Lights

[Jonty]

Can anyone explain to me how we are supposed to trip those flaming weight sensors for traffic lights when they are not on timers? Last night I sat for 10 mins at a set of lights (which I frequently get stuck at) rolling backward and forward until i gave up and went anyway (along with a barrage of toots). I'm sure next time I will see the red and blue!!

[StoneChucker]

I also had trouble, but only on my 250... Since I've had my current bike, no probs. I'm not 100% sure if it's weight, or a metallic sensor of some sort? Either way, it's annoying as hell!

And about the red and blue pulling you over, I can almost guarantee that you will get a ticket, police would never believe you. Sucks hey?!!

[Deano]

Can anyone explain to me how we are supposed to trip those flaming weight sensors for traffic lights when they are not on timers? Last night I sat for 10 mins at a set of lights (which I frequently get stuck at) rolling backward and forward until i gave up and went anyway (along with a barrage of toots). I'm sure next time I will see the red and blue!!

Unless its just a coincidence, I have found recently that the lights have changed after approaching them (just me on my bike). Maybe the 275kgs of me and my bike is heavy enough ?

[Jonty]

Being on a 250 I may need to pack on a few pies!!

[vifferman]

They are inductive loops, so they work on a mass of ferrous metal (iron, steel) travelling over them, which creates (inducts) a current in the loop under the tarseal, which trips the relay in the traffic light controller. The smaller the amount of steel in your bike, or the slower you're going, the less likely it will detect your presence. If the road has too much seal over the inductive loop, or the controller's been set to too high a threshold current, then it won't work well.
If you sit directly above one of the 'tar snakes' covering the loop, and thumb your starter (even if the engine's already going), the small magnetic field it creates may help trigger it. Starters on bikes don't get knackered by being operated when the motor's running, unlike a car.
If it's a persistent problem, try filling your boots soles with large magnets.

[Deano]

And about the red and blue pulling you over, I can almost guarantee that you will get a ticket, police would never believe you. Sucks hey?!!

Can you imagine the scenario where you are heading somewhere in the early hours of the morning where lights are not on a timer....waiting for hours until a car came along to set the sensor off....bugger that, look left. look right, look left again, then go for it.

Would be an interesting one to take to court.

I mean, would 'they' honestly expect you to sit at the lights for hours waiting when there is no traffic around ?

[marmel]

I've seen something for sale on ebay which you attach to the bottom of your bike somewhere and it trips the sensors, I think it's a large magnet or similar. Might be worth looking at if the intersection is that bad?

[Jonty]

Can you imagine the scenario where you are heading somewhere in the early hours of the morning where lights are not on a timer....waiting for hours until a car came along to set the sensor off....bugger that, look left. look right, look left again, then go for it.

Would be an interesting one to take to court.

I mean, would 'they' honestly expect you to sit at the lights for hours waiting when there is no traffic around ?

I agree, It is a pain in the ass as the lights outside my house never seem to pick up my bike. I have to wait for another bloddy car!! maybe instead of packing on the pies i need to tow a large metallic trailer!!

[Motu]

In Melbourne back in the 80s they used to turn the traffic lights off at night,they just flashed orange and you treated them as an ordinary intersection.They also went orange to green,gave the cars warning that the green was coming and they moved off quick - no 3 cars then red over there...a bike was pressed to keep up with the cars...all racing the trams to the next lights.

[Blakamin]

Sux in a town with only one set of the bastards too!... my 250 wouldnt trigger but the CBR400 and the Ducati do... used to hate sitting, waiting to turn right for 8 minutes!

[Jonty]

Sux in a town with only one set of the bastards too!... my 250 wouldnt trigger but the CBR400 and the Ducati do... used to hate sitting, waiting to turn right for 8 minutes!

You certainly get asome funny looks from cars when you dismount and start jumping up and down cursing at the sensor in the road (this may have occurred recently)

[Blakamin]

You certainly get asome funny looks from cars when you dismount and start jumping up and down cursing at the sensor in the road (this may have occurred recently)

Be funnier now that that person knows it dont do anything

[Posh Tourer :P]

You certainly get asome funny looks from cars when you dismount and start jumping up and down cursing at the sensor in the road (this may have occurred recently)

Dont work, its a magnetic thing (roughly) not a weight one. Here are two recommendations relayed from cops..

1) Dismount and cross as a pedestrian

2) Treat it as a Give Way intersection

[Mr Skid]

Dont work, its a magnetic thing (roughly) not a weight one. Here are two recommendations relayed from cops..

1) Dismount and cross as a pedestrian

2) Treat it as a Give Way intersection

Slightly but has anybody had any good/bad experiences becomming a pedestrian? i.e. killing the engine and pushing the bike through a pedestrian cross signal?

I haven't been game to try it myself considering my L plate has 'fallen off' in case it's frounded upon by the constabulary or a cage tries to follow me through the cross signal..

[StoneChucker]

has anybody had any good/bad experiences becomming a pedestrian? i.e. killing the engine and pushing the bike through a pedestrian cross signal?

Do you mean when the light won't change? Or in everyday traffic?
Eitherway, I think thats highly illegal, since you would need to use some portion of the footpath (since if you didn't, you would have to use the road to get to the crossing, which would mean you ran the red light). I'm fairly certain it's illegal to operate a motor vehicle on a footpath.