Traffic Light Sensors Ignoring Bikes

[daisha]

I thought about it! Unfortunately most of the legal u-turn spots around here are only at lights - stuck in another left turn!

[Zipster]

How big of a magnet would it take I wonder?

I've tried putting my stand down on the lines hoping to interfere with the signal, no luck.

But as suggested, right on red, then u-turn it....or..nah better not run the red.

[Aurodox]

I'm not sure if it's the Californian in me, but I'd run the red if the light wouldn't let me go after the first cycle. Just go when safe.

[fry1024]

I've heard shutting the bike off and restarting it will trigger the sensor (magnetic field from the starter motor). Give it a shot next time you're there and report back to us.

[daisha]

I'll keep all of this in mind. Unfortunately the light right outside my neighborhood has a red arrow on right turns too, so I think I'm going to run into this issue a lot! Just hope I get a friendly cop if I do get pulled over!

[daisha]

Originally Posted by fry1024

I've heard shutting the bike off and restarting it will trigger the sensor (magnetic field from the starter motor). Give it a shot next time you're there and report back to us.

I'll give it a shot and report back!

[xSean13]

Don't stop in the middle of the lane, the sensors are usually on the sides:



You can always take a left into some parking lot & then turn right out of it. If it doesn't recognize you on the first cycle, I'd just go through it.

[menikmati]

If there's a crosswalk/pedestrian crossing button, hop off and press that.

[alex.s]

the magnet goes on your drain plug and is for internal engine health, not tripping light sensors. disrespect the light if it disrespects your presence. run the red light when safe to do so.

[broilmebk]

Originally Posted by xSean13

Don't stop in the middle of the lane, the sensors are usually on the sides:



You can always take a left into some parking lot & then turn right out of it. If it doesn't recognize you on the first cycle, I'd just go through it.

That one is a quadrupole loop. You want to be in the middle since two wires pass through there. But Sean has the right idea. You want to align yourself correctly with the loops. It may help to lean the bike over.
Since it's a light you constantly get stuck at, it may be prudent to write the city about the issue and have them fix/adjust the sensor.

[alex.s]

side note, the sensor is two coils and uses induction from the large hunk of steel above it (your vehicle) to transfer power between the two coils. magnets do not effect this. an external magnetic force (your starter motor) also does not effect this in any significant way. if there is not enough steel above the coils, the coils don't trigger the light.


so the only real answer to the question is: tip your bike over on top of the sensor.

[astricklin]

Here are some tips on technique to attempt to trigger the light before resorting to the magnet.

http://www.wikihow.com/Trigger-Green-Traffic-Lights

[Zipster]

Originally Posted by alex.s

so the only real answer to the question is: tip your bike over on top of the sensor.

Sorta like in your avatar?

[Alex]

/merged a couple "traffic lights not sensing bikes" threads together.

Here's a link to a related poll:

Traffic Lights - Induction Loop vs. Camera Detectors

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by allanoue

pedestrian crosswalk button works every time.

restarting your bike is a crock

[daisha]

It would be my luck that I would hop off my bike to go hit the crosswalk button and someone would pull up behind me. That would be quite the sight: running bike in the left turn lane, rider casually strolling up and hopping back on like nothing happened...

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by daisha

It would be my luck that I would hop off my bike to go hit the crosswalk button and someone would pull up behind me. That would be quite the sight: running bike in the left turn lane, rider casually strolling up and hopping back on like nothing happened...

The instant you hit the ped button it will change, so ya, you will be running

[Joshorilla]

You could complain to your local traffic committee.

They use infra red cameras here to do the same job and they work without fail, sounds like someone in your government is saving a penny at your expense, as a voting citizen that you would have a right to complain!

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by Joshorilla

You could complain to your local traffic committee.

They use infra red cameras here to do the same job and they work without fail, sounds like someone in your government is saving a penny at your expense, as a voting citizen that you would have a right to complain!

[Joshorilla]

Yes, I know it wouldn't count much kicking up a fuss, but it has to be said that those induction loops are a ****ing stupid idea.

And the only thing more stupid than the induction loops are the ways people try and trigger them.

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by Joshorilla

induction loops are a ****ing stupid idea.

And the only thing more stupid than the induction loops are the ways people try and trigger them.

+1

[Hero Danny]

Hi everyone, how are you doing?

