Trouble with stoplights

[Jaynen 0]

My bike doesnt stop for them??

kidding.

I keep having issues with my bike and triggering lights. If I can see the circles I always drive over them so the bike ends up over the edge so its covering the most of the circle it can.

I had 3 instances on the way home where a light would not change for me at all. I tried backing up and going forward again bouncing on the bike etc nothing worked.

It even happens with the gate out of my community

So any tips for dual sport riders who have the higher clearance and maybe less metal bits?

[RogerTOWM 0]

My understanding is the light sensors are triggered by a magnetic field. The bikes don’t have a big enough field. I’ve read where it was recommended to glue small magnets to the lower part of your bike to increase the field. I haven’t tried it but the way it was written made sense. Too bad I can’t find the write up now. Can any of our engineer riders help with this?

So any tips for dual sport riders who have the higher clearance and maybe less metal bits?

[sandiegoland 0]

It's not a scale. The "edge" you see has a loop of wire with a small current running through it. Move metal over the line and you will disrupt the magnetic field around the current. A circuit "senses" the change of inductance in the circuit and trips the signal.

Try shifting to neutral and dropping your kickstand down (if it is not aluminum) and drag it over one of the lines.

Regarding magnets... I'm not saying they won't work, but they are probably just as effective as pieces of very ferrous metal as they are as pieces that have a magnetic field.

[Jaynen 0]

The kickstand thing might work. It's annoying and I think part of the problem is the ground clearance we have

[zracing 0]

So any tips for dual sport riders who have the higher clearance and maybe less metal bits?

This may be a helpful link:

http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=390174

[ADV Bum 205]

Kickstand works. The honda is steel though!

[Gbus Crisis 0]

Wait a reasonable amount of time, and when the way clear just go.

The light is designed to change when a vehicle stops at the light. Your vehicle stopped at the light, it did not change. The device did not operate as designed and is therefore malfunctioning. Now you can reasonably (and most likely, legally) treat it as any other broken stoplight.

I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice. Attempt at your own risk. Paid for by the Council for Dignity and Common Sense.

[DigDug 0]

You've just got to learn the tricks for each of them. I usually have better luck if I position myself so both rims are over the loop. I have to hit about the right (or left) third in order to have both rims on the circle at once.

Also, note which ones are giving you trouble and notify the appropriate agency. I NEVER was able to trip the metering lanes lights getting onto Hwy 78 from Las Posas in San Marcos. I got on the CalTrans website and sent a message. I got an extremely polite and apologetic email saying that since it was a new intersection, they hadn't had a chance to fine tune it yet. They sent a guy out within a week and now I trip it wherever I hit it. CalTrans was great, but your city might be a little more of a pain to work with - but well worth the effort.

They way I see it, if the light doesn't trip for a street legal vehicle, it is malfunctioning - therefore you may wait a reasonable amount of time to see if another car comes up behind you to trip it. If not, you're cleared to press through the red. (I hope that logic works)... Perhaps a sheriff (or former sheriff) can shed some light on that...

I've heard the magnets don't work. One of those "snake oil" things people buy...

[carguy 1]

The traffic signals that do not recognize a motorcycle need to be adjusted. Traffic signals can be adjusted to pick up bicycles. Some areas have smaller loops near the bike lane that are more sensitive. If a light does not work contact the agency responsible for it.

The unincorporated areas of the Couty call, (858) 874-4155.

[Jaynen 0]

Hmm. I can't ever get the lights getting onto the freeway to see me at all. At any of the meter lights I have been at getting onto the 5.

Where I can "see" the loops I always do as the thread said to try to help it out. The issue is where they are not visible usually

[paulmbowers 236]

As mentioned the problem is a paucity of ferrous material required to trigger the mag field.

It's an easy answer. Go to Industrial Metal Supply in Kearny Mesa, and purchase a 3/4 x 24 x 24 inch piece of plate scrap iron. Drill it using the same pattern as your skid plate, and bolt it up. I prefer stainless allen-head capscrews. Kills two birds with one stone- trips lights and is a extreme duty skid plate.

With enough speed, the plate will function, if adjusted correctly, as a "wing" providing a small amount of lift, effectively offsetting it's weight. Or part of it.

