sigh.....

[marni]

As I was driving the 4 miles on cinco ranch rd leading up to the grand parkway/ freeway I passed a male biker who was riding correctly, taking the lane, stopping fully at the stop sign, stopping behind the stopped car at the red light , riding with the slower speed of traffic around the school etc. Just as I was thinking Yay for a road biker who knows how to do it right, the A hole ran a yellow/red light on the access road to the freeway. I was so disappointed.

[Mr. Bloom]

Hmmm, five actions noted, four right, 1 wrong...80% is a B- in my book. I think 49% or less might qualify for "A hole" grade...but then my standards are low...

Ironically, the things he did right are the rules I see violated most often around here.

[OakLeaf]

By "yellow/red" you mean he entered the intersection on yellow?

Technically illegal, obviously, but I don't think I've EVER heard of anyone being ticketed for that, and I don't know anyone who doesn't do it on four wheels or two, motor or no. I'd give him a pass on that one...

[marni]

no he ran the red- Yes technically that was an 80% or B-but at the same time he simply confirmed the general opinion around here that most bike riders have little or no respect for the law.

I was just disappointed and venting.

[FunSize]

I thought you weren't supposed to enter a yellow if it was and appropriate distance for stopping. Like... you shouldn't screech to a halt to not run a yellow. Around here there are lights that don't turn unless triggered by a car. I sometimes ride across if there is clearly no traffic. My bf got pulled over while riding his bike for doing that though. Still.... the light won't trigger for the bike! I'm not waiting 20 minutes for a car to by chance come down that one road.

[OakLeaf]

Supposedly there's a provision in some states' laws that says if the jurisdiction is notified that there are road users who can't trigger the light, they have to adjust the sensitivity until it will be triggered.

I've heard of some motorcyclists actually having success with that. But I wouldn't hold my breath.

[Mr. Bloom]

no he ran the red- Yes technically that was an 80% or B-but at the same time he simply confirmed the general opinion around here that most bike riders have little or no respect for the law.

I was just disappointed and venting.

Understood...I was just teasing you over the "a hole" characterization. Around here (unfortunately), he'd be a righteous dude...but that doesn't mean we can't have high expectations

Ironically, there's someone here actively lobbying to have the local ordinance modified to exempt bikes from having to stop at STOP signs. While it would violate state law and won't happen, it's symptomatic of the problem and misinformation...

[zoom-zoom]

Supposedly there's a provision in some states' laws that says if the jurisdiction is notified that there are road users who can't trigger the light, they have to adjust the sensitivity until it will be triggered.

I've heard of some motorcyclists actually having success with that. But I wouldn't hold my breath.

What actually triggers those sensors? I thought it was metal/steel. Only our tandem would have a chance of triggering one, then. Everything else in our stable is aluminum or carbon.

[OakLeaf]

There are newer ones that are optical (and I'm loving those on my own carbon frame!), but to replace a magnetic induction loop with optical would be a major undertaking. That's why I wouldn't hold my breath.

[zoom-zoom]

There are newer ones that are optical (and I'm loving those on my own carbon frame!), but to replace a magnetic induction loop with optical would be a major undertaking. That's why I wouldn't hold my breath.

Yeah...we only have one light that operates like this that I have ever encountered around here. I don't see that they'd bother upgrading it, at least not in a severely cash-strapped state like MI.

[Mr. Bloom]

I've been advised that there's enough real metal on any bike. You just need to rest over the edge of the sensor. Doing this, I've never had a problem with my carbon fiber frame

[oz rider]

The most sensitive spot in the embedded loops is the centre line, so try to ride over that bit.

[OakLeaf]

I could always trigger a light with my steel bikes. There are lights that won't even trigger with an aluminum framed motorcycle sitting right on top of the loop. I have one, and while I can't off the top of my head remember this happening at any intersections where the loops were newly installed (and thus visible in the pavement), I've been doing it for decades, and I know perfectly well where the loops are. I can't tell you how many times I've been stuck at a light on my motorcycle. Sometimes both my husband on his motorcycle and I on mine aren't enough to trigger a light.

But if the magnetic induction loops CAN be set sensitive enough to pick up a bicycle chain and/or bottom bracket axle, then we should absolutely demand the sensitivity be adjusted.



ETA: more than I wanted to know about it http://www.humantransport.org/bicycl.../detection.htm

Short version: Aluminum will trigger just as well as steel (although carbon will not), but it's the configuration of the loop (which can't be easily adjusted) that's key.



Edit again: according to the article, it depends on whether it's a dipole loop or quadrupole whether there's anything at all in the center, and if the road's been paved since the loops were installed, there's no way to know which it is. With a quadrupole loop there is still sensitivity at the edge wires, it's just greater at the center - and my personal inclination would be not to stop any two-wheeled vehicle on the oil slick that's invariably in the center, if I could possibly avoid it.

[Koronin]

A year or two ago South Carolina passed a law that allows motorcycles (so I would assume bicycles as well) to turn left or go straight at a red light that cannot be triggered by the motorcycle. I don't fully remember the law, but it said you had to wait a reasonable amount of time and then may go straight or turn left if the light is not triggered.