The other day I was stopped at a red light. I was stuck sitting there for (I kid you not) 10 minutes. The light remained red the entire time! And there was barely any traffic coming from the other way!!

The light only switched once a car pulled up behind me... that is so annoying..

I heard that some people buy a "sensor" or something like that to help fix this problem..

Does anybody have a suggestion on which sensor to buy or other equipment? It's getting to the point where I am going to have to start running red lights, which I do not want to do.

Thanks everyone!

[nickjpass]

Pretty sure people have used some sort of magnets. I also have seen that certain cities or States allow a bike to run it after a period of time. Check local laws first...

I usually run them or take a right, then another right.

[cbinker]

honestly if its clear go. or avoid left turns and going straight.

[Hero Danny]

Yeah, I hear yah. I was thinking that too. Go take a right, then another right. (Because it is legal to go right on red) Only problem is this light is right near my house (So I pass by it often) and it is a left only. :/

[CC Cowboy]

Many places have the 2 minute rule, if the light doesn't change in 2 minutes you can run it (when safe). I would check with the local police first.

[DaBlue1]

I read rare earth magnets or magnets from a hard drive work if you put it on the sensor in the road.

[Alex]

/merged with similar thread

[Hero Danny]

Read through it, no answers really. Has anybody found a solid fix for the issue at hand? Or are we stuck running red lights? :/

[Alex]

Read it again.

[jeffb502]

I could trip most of the induction loop traffic light sensors in my city with my bicycle. The induction loop sensors are required to be calibrated to detect a bicycle, so a motorcycle should definitely be detected by this type of sensor.

The first step in being detected is to know what type of sensor you're dealing with. If you don't see any cuts for wire loops in the ground and you look up at the signal to see a camera pointed at you, you're dealing with a camera detector (which are rare but becoming more common where I am). If you're centered in the lane and have your headlight on it should see you. If it doesn't change try turning on your hi beam if it's not already on. When I'm on foot at night I can get one of these lights to change with my 760 lumen flashlight, not by pointing it right at the camera, but by pointing it at the ground where a car's headlight would normally illuminate the roadway.

If you're dealing with an embedded loop detector like is pictured above, line up with the middle line in the middle of the lane. This gives you twice as much detection strength as lining up with either outside wire. If you don't stop over a wire you are much less likely to be detected. The loop pictured above (post #127) is the most common detector where I am. On my bicycle if I could see and line up with the middle line it would almost always detect me. If the lines were paved over I frequently would miss them and not trigger the sensor.

If a sensor doesn't detect you let the organization responsible for that sensor know it is malfunctioning. On state highways it would be the state DOT; on city roads it would be the city streets dept; on county roads not inside city limits it would be the county roads dept.

[Kscreations08]

So many problems with redlights here. Where are my fast food buddies? Wendy's drive thru won't read my bike! lol no seriously, it wont. I have to pull up to order every. damn. time!

Out of the 6 lights I see on my ride to work, only one ever gives me problems. Coincidentally, it is the last light, where I turn left into the parking lot of my job. I will literally sit there staring at my work place waiting for the light to change. Most nights, I say fuggit and take the left. Visability all around me so its safe everytime

[sonny4472]

I roll up to the sensors and hit my front brake pretty hard. For some reason that works on all the lights around town. I'm assuming they are pressure sensors.

[Worldtraveller]

Originally Posted by sonny4472

I roll up to the sensors and hit my front brake pretty hard. For some reason that works on all the lights around town. I'm assuming they are pressure sensors.

I don't think there are 'pressure' sensors anywhere in the US. If there are visible lines in the asphalt, those are induction sensors.

If you really want to see if it's your brakes triggering them, try easing up to the light with normal braking and see if they still trigger. I'm betting they will. That, or there are cameras.

They just passed legislation in WA allowing bikes and motorcycle to run red or turn left on red if it doesn't trigger. I don't think they set a predetermined time, but just 'reasonable'. Several states currently allow this.

Magnets should help with a stubborn sensor, since a moving magnet creates electricity by....induction!

[sonny4472]

I've tried repeatedly to stop normally. no trigger. It's the same lights every day. They do trigger if I dive the forks. I actually went out and confirmed it on the "nightmare" light again. Sit through a red, roll back, screw it on a bit, hit front brake hard, light changes green at next cycle...

