traffic light sensors

[JIBTEXHNKA]

when i leave work it's between 2-4 in the morning. there aren't many cars on the road and often when i get to a traffic light i'm the only one there.

my problem: the light never turns green for me! i know some of them are weight sensors, others have cameras (the ones that aren't timed, anyway). i guess i'm just not heavy enough. i just sit there until another car comes up behind me, or, more often, i end up running the red light since there's nobody around anyway.

does this happen to anyone else? it's really kind of annoying.

[rusty rider]

Yep, it has happened to me a few times. I try to take routes that use timed lights instead of weight if I can. When not I wait for a couple of minutes if not traffic I will go ahead and go. :??: what else is there to do?

[turbo chicken]

i end up running them also... i leave early like that also...

[jonathan180iq]

I was reading about laws regarding weight sensing lights and how they can't pick up some motorcycles. If that's the case, the general consensus seems to be that it's ok to take off, if you have waited a significant amount of time and the coast is clear.

[Doug577]

I know that around here a lot of those sensors are in the roadbed, and you can tell where they are by the lines in the pavement. Sometimes if I stop over one of them it seems to work.

But heck, some of them don't seem to change even for my car!

[IndyKTM]

I had this issue a few years ago when I had a scooter. One time I waited and waited then decided to run the red light(I made a left turn). Long story short a cop was coming up the road and saw his light was green when I pulled in front of him(he was very far away and it was at night) which meant I was turning on a red. He pulls me over and I explained to him that the light wouldn't turn for me. He said he had the issue when he rode motorcycles as well and said "you see the sensor lines in the road? Stop just inside one and put your kickstand down just next to the sensor line and lean your bike over to put weight on your kicktand and it should trip the light."


It actually worked....most of the time. Sometimes you cant see the sensor so your hosed. But I thought I would share a tip that a cop gave me and it actually works. I use it now with my GZ and it does help.

[JIBTEXHNKA]

thanks for the tip, i'll definitely give that a try next time i get the chance (shouldn't be too long). a lot of these roads are freshly paved and there are no sensor lines, but i'll try and guess where they are.

jonathan, where did you find that information?

[jonathan180iq]

I don't have a link or anything. This was more than year ago and based on several different reports and opinions on the topic.
I'm sure I could find something again searching through google. But, then again, that would take the fun of you doing it.
:)

[zepfan1232]

All of the sensors here are magnetic. Unless you have a big heap of metal like a car's engine, then it's hard to set them off. I think a lot of places have a law that allows you to run a light after sitting for 3 cycles.

[bigfour]

A 'more' legal workaround for this is to turn right on red, make a u-turn, then turn right on the same street (light will be green anyway).

I also use this trick when it's hot to avoid overheating at a stop light.

[rusty rider]

I tried the kickstand trick at a light near my house that even the larger bikes haven't been able to trip. IT WORKED :2tup: :2tup:
Thanks for the tip :rawk:

[JIBTEXHNKA]

A 'more' legal workaround for this is to turn right on red, make a u-turn, then turn right on the same street (light will be green anyway).

I also use this trick when it's hot to avoid overheating at a stop light.


i've done this a few times.

most of the cut-outs around here are round, not rectangular. are those just round loops? or are they most likely the magnet type?

[patrick_777]

A 'more' legal workaround for this is to turn right on red, make a u-turn, then turn right on the same street (light will be green anyway).

I also use this trick when it's hot to avoid overheating at a stop light.


i've done this a few times.

most of the cut-outs around here are round, not rectangular. are those just round loops? or are they most likely the magnet type?

If you can see the grooves in the asphalt where the sensors are, they are the magnetic (inductive-loop) type. They will detect the change in magnetic field directly above the loop and alert the signal of a vehicle. I've heard of people revving their engine, and even clicking the starter button on their bike to generate a greater magnetic field, but I can't think that's very good for the starter, or an already air-starved engine.

Most GZ250s (later models only?) have a stand switch which will kill the engine if you drop the kickstand while not in neutral, so that's another thing to think about. The stand idea is a smart move though.

Also, some stoplights will "forget" that you're there. The camera-monitored signals have this problem frequently. Flashing your headlight brights might trigger it if this happens, but probably not as well as larger movements, or the pedestrian crossing button.

[5th_bike]

I once read in an article about those rectangular electromagnetic loops that they are most sensitive at the corners. However I haven't done it enough to be able to say it is better to stand near a corner of one of those rectangles, than in the middle.

So far I only had one left turn signal not go to green on me, so I carefully went through red when no one was coming from the opposite direction.

[Littlethumper]

I thought this might help you jib or anyone!

http://www.postimage.org/Pq2q7nYr.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Pq2q7nYr)

Drive safe....

[JIBTEXHNKA]

haha that's from the MSF book, isn't it?

the rectangular ones work fine for me, it's the circular ones i can't seem to make work.

[Littlethumper]

:oops:i thought you're talking about this...sorry!
:roll: Hmmm..i think i never ended up to a circular ones yet...
Well, if you happen to figured it out, let me know jib! ;)

Drive safe...

[Sarris]

This is a device purported to activate magnetic traffic light sensors. I have a buddy with one on his Ninja 250 and he swears by it. It also is alot cheaper than a ticket.

http://www.wrightbrothersbikes.com/signalsorcerer.html

There are several million of these on the web. Just seach for "Motorcycle traffic light activator" and you'll get them.

I've had no problem with lights on my GZ as I usually stop over the sensor wire when I can see them

Good Luck

:2tup:

[JIBTEXHNKA]

i'm 99% positive that the "signal sorceror" and the "light knight" are just plastic-packaged magnets. save yourself some money and buy a magnet from here http://www.kjmagnetics.com/. they have rubber coated ones that would probably be best but i don't know if they make them in a suitable shape and size. you can rubber-coat it yourself pretty easily following their instructions.

and if you think it's a bunch of BS, which it probably is, super-strong magnets are just plain fun. i bought some for my little brother to play with and they're a blast. ha.

this one, http://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=BY0X02SH, is probably your best bet. it's rated for higher temperatures (normal ones lose strength above about 170 degrees F) and it looks like a good shape to stick on the bottom of your bike without getting in the way of anything. they chip easily though, so rubber coating or at least wrapping in plastic might be a good idea.

[patrick_777]

Strong magnets can wreak havoc on your ignition and most other electronics, so be careful where you put them.

In other words, it's your bike.

[JIBTEXHNKA]

Strong magnets can wreak havoc on your ignition and most other electronics, so be careful where you put them.

In other words, it's your bike.


good point, i hadn't though of that. yet another reason not to trust $20 fix-all solutions on the internet.

near the bottom of the bike probably isn't much on an issue, but i can't really say that with any certainty.

[yls]

So, has any one tried the magnets from K and J yet? It is time for me to start thinking of things that need a fix-in so the new riding season will make me smile for miles

[dan_]

In North Carolina and a few other states its legal on a motorcycle to run the red light if you come to a complete stop and there's no oncoming traffic.

[dan_]

Excuse me, you also have to be waiting for 3 minutes.

And congratulations to me i just found the edit button! Dee da dee.

[Water Warrior 2]

I thought I had replied to this topic a lot earlier but apparently not. When coming to a stop light and it hangs up on you just flip the kill switch, stop engine, flip back and start the engine. The magnetic field generated by the starter will usually do the trick. Works well with the VStrom which has a somewhat larger starter but is also higher off the ground. Try it and see if it works.

[yls]

Thanks for the info Warrior. I will give this a try and report once it gets above freezing here in central IN.