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Traffic light not triggering. Need Magnet? 2003 K1200GT

jrmull

New member
Hi,

Local traffic light turn lanes are not recognizing my bike is in the lane. I guess my 2003 K1200GT isn't big enough. I have tried center, left, right sides of the lane. Not much luck. Cars don't want to crowd me so we sit through the lights. Any suggestions?


I think I have a small 2x1 inch magnet on the bottom panel already. I was thinking of adding another 3 inch round one down there. The kind you find at Harbor Freight with a stick to pick up nails. I would somehow attach it to the bottom. Without the stick of course. Hope it doesn't mess up the ABS or electronics.

Suggestions? Appreciate your ideas.

This bike is a blast to ride.
 
The problem is actually with your Dept of Transportation or local equivalent. Traffic lights can be adjusted for sensitivity. I know this is not of any immediate help to you, but long term contacting and, if necessary, pestering those responsible may resolve the issue.
 
I don't think magnets have any effect on it. Line up with your wheels over one of the wires and pull up far enough for a cage to get on the sensor with you. Otherwise run it and if you get caught tell it to the judge. I got a ticket for running a light that wouldn't change. I told the judge that the signal was defective and that I did what the driver's manual said to do and treated it as a stop sign after giving it time to change. The cop said that the signal wasn't malfunctioning, it just didn't sense the motorcycle. I replied that if the sensor did not sense a road legal vehicle, then it was malfunctioning. Cop said I should have made a right turn, then a u-turn to end up going left. I said that the u-turn was more dangerous than proceeding left with caution. Judge said case dismissed.
 
The problem is actually with your Dept of Transportation or local equivalent. Traffic lights can be adjusted for sensitivity. I know this is not of any immediate help to you, but long term contacting and, if necessary, pestering those responsible may resolve the issue.

Pretty much ^^^^^

Older systems have a wire loop in the road that suffers degradation almost from day one. The newer systems use a form of “scene comparison software” that has adjustments that are infinite. The cameras are sometimes affected by the weather.
In the older systems, it’s the mass that is important.
OM
 
Thanks for the suggestions.

In my case, this is a four lane with turn lanes. They have 4 min wait times. When I miss the light the oncoming cars get a green with their side arrow, so I can't particularly cheat the light ahead of traffic. Once green, I can make the turn as long as someone else is in the straight ahead line. I have no object to using common sense running the light. We got rid of red-light cameras here. State law in Illinois allows your to use common sense if you want over 3 mins. Anyway, Just trying to be a good citizen with other drivers. They lose their turn too but I appreciate them trying to not crowd me. Cops are generally fair as long as I don't be a crazy driver.

I will mention it to our city engineering for a fix.

Darn, I thought the magnet would help.

Regards John
 
I spent 30 years as a City Planner and Community Development Director. The City Engineer worked for me and the Traffic Engineer worked for him/her. Our position (in one City only) was that a signal that failed to detect motorcycles was malfunctioning and we would always try to peak the sensors so they worked correctly. I was once subpeoned to court and did indeed testify that was a malfunction when the sensors failed to detect motorcycles. How that plays out in your city might be different. Good luck. I suspect many municipal judges would be sympathetic.
 
I've got a left turn signal that won't sense a motorcycle in my town, i avoid it all together unless there is a car already waiting to turn. PIA, to be sure. Sometimes I've made a right turn, sometimes I've treated it as a stop sign, luckily, I've never been stopped by the "coppers". Cheers.
 
I've got a left turn signal that won't sense a motorcycle in my town, i avoid it all together unless there is a car already waiting to turn. PIA, to be sure. Sometimes I've made a right turn, sometimes I've treated it as a stop sign, luckily, I've never been stopped by the "coppers". Cheers.

Report it to the City Engineer, the Public Works Director, a City Council member, and/or the Mayor.
 
Illinois

Most Roads and state flat as a pancake, few curves in roads but lots of political crooks, a jillion dollars in debt and slow to pay bills, but Illinois does have a law on the books if the sensors don’t change the the light when it is safe to do so you can ran the red light.
 
Most Roads and state flat as a pancake, few curves in roads but lots of political crooks, a jillion dollars in debt and slow to pay bills, but Illinois does have a law on the books if the sensors don’t change the the light when it is safe to do so you can ran the red light.

These states also have a "dead red" law - allows you to proceed after waiting "an unreasonable amount of time," 1-3 light cycles, or 45 seconds to 3 minutes (state depending).

Arkansas
California
Idaho
Indiana
Kansas
Minnesota
Missouri
Nevada
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Utah
Washington
Wisconsin
Virginia

The Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center actually has a laminated card that lists most of the motorcycle-specific laws, including the dead red. I keep one on each bike, in case I need to remind an officer :)
 
These states also have a "dead red" law - allows you to proceed after waiting "an unreasonable amount of time," 1-3 light cycles, or 45 seconds to 3 minutes (state depending).

Washington
Wisconsin
Virginia

The Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center actually has a laminated card that lists most of the motorcycle-specific laws, including the dead red. I keep one on each bike, in case I need to remind an officer :)


This is what I teach in my class in WA. We only have to wait 1 cycle.

Bicycle, moped, or street legal motorcycle at intersection with inoperative vehicle detection device.
Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the operator of a bicycle, moped, or street legal motorcycle approaching an intersection, including a left turn intersection, that is controlled by a triggered traffic control signal using a vehicle detection device that is inoperative due to the size or composition of the bicycle, moped, or street legal motorcycle shall come to a full and complete stop at the intersection. If the traffic control signal, including the left turn signal, as appropriate, fails to operate after one cycle of the traffic signal, the operator may, after exercising due care, proceed directly through the intersection or proceed to turn left, as appropriate. It is not a defense to a violation of RCW 46.61.050 that the operator of a bicycle, moped, or motorcycle proceeded under the belief that a traffic control signal used a vehicle detection device or was inoperative due to the size or composition of the bicycle, moped, or motorcycle when the signal did not use a vehicle detection device or that any such device was not in fact inoperative due to the size or composition of the bicycle, moped, or motorcycle. For purposes of this section, "bicycle" includes a bicycle, as defined in RCW 46.04.071, and an electric-assisted bicycle, as defined in RCW 46.04.169.
 
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