[xSean13]

Originally Posted by Kscreations08

So many problems with redlights here. Where are my fast food buddies? Wendy's drive thru won't read my bike! lol no seriously, it wont. I have to pull up to order every. damn. time!

Out of the 6 lights I see on my ride to work, only one ever gives me problems. Coincidentally, it is the last light, where I turn left into the parking lot of my job. I will literally sit there staring at my work place waiting for the light to change. Most nights, I say fuggit and take the left. Visability all around me so its safe everytime

Lol, Wendy's is the only place that doesn't read my bike, either!

We also have a law here where you can turn left on red if it's gone through 1 cycle and you have made sure it's safe to turn.

[broilmebk]

Originally Posted by Hero Danny

Read through it, no answers really. Has anybody found a solid fix for the issue at hand? Or are we stuck running red lights? :/

Clearly, you did not read through it all.

Originally Posted by sleepless

Google is your friend:

How does a traffic light detect a car - How Stuff Works

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induction_loop

"By far the most common technique is the inductive loop. An inductive loop is simply a coil of wire embedded in the road's surface. To install the loop, they lay the asphalt and then come back and cut a groove in the asphalt with a saw. The wire is placed in the groove and sealed with a rubbery compound. You can often see these big rectangular loops cut in the pavement because the compound is obvious."


"An induction loop is an electromagnetic communication or detection system"

"Inductive loops work by detecting a change of inductance."

"Inductance is that property of a circuit by which a change in current in the circuit "induces" (creates) a voltage."


Really, the loop buried under the asphalt at an intersection is one big electromagnet. You've probably played with electromagnets is physics class. They exist in most electronics in some form or another:


The coil of wire in the above picture is like the loop embedded in the road. Your car or bike, when placed over that loop, acts as the metallic core and completes the electromagnet. The whole time, there is a sensor detecting the inductance (voltage creation). When you drive/ride over the loop, the sensor sees the change and triggers the traffic light.

People use magnets because they can have a strong affect on the magnetic field of the induction loop at a traffic light while being compact enough to mount on the underside of a motorcycle. The real solution would be to ride a bike with more potentially magnetic mass (bigger core).. but that one's harder to implement

People also advise revving your engine, under the assumption that the pure movement of the mass of the pistons will somehow trigger the induction loop. This will probably do nothing.

Originally Posted by xSean13

Don't stop in the middle of the lane, the sensors are usually on the sides:



You can always take a left into some parking lot & then turn right out of it. If it doesn't recognize you on the first cycle, I'd just go through it.

Originally Posted by alex.s

side note, the sensor is two coils and uses induction from the large hunk of steel above it (your vehicle) to transfer power between the two coils. magnets do not effect this. an external magnetic force (your starter motor) also does not effect this in any significant way. if there is not enough steel above the coils, the coils don't trigger the light.


so the only real answer to the question is: tip your bike over on top of the sensor.

You sure you just didn't position you're bike differently the second time, triggering the induction loop?

Originally Posted by sonny4472

I've tried repeatedly to stop normally. no trigger. It's the same lights every day. They do trigger if I dive the forks. I actually went out and confirmed it on the "nightmare" light again. Sit through a red, roll back, screw it on a bit, hit front brake hard, light changes green at next cycle...

[capt_bugaloo]

I found a left turn near my house that would not trigger with my motorcycle.
I went to my city's "public works" web page and emailed the city with an accurate description of the location and symptoms.

About 10 days later, the city emailed me back, said that they recalibrated the sensor so that it should be triggered by the metal mass of a bicycle, and invited me to let them know if the issue continued.

I have rode through that intersection a few times since, and it triggers just fine now.

[Klondike1020]

Originally Posted by capt_bugaloo

I found a left turn near my house that would not trigger with my motorcycle.
I went to my city's "public works" web page and emailed the city with an accurate description of the location and symptoms.

About 10 days later, the city emailed me back, said that they recalibrated the sensor so that it should be triggered by the metal mass of a bicycle, and invited me to let them know if the issue continued.

I have rode through that intersection a few times since, and it triggers just fine now.

Darn Canadians - public services that actually work for the public.

doesn't seem to work like that south of you lol

[capt_bugaloo]

I see people posting "Oh I called the city but they didn't do anything"...

Use email or better yet, snail mail. If you phone, there is no written record. If you put something in writing, the city has to log it and then respond in some official fashion. A phone call doesn't do squat.