just looking for some local stuff here and I stumbled across this article
http://www.americanmotorcycleclub.com/states/tennessee/news/new_law_allows_riders_to_run_lights.shtml
looks like it will take effect 07/01/06(although it doesn't have a published date)
i'm mixed on this, but i do agree that sitting waiting on a sensor sucks - a lot of them don't even pick up my lancer because of it's weight
I love the idea that bikes just won't bother to stop and run red lights. unless they have a death wish they'll stop and wait till it's clear.
And you guys say California has some liberal laws for bikes! Damn!
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. We are allowed to do this in California also for the exact same reasons, but only after the light has cycled at least 3 times and we're also suppose to "exercise due care". I've done this several times and once in the presence of a police car with no problems at all. That sound right to mi Cali peeps?
roguegeek :thumb:
Quote from: hhgsm31 on February 08, 2006, 04:03:25 PM
a lot of them don't even pick up my lancer because of it's weight
The vast majority of vehicle detectors do not use weight. There are weight sensors, but they are typically only used for classification and Weigh-in-Motion stations on the slab because they are prone to breakage.
Most vehicle sensors are loops of wire in the road. These form inductors, which have a magnetic field inside of them, just like the electromagnets you built in grade school with a wire, nail, and battery. However, instead of the DC current from a battery, these loops have an AC signal passing through them. When a piece of iron or other magnetic material is near or over the loop, it alters the magnetic field of the inductive loop, changing its inductance, which in turn changes the phase of of the AC signal. This change of phase is what is detected when your car is sitting on top of them. You can often see where the road was cut to install these loops. It's usually either a 6' x 6' square, or two long (3' x 12' I believe) rectangular loops side-by-side. Both installations will have the corners cut to ease installation.
There are several problems with these. The worst for us is that they are sometimes not sensitive enough to detect the low iron content of modern motorcycles. They are also prone to break for the same reason that grooves are worn in the road - primarily large trucks. Eventually the wires are stretched and broken. Their installation also compromises the integrity of the road, seeing as the road is cut to install them. And they are also expensive and inconvenient to install, since the road must be cut. There are alternatives out there, but none are nearly as accurate as a working loop, so they're still the de facto standard technology.
Quote from: roguegeek on February 08, 2006, 05:00:40 PM
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. We are allowed to do this in California also for the exact same reasons, but only after the light has cycled at least 3 times and we're also suppose to "exercise due care". I've done this several times and once in the presence of a police car with no problems at all. That sound right to mi Cali peeps?
This is the same here in MA
in just about any state, there is an allowence to proceed through a malfunctioning traffic control device as long as Due Care is Exercised. If the light completes a cycle and dosnt change for a motorcycle it is considered to be not properly functioning. while some sensor loops will pick a bottle top from a budwiser, others wont see the largest of bikes.
i generaly pull way up so cars behind me can trip the sensor for me. but alone i will either run the light after a full cycle, or go further down and make a U turn.
Quote from: Blueknyt on February 08, 2006, 08:12:56 PMi generaly pull way up so cars behind me can trip the sensor for me. but alone i will either run the light after a full cycle, or go further down and make a U turn.
I thought I was crazy for pulling up into the interestion waiting for the next car to pull up behind me. I'm glad this doesn't make me crazy.
(maybe other stuff tho)