Traffic light changers: and a free gift to New Plymouth peoples

[thehollowmen]

A friend at the scooter shop and I have used Neodymium magnets to change traffic lights. They trigger the induction loop in the ground and make the lights change. Yes they really work, and surprisingly quickly at night.

Try it, they'll make night time riding a lot easier.

I've got a new bike, and forgot to take the magnets off the old one.
So I've ordered 40 more from trademe (seller=magneticworld) and only need a few, if you're in NP I'll happily give you a couple to stick to the bottom of your bike / scooter. Give me a message and I'll sort you out when this batch arrive.
Colin

[niero]

Hey, I am still somewhat sceprical about this magnet business. So let me get this right, There is a magnetic sensor below every white (double or single) line where the lights are... it sences a car because I guess the inductor coil that produces the spark generates a magnetic field or something else on the car... OK, fair enough but how on earth does it make the lights trigger? Does it have a brain that goes, "oooooh strong magnetic field, must be many cars waiting, Il better switch the lights!"?!?!? Just does not make sence. Anywone care to explain. Cheers

[thehollowmen]

What it does is it detects a change in the magnetic field: Basically it is a glorified metal detector. But they often aren't sensitive enough for some of our bikes.

Reving your engine to high heaven sometimes generates enough of a change in the magnetic field in your alternator, but I don't like doing this late at night as I don't want my neighbors to vandalize my bike.

Those cut out squares you see in front of an intersection are loops of wire below the road surface. What it does is tell the computer at the lights that a car is waiting there.

Lights at night, and sundays are often set up in a 'lazy' method. Basically the route with the most traffic stays green until a sensor on the side road is tripped. This can also happen with some filters, turning right across into a high volume traffic can get you stuck for quite some time if the sensor hasn't been tripped. Actually, in Dunedin there is one across the southern motorway (just before the speed camera); turn right from south Dunedin to go north and on a sunday you can be stuck there for an hour or so waiting for another car to come up behind you and trip the sensor. And that would be one very dangerous red light to run.

Or, just looking at your geographical location, go down barbados st at 2am and try to cross bealey ave. The lights just won't change unless a car comes up beside you or a pedestrian hits the button.

I'm not selling anything, just sharing the knowledge of something I know works. I've even walked up to the lights waving the magnets around with no bike and seen the lights change.

Hey, I am still somewhat sceprical about this magnet business. So let me get this right, There is a magnetic sensor below every white (double or single) line where the lights are...

[Horse]

I've seen it suggested (probably on KB) that putting your sidestand down over the induction loop will trigger the sensor. Gets the metal closer to the loop I guess...

[Reido]

i've had this problem coming home from work at 9pm. got stuck at a set of lights where it was very unlikely any car would come up and join me in cue. waited probably about 5 mins before i got frustrated and ran the red. (safely, just followed the traffic to the right turning right)

Very annoying

can you give a TM link? im interested.. but in Auckland

[Dave-]

Hey, I am still somewhat sceprical about this magnet business. So let me get this right, There is a magnetic sensor below every white (double or single) line where the lights are... it sences a car because I guess the inductor coil that produces the spark generates a magnetic field or something else on the car... OK, fair enough but how on earth does it make the lights trigger? Does it have a brain that goes, "oooooh strong magnetic field, must be many cars waiting, Il better switch the lights!"?!?!? Just does not make sence. Anywone care to explain. Cheers

its science dont be sceptical.

everything has a magnetic field...you, me, the empty glass on your desk, your mouse, CDs, your house, trees outside, earth is the largest magnet on earth its how a compass works....in many cases these cannot be practically measured because they're so small.

a car has lots of mass, 1-2 tonne, so it has a larger magnetic field than a motorcycle which has less mass.

however magnets have much larger magnetic fields for their size so by slapping one on the bottom, of your bike (close as possible to the road) you drasticly increase your magnetic field to the same size as a car.

the way the loop works is actually very common, its the same principle as we get electricity, a magnetic field passed through or even near a loop creates electricity (or i should say converts energy) but what happens is a wee circuit sits there waiting to get a jolt of electricity, when it does it knows a magnetic field has passed the loop and tells the lights to change.

[breakaway]

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.13507

[xwhatsit]

I keep telling people you don't need these things. You can trigger the sensor every time by directly parking on top of it -- most motorcyclists don't, they park off to the RHS of the lane.

Look for a rectangular box sort of carved into the road with a vertical line through the middle. Park your bike along the middle vertical line, right on top of it. You don't need to put your side stand down, you don't need to rev -- it just triggers the light and away you go. Even works on a tiny little Honda Cub.

Check out the picture, once you know what you're looking for you'll see them everywhere.

[breakaway]

I'm gonna have to agree with Tom here, I've never had a problem with a light not coming on, and I commute at ungodly hours all the time. Worse come to worst, slam your side stand down.

[hayd3n]

I'm gonna have to agree with Tom here, I've never had a problem with a light not coming on, and I commute at ungodly hours all the time. Worse come to worst, slam your side stand down.

hymm but then my bike would stall as it has a stand switch and i aint removing it coz it can be a lifesaver

[CookMySock]

soooo, what if your bike is completely made of plastic ?? then you are screwed aren't ya!!

DB

[KiwiRat]

I keep telling people you don't need these things. You can trigger the sensor every time by directly parking on top of it -- most motorcyclists don't, they park off to the RHS of the lane.

Look for a rectangular box sort of carved into the road with a vertical line through the middle. Park your bike along the middle vertical line, right on top of it. You don't need to put your side stand down, you don't need to rev -- it just triggers the light and away you go. Even works on a tiny little Honda Cub.

Check out the picture, once you know what you're looking for you'll see them everywhere.

Exacty buddy. Stop right in the centre of the loop.

Hey nonny nonny, lights change when traffic allows.

Peace.

[breakaway]

hymm but then my bike would stall as it has a stand switch and i aint removing it coz it can be a lifesaver

Even in neutral?

[awayatc]

soooo, what if your bike is completely made of plastic ?? then you are screwed aren't ya!!

DB

You can get metal training wheels.......

[Monsterbishi]

The 'things' in the ground, are called 'loops' - since they are exactly that, just a big double, kinda figure 8 loop of wire.

When they're freshly installed, even a steel toe in a boot will trigger them, but as they get older, vibration, etc affects the resistance in the wire and makes them less sensitive - a couple of well placed magnets will help compensate in this instance, plus if you're riding over any of the traffic counter loops that are out there, it makes you look like a much larger vehicle on the data sheets