[Joliet 0]

As mentioned the problem is a paucity of ferrous material required to trigger the mag field.

It's an easy answer. Go to Industrial Metal Supply in Kearny Mesa, and purchase a 3/4 x 24 x 24 inch piece of plate scrap iron. Drill it using the same pattern as your skid plate, and bolt it up. I prefer stainless allen-head capscrews. Kills two birds with one stone- trips lights and is a extreme duty skid plate.

With enough speed, the plate will function, if adjusted correctly, as a "wing" providing a small amount of lift, effectively offsetting it's weight. Or part of it.

If you ride too slow to gain the amount of lift you are looking for, you could always fill you tires with helium to help offset the weight :clapping: . Ken

[slosher 0]

I used to install these and we took a small flat metal (about 4*4) to test. That’s how we adjusted. not all will do that some will just use there truck and then it may even miss the smaller cars. I have seen some when yugo's were around never sense that small car. Cover the corners with your bike, if you sit through a light I just kick stand down and hit the walk signal. If that don’t work I go..

[paulmbowers 236]

If you ride too slow to gain the amount of lift you are looking for, you could always fill you tires with helium to help offset the weight . Ken

Ah! Inspiration!

fn

[Bbg.will 0]

Hmm. I can't ever get the lights getting onto the freeway to see me at all. At any of the meter lights I have been at getting onto the 5.

Where I can "see" the loops I always do as the thread said to try to help it out. The issue is where they are not visible usually

I've gotten stuck in a parking garage for 15 minutes trying to find the loop to open the garage door because the hoa had trowled a textured finish over the original concrete and the loop. A car ended up opening it from the other side. Now, I just don't ride my bike to my in-law-to-be's condo.

http://www.greenlightstuff.com/trigger.html is a website I've seen in the past that sells premade magnet loop triggers, don't know if they work, don't think I'll buy one, but hey, figured I'd throw it out there.

[slosher 0]

I have had one and in El Cajon it missed the lights by Parkway Plaza... All other seem to work fine.. I did run the red light camera without flash.

[TrophyHunter 15]

Being the proctologist's apprentice I tend to be, I went into research mode. I talked with a former Motorcycle Officer (these guys/gals will usually write their mother a ticket) about this. The legal way is to turn right and make a u-turn.

Hmmmm...I explained this would work if you wanted to go straight but if you wanted to go left, you'd have to make 2 rights and 2 u-turns. And if you wanted to make a u-turn, you'd have to make 3 rights, 3 u-turns followed by a right turn. Stay with me.

All this hoping you weren't in a business district as it's illegal to make a u-turn in one of those.

His response was....wait a reasonable amount of time, possibly until a car/truck comes in behind you. If it doesn't trip before your patience runs out, clear the intersection and go. The problem usually comes with folks who stop, look & go, figuring it isn't gonna "see" them anyway.

He does not know of anyone who showed due caution being written up....especially by a Motor as THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM with their bikes.

I wouldn't run a red light camera intersection or expect to make sense out of this to a CHP officer.

[bikeslut 1]

as aggravating ad it is, you will get a ticket for going through (btdt)

You will beat it in court too; its just a bit irritating

The right hand turn "option" that leos prefer you take is far more dangerous to me, and seems just as likely to end up in a ticket

[TrophyHunter 15]

The right hand turn "option" that leos prefer you take is far more dangerous to me, and seems just as likely to end up in a ticket.............

I agree that option is more dangerous, especially if you're in a left turn lane and have to cross an active straight thru into a right turn lane. Plenty of vehicle code sections there to violate on. I'd vote for the "go when clear" and deal with it if you're stopped.

[Jaynen 0]

I have consistent issues with the on ramp lights too. Not a one works for me. Which sucks if I am trying to use the carpool lane

[socalhodaka 105]

I talked to the computer guy's at my old job that rode bikes, and they said to take a old hard drive magnate and stick it to the bottom of your bike to set off the lights. I have not tried it but they say it works.

[Jaynen 0]

I think you can buy magnets/electro magnets from places online too for this theory never tried one tho

[Yeti 0]

I had this happen to me. A CHP motor unit pulled up next to me. We both sat there for a few looking at each other to see who was gonna go first. Finally he started laughing and we both ran the red together.