REVscene - Vancouver Automotive Forum

Mr Colt · 06-21-2016, 01:16 PM

I often get stuck at red lights that will not change because I'm on a motorcycle.
This mostly happens when there is low/no traffic around.
But once and a while, if I'm at the front of the line of a bunch of cars, my bike just doesn't seem to be enough to trigger the light cycle.

I'll wait and wait and wait, and eventually the only way to get it to change is to get off the bike and hit a cross walk button... if the intersection has such a button.
And I gotta say I don't feel very comfortable leaving my bike parked in the middle of the road like that to do it... or how legal it is for me to do it like that.

There has got to be a better way?
Is there some provision in the law that says I can proceed on a red light if I've waited long enough? I've read recently that in some US States that if you wait a solid 45 seconds, and it's clear, you may take it...

Please advise

whitev70r · 06-21-2016, 02:09 PM

Do you think this works?
Amanet Red Light Changer - RevZilla

corollagtSr5 · 06-22-2016, 11:38 AM

Do you try to stop on the two circles where your tires hit the lines of the circles or theres no visability of the sensors?

corollagtSr5 · 06-22-2016, 11:51 AM

Just buy earth magnets and glue them on your boots to trip the sensor. Thats what that product above is.

meme405 · 06-22-2016, 01:41 PM

Get yourself a MIRT device.

What could go wrong...

Urrtoast · 06-22-2016, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corollagtSr5

Do you try to stop on the two circles where your tires hit the lines of the circles or theres no visability of the sensors?

Exactly brake fairly hard on those black circle cut marks at the light. Usually works every time. And if not and your all alone go push the button on the crosswalk.
Never have I had a issue on a bike at a light.

SoNaRWaVe · 06-30-2016, 08:30 PM

when i ride and i see those circles, i usually place my ass towards the side of the circles but still within the circle so that my two tires still touch a portion of the top and bottom. it works 50/50. but i never had to get off my bike to push a button.

Mr Colt · 07-01-2016, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoNaRWaVe

when i ride and i see those circles, i usually place my ass towards the side of the circles but still within the circle so that my two tires still touch a portion of the top and bottom. it works 50/50. but i never had to get off my bike to push a button.

What circles?

silva95teg · 07-01-2016, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Colt

What circles?

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.11903...7i13312!8i6656

On the ground, there is an inductive coil under the pavement that the induction changes in when there are metal/magnetic objects near. The change signals the light to change. I see them way back from lights as well, most likely used to control the amount of time the light will be green for. Also in left turn lanes, they are sometimes a few car lengths back to trigger the advanced green. 1-2 cars no advance green, 3-4 or you stop over the induction loop and you are good to go.

Mr Colt · 07-01-2016, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silva95teg

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.11903...7i13312!8i6656

On the ground, there is an inductive coil under the pavement that the induction changes in when there are metal/magnetic objects near. The change signals the light to change. I see them way back from lights as well, most likely used to control the amount of time the light will be green for. Also in left turn lanes, they are sometimes a few car lengths back to trigger the advanced green. 1-2 cars no advance green, 3-4 or you stop over the induction loop and you are good to go.

I'm sure I've never notice them.
I looked for them the other day and saw non when I was stuck at a red lol

zulutango · 07-02-2016, 11:43 AM

Try putting your side stand down, hit he kill swtich, restart the engine with the stand on the ground and the electro-magnatic sensors will usually react and trip the lights for you. The sensors can have their sensitivity adjusted if it will not pick up MC.s Park your bike right on top of the sensor wires in the pavement...and if they have bicycle strop positions indicated as they do at some, on top of the cycle sensor. Nothing in the MV Act or Regs permit you to run a red if it doesn't function...so the suggestions concerning x walk buttons...or even making a turn and looping back on the other side might be a consideration if it is safe to do.

minoru_tanaka · 07-04-2016, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Colt

I'm sure I've never notice them.
I looked for them the other day and saw non when I was stuck at a red lol

They're always there, where is this place where there wasn't one?

