Getting a red light to turn green
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Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 307
From: Houston, Texas
Getting a red light to turn green
Thought I'd pass along a tip given to me by a guy that installs traffic lights.
As most of you know, there are sensors in the road that let the light controller know there is a vehicle there to change the light. You can see the square pattern cut into the road at the intersection. There is a wire in the cut that senses the change in the magnetic field when a large metal object goes over it ( ie a car ). Since there is not as much metal in a bike, sometimes it's hard for the sensor to pick up the bike and the light never changes. I had always thought that if you stop in the middle of the square, it would pick up the bike better and change the light. I was wrong.
The traffic light installer told me to stop directly over one of the cuts to have the best chance of the sensor recognizing that I was there to change the light. It has worked very well for me since.
The changers that they sell to attach to your bike are just strong magnets that change the magnetic field for the sensor to see you.
Hope this little tid bit is helpfull.
As most of you know, there are sensors in the road that let the light controller know there is a vehicle there to change the light. You can see the square pattern cut into the road at the intersection. There is a wire in the cut that senses the change in the magnetic field when a large metal object goes over it ( ie a car ). Since there is not as much metal in a bike, sometimes it's hard for the sensor to pick up the bike and the light never changes. I had always thought that if you stop in the middle of the square, it would pick up the bike better and change the light. I was wrong.
The traffic light installer told me to stop directly over one of the cuts to have the best chance of the sensor recognizing that I was there to change the light. It has worked very well for me since.
The changers that they sell to attach to your bike are just strong magnets that change the magnetic field for the sensor to see you.
Hope this little tid bit is helpfull.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 62
Likes: 2
From: Missouri
RE: Getting a red light to turn green
I rode a Wing for years and had occassional problems tripping the lights. Probably too much plastic/aluminum and not enough metal. 
I try and stop near the left front corner of the rectangle box. Looking back, it probably catches the seam so that is probably why it worked. There is adiamond shaped box farther backat some intersections too. The diamond is supposed to be more sensitive.
I try and stop near the left front corner of the rectangle box. Looking back, it probably catches the seam so that is probably why it worked. There is adiamond shaped box farther backat some intersections too. The diamond is supposed to be more sensitive.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,480
Likes: 25
From: Santa Fe NM
RE: Getting a red light to turn green
I knew living in California was like living on a different planet...
Wehave round sensor layouts in the roadway here in Redding... I will say that I have not had a problem tripping the sensor ...
Wehave round sensor layouts in the roadway here in Redding... I will say that I have not had a problem tripping the sensor ...
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
From: League City, TX
RE: Getting a red light to turn green
Just a minor point. The size of the sensor also matters. (Really, no joke intended.) Smaller sensors seem to pick up smaller masses of metal because of sensitivity.
The (used to be) small town I live in has gone to camera technology for light trips. They work a lot better. I am only concerned about the idea of continual surveillance from that!
The (used to be) small town I live in has gone to camera technology for light trips. They work a lot better. I am only concerned about the idea of continual surveillance from that!
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,911
Likes: 2
From: South Fla.
RE: Getting a red light to turn green
ORIGINAL: Zimbob
I found that if i put the kickstand down on one of those lines, it will "see" me every time.
I found that if i put the kickstand down on one of those lines, it will "see" me every time.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,827
Likes: 34
From: Iowa
RE: Getting a red light to turn green
I knew some people that used to think that weight tripped it, LOL, they would bounce up and down and I said what the ..... are you doing???
When I was a kid we couldn't get the light to change on busy intersections and we would lay our bicycles down across the diamonds to trip the lights!
When I was a kid we couldn't get the light to change on busy intersections and we would lay our bicycles down across the diamonds to trip the lights!
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 405
Likes: 0
From: Northern CA
RE: Getting a red light to turn green
Haven't had the problem lately. On smaller motorcycles, I would do a little "s" swerve over the sensor(s) as I came to a stop. Worked 99% of the time. And now I always leave a little room in front of me...coming to a full stop and then moving a couple of inches apparently fools the sensor into thinking more vehicles are waiting, thus the light cycles faster. Or maybe it just makes me feel like I didn't have to wait as long...