Yep, I do it all the time too. The main road that goes by my subdivision has a left turn that you can sit there until you need another shave, and it ain't gonna turn green unless a car's there. I sit through one cycle, then go.

 

of course i go through a red light, straight on or left turn, only if it's safe and no interfering with traffic. i do stop and wait a bit. if the sensor does not read my presence, then i do proceed cautiously. the alternative would be melting your motor? any cop with sense would be very understanding if you did it with extreme caution.

 

Just did it tonight!

 

faapilot, I am in socal too, and I have been told that if you wait three cycles at a light that you can turn. I have no confirmation of this in writing though.

 

Ever since I dropped a dual sport and cracked my stator cover ($150 repair) when I was getting off to hit the cross walk button, I've been running reds on left turns if it skips a cycle. My mistake. I didn't have the side stand all the way down, and the bike tipped over while I was walking toward the cross-walk button. LAME!

Anyway, that convinced me to run reds when needed...

 

In Minnesota it's legal to blow off a red light, before the moss grows on you.

Coming home nightly, there is one light I can't trigger for anything. At 01:00 the cops are looking for any reason to stop you. I got stopped, the cop checked me out. We talked, he rides a Star cruiser (won't hold that against him). He's been stuck at that same light on his bike. 10 mins later, we're still kickin' (bike) tires, he had a radio call and had to leave. Nice guy.

 

been there,done that

 

Put your kickstand down, but stay on the bike. That will make the bike wide enough to be "seen" by most sensors.

 

Sorry brother I'm not waiting 3 light cycles unless its traffic I'll turn right and make that u-eeee first. I'm not sure what the law is here in Illinois I'll have to ask my brother that one he's a county sheriff

 

I'll wait 1 or 2 signal cycles, then go, after checking for traffic.
I've heard about magnetic 'signal trippers' that you can put under your bike, but don't know how effective they are.
Also a lot of intersection don't have magnetic pickups in the roadway, but are controlled by camera sensors.
I talked to a couple of local police about it and they advised to wait one of two cycles, then go.
One told me that the cameras could sometimes be activated by flashing your hi-beams. I tried that a couple times and it worked, but not always.
Be careful out there.