There's usually two in the left turn lanes, one right up front and another where a third car should be stopped.

sebberry · 07-08-2016, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zulutango

so the suggestions concerning x walk buttons...or even making a turn and looping back on the other side might be a consideration if it is safe to do.

Are you permitted to leave a running vehicle to go push the crosswalk button?

zulutango · 07-08-2016, 01:57 PM

Technically it could be considered an unsecured vehicle....technically....

sebberry · 07-08-2016, 09:55 PM

Seems to me that it might be safer to proceed on the red (under certain circumstances) than it would be to leave a motorcycle (which are hard enough for drivers to see) running at the stop line and while running back and forth to the crosswalk button against the pedestrian lights...

zulutango · 07-09-2016, 05:17 AM

Or you could just turn right, do a u-turn and avoid the light? What I have done is hit the 4 ways, drop the kickstand which shuts the engine off and then hit the x walk button.

sebberry · 07-09-2016, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zulutango

Or you could just turn right, do a u-turn and avoid the light? What I have done is hit the 4 ways, drop the kickstand which shuts the engine off and then hit the x walk button.

From a left-turn or straight-thru lane? I can't believe you're advocating breaking the rules

zulutango · 07-09-2016, 12:06 PM

See...you didn't tell me the rules first! OK...just sit there indefinitely until someobody comes to the light from the other side, who will trigger the light or you...

jackal · 07-11-2016, 02:54 AM

the number of people who think the traffic signals are triggered by pressure sensors under those "circles" in the pavement is to damn high

zulutango · 07-11-2016, 06:02 AM

They should know that the lights are really triggered by Karma....the cicles are merely circ les of enlightenment that can detect if you have a positive aura...or not. Negative thoughts will be detected and the light will not change...until you do.

meme405 · 07-11-2016, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackal

the number of people who think the traffic signals are triggered by pressure sensors under those "circles" in the pavement is to damn high

They aren't pressure sensors. But there is a sensor in the ground which senses a car and based on a variety of other factors triggers changes in the traffic light...

Sango · 07-14-2016, 10:23 AM

Most intersections have the magnetic loop sensors. In the case where it may not pick up a motorcycle, a stronger magnetic would need to be used would need to be used to trigger it.

You could may try to go back and and forth on the magnetic sensor to see if it works as well. I remember a physics teacher was mentioning this as a joke using a car going back and forth on the magnetic sensor if you wanted it to change faster.

You may have also seen the camera traffic sensor, which I don't believe has this issue. It uses a infrared beam used to determine traffic back up an an intersection.

sebberry · 07-14-2016, 10:49 AM

The camera sensors can also have issues. A BC Transit operator here had to radio in to the supervisor for permission to run the red light (when safe) because the bus had sat there for 3 light cycles. There was an issue with the sun angle and reflection.

Soundy · 07-29-2016, 04:36 PM

The inductive loop sensors work exactly like the metal detector you take to the beach to look for bottle caps - it's a coil under the pavement that creates a magnetic field, and the circuit then monitors the impedance of the loop. Anything metal within the field will change the impedance to tell the system there's a vehicle there - more metal increases the impedance and thus reduces the voltage across the circuit.

Unfortunately bikes don't have a lot of ferrous metal (ie. iron/steel) so the change may be too small to go over the threshold. The more aluminum, the worse it is. Rolling back and forth may help because you might hit the "sweet spot" of the field where the inductance is strong enough to be recognized. Rolling back and forth in a car won't speed up the light - at most it would make the loop think cars are moving past over it.

The cameras don't use infrared; it's a straight up video camera feeding video analytics software that looks for shapes defined as vehicles at the stop line. There are certainly conditions where a vehicle may not be "visible" to it - bright sun reflections or flare, heavy fog, etc.

zulutango · 07-30-2016, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sebberry

The camera sensors can also have issues. A BC Transit operator here had to radio in to the supervisor for permission to run the red light (when safe) because the bus had sat there for 3 light cycles. There was an issue with the sun angle and reflection.

That's another advantage taxi drivers have./...they never stop for red lights or stop signs....no supervisors to ask.