to pull up so a car can hit it, hit the crosswalk button, or make the right and a quick U.  I do that at some lights by default though

Interesting cause the officers didn't say anything about that.  I agree with you in that i do other things first but there are two lights that i will run by default cause they never ever ever turn.  Sometimes they wouldn't even turn when i was tooling around in my jeep and that thing weighed 2 tons 

[MrDan]

there are some lights that always gave me hell.  I put a couple large HDD magnets on the bottom of my bike and that helps.  Normally if it doesn't go the first time i put the bike on its side stand and run over and hit the crosswalk button lol.  If there is no crosswalk button then i either pull forward and wave the car behind me to inch up or run it.  I have asked many officers in the area what i should do and they say run it, just don't let us see you 

Actually, in Virginia and Maryland, it's legal to run after 2 cycles of the light have failed to work.  You're then supposed to report it to the State so they can fix it - but I've never heard of that working.  I'll try to find the source for that when I get a chance - it was cited on the Acura board I'm on a year or so back.

Personally, I tend to pull up so a car can hit it, hit the crosswalk button, or make the right and a quick U.  I do that at some lights by default though

Interesting cause the officers didn't say anything about that.  I agree with you in that i do other things first but there are two lights that i will run by default cause they never ever ever turn.  Sometimes they wouldn't even turn when i was tooling around in my jeep and that thing weighed 2 tons 

I'm trying to find the citations now .... not having as much luck as I did last time I looked.  Hmmm - that would suck.

In Va, I believe it was 46.2-833.01 ..... which has since expired.

[thatguy1025]

I bought one of those magnetic things that stick to the botom of the bike, and i havent had a problem since

[ostwayne]

+1 for the magnets, $3 from hardware store
I just put them on the bottom of the bike and make sure that the magnets are over the center of the sensor on the road when I stop.

[RVertigo]

I've been driving in Seattle too long....  I run certain lights all the time...  Even in my car...

[MrDan]

Everything's really open to interpretation.  Say there is a light which NEVER works for a bike.  In MD, it would be illegal to mount a magnet to it    Technically the magnet would be transmitting a signal to the traffic contol device in the street in order to interfere with it's normal operation eg Not letting motorcylces trigger the light.
   
§ 21-206 (h)  Possession or use of device to alter or interfere with operation of signal prohibited.- A person without lawful authority may not possess, with an intent to use, any device capable of transmitting an infrared, electronic, or other signal to a traffic control device or a railroad sign or signal for the purpose of altering or otherwise interfering with the operation of the traffic control device or a railroad sign or signal.

[LPC2104]

i got pulled over for running a red light, luckly the cop rides too, and he let me off with a warning and told me to make right turns. i asked him about waiting 3 cycles then running is legal and he said no.

What if there are cars between you and the right-turn? What if the right turn is four lanes over? I'm glad he was a rider, too, but I think he needs to brush up what to do when stuck at a light.

My first interaction with Pandy.  I feel honored.  

If the right turn lane is four lanes over, there is a good chance that the road is busy enough for another car to come behind fairly soon, or a good chance the light is on a timer.  Crap excuse.

In PA, anything besides a right hand turn is illegal.  That said, I get stuck on a few lights here and I just double check the road and run the light.

[pandy]

If the right turn lane is four lanes over, there is a good chance that the road is busy enough for another car to come behind fairly soon, or a good chance the light is on a timer.  Crap excuse.

Some of our expressways are four lanes wide, and you'd be lucky to find someone out there on 'em at 3 or 4AM. And don't tell me that there aren't any cops out there at that hour. I got a ticket for running a red light in my cage at 2:00AM once; I sat there for so long with the light red that I thought it was defective. Apparently I was mistaken. 

The cop felt as you did, though, because I wasn't able to charm my way out of THAT one!    

P.S. Your first interaction with me, and you call my excuse crap!? Hmph! I think it's a perfectly lovely excuse!

Edit: This interaction occurred a few months ago. Obviously, it was more memorable for me than it was for you (ok, so I'm good at searching  ):

Speaking of bans, do any of the mods know why I got banned last night?  I'm thinking it was some sort of glitch, but I was surprised. 

LPC2104: I didn't see a ban for you last night? It's very possible it was a glitch. It's happened to me before, too!    Let us know if you have any further problems, and feel free to contact me offsite if you ever can't get in. You can always IM me, Yahoo = pandyz2010.

 

[jackiei26]

order the magnets