Trouble with traffic lights with sensors

Blitzkrieger

Have any of you guys had any trouble with the Guards over running red lights that are on sensors? There's a couple of sets of traffic lights on roads I regularly use that will only go green when you park on a sensor. The trouble is, when I'm on my bike I'm too light to set it off. :rolleyes: My choices are either to wait for someone in a car to come along or go through the red light.

On my way to work this morning I could have been waiting ages and even if a car came along, there's no guarantee the light would go green. This could be a rant for the motoring thread in R&R as well : the amount of ****ers that stop a country mile back from a red light these days! It seems particularly prevalent in Midleton for some reason - Instead of stopping with your front bumper at the white line like you're supposed to, these muppets leave a car length between them and the lights, meaning they are nowhere near the sensor, and spend ages sitting there wondering why the light isn't going green. :mad:

Del2005

You can attach neodymium magnets on the bottom of the bike to trip them.

Otherwise you need to find an alternative route to work as there's no excuse, in law, for braking a red light so you'd need to sit there till a car comes along and trips them for you. There where several articles in MCN about this recently.

Victor

Are you actually driving on the line of the sensor?

MrPudding

Have you considered a bigger, more manly motorbike?

MrP

CrazyRabbit

Get off bike. Jump up and down on the sensor with your arms flailing all over the place.

Works for me.

Blanchguy

The loop you see cut in to the ground is essentially a metal detector. It should be most sensitive at the corners, try lining the bike up with one of the lines. Not guaranteed to work but may help.

Please Kill Me

Happened to me too. Was stopped at lights for ages and tried putting the bike on the side stand, while jumping up and down (seriously), then did a burnout (worth a try! LOL) and after a long while, just went. I had just gone round the corner when a cop pulled me and did me. I explained and he said he was watching the whole time, but "breaking a light is breaking a light". Nowt I could do. :mad:

BrokenArrows

I had a similar issue getting out of the underground garage at work. The sensor never detected my bike. Had to walk outside and open the electric gate and back inside and hop on the bike before the gate closed. Fun!!

MrPudding

BrokenArrows wrote: »

I had a similar issue getting out of the underground garage at work. The sensor never detected my bike. Had to walk outside and open the electric gate and back inside and hop on the bike before the gate closed. Fun!!

I have quite a bit of trouble getting in and out of a datacentre the company I work for uses. They have an airlock type system and I frequently get stuck between the gates. Very irritating.

MrP

Del2005

Please Kill Me wrote: »

Happened to me too. Was stopped at lights for ages and tried putting the bike on the side stand, while jumping up and down (seriously), then did a burnout (worth a try! LOL) and after a long while, just went. I had just gone round the corner when a cop pulled me and did me. I explained and he said he was watching the whole time, but "breaking a light is breaking a light". Nowt I could do. :mad:

What could they do if you turn your bike off and push it onto the footpath to get around the junction? Since it can be difficult if to catch the correct position for the sensor we need some alternative then sitting waiting for hours or getting a fine.

Blitzkrieger

Thanks for the info guys. It sucks that it's still against the law. Has anyone taken it in front of a judge? Surely there'd be some exception for a light that's never going to go green?

In the mean time I may try what Blanchguy said and try and park the back wheel on a corner of the sensor. Maybe try jumping up and down on it....

MrPudding wrote: »

Have you considered a bigger, more manly motorbike?

MrP

Lol - well it is only a 900 but I was planning on keeping it for a few years. Maybe I could start having some cake with my dinner...

Del2005

Blitzkrieger wrote: »

Thanks for the info guys. It sucks that it's still against the law. Has anyone taken it in front of a judge?

There's no point in fighting it. The law is clear, if you are at a set of traffic lights on a bike, in a car/HGV you cannot proceed till they go green.

Even if you know the lights are faulty and will never turn red you can't proceed till a Garda does point duty and lets you through or the power goes to the lights.

Please Kill Me

Del2005 wrote: »

What could they do if you turn your bike off and push it onto the footpath to get around the junction? Since it can be difficult if to catch the correct position for the sensor we need some alternative then sitting waiting for hours or getting a fine.

Not a lot really. It'd be no different if your bike was broken down and you were pushing it. It's not likr yo'd be riding it on the path.

Cuddlesworth

Depends on the sensor I suppose. Its either a light sensor, in which you need to be in a certain spot to trigger it or its one of the magnetic pads which driving over the edge works. I've never not been able to get on to work though.

Tigger

i find severe braking on the sensor supplies the required force

Please Kill Me

Tigger wrote: »

i find severe braking on the sensor supplies the required force

Good idea. I'll try to do a stoppie the next time. LOL Have to see if that works, nice one!

echomadman

Look at the lines cut in the road where the loop sensor is buried. stop your bike directly over one of the edges. if that doesnt work put your sidestand down so the foot is right on the line. Sometimes stopping then starting the engines when you're directly above the lines works, but it depends on where your starter is mounted.

They detect metal/magnetic fields not weight, jumping on them just makes you look like a retard.