Traffic Light sensors not working
Discussion
I wondered if any of you could give me a little advice on the following problem:
The route a 'friend of mine' takes to work every day on his motorcycle takes him through a certain junction of a minor to major road that has traffic lights. Now, these lights default to green for the major road and rely on sensors to tell when traffic is building up on the minor road to change the lights. Now the motorbike doesn't appear to register on these sensors and so the lights NEVER CHANGE. He has waited over 10 minutes once, sat on the sensor, but to no avail. Now the time on the commute is usually 3-5am so there is no other traffic around on either road and very good sight lines, and the major is only a 30mph limit in any case. so usually, he just 'tootles through' obviously, this is breaking the law 3 points at least (and fully accepts and understands the consequences etc etc). But what choice does he have? Any advice would be much appreciated!! Thanks.
The route a 'friend of mine' takes to work every day on his motorcycle takes him through a certain junction of a minor to major road that has traffic lights. Now, these lights default to green for the major road and rely on sensors to tell when traffic is building up on the minor road to change the lights. Now the motorbike doesn't appear to register on these sensors and so the lights NEVER CHANGE. He has waited over 10 minutes once, sat on the sensor, but to no avail. Now the time on the commute is usually 3-5am so there is no other traffic around on either road and very good sight lines, and the major is only a 30mph limit in any case. so usually, he just 'tootles through' obviously, this is breaking the law 3 points at least (and fully accepts and understands the consequences etc etc). But what choice does he have? Any advice would be much appreciated!! Thanks.
I suspect not faulty but may well be of the metal-detecting or weight-detecting variety, rather than movement-detecting.
You can buy an add-on for the bike that has an electromagnet in that gives the impression you are a big lump of car rather than small bike. If they are weight-detecting then you are screwed; no way to fake extra mass, although I guess you could go on a pie-eating mission to help pop you over the required weight.
You can buy an add-on for the bike that has an electromagnet in that gives the impression you are a big lump of car rather than small bike. If they are weight-detecting then you are screwed; no way to fake extra mass, although I guess you could go on a pie-eating mission to help pop you over the required weight.
They don't work on weight, none of them do. They work on changing inductance, if it doesn't pick you up then you need to drive off the loop and then back onto it. It doesn't detect you while you are sitting stationary as the inductance is not changing.
Rob
P.S. it is probably a sensitivity issue and yes, contact the relevant council department.
Rob
P.S. it is probably a sensitivity issue and yes, contact the relevant council department.
walm said:
I suspect not faulty but may well be of the metal-detecting or weight-detecting variety, rather than movement-detecting.
You can buy an add-on for the bike that has an electromagnet in that gives the impression you are a big lump of car rather than small bike. If they are weight-detecting then you are screwed; no way to fake extra mass, although I guess you could go on a pie-eating mission to help pop you over the required weight.
The "weight-detecting" ones (usually pneumatic strips) went out of use ages ago. They should all be either motion sensing or induction loops (metal mass sensing) - StreakyYou can buy an add-on for the bike that has an electromagnet in that gives the impression you are a big lump of car rather than small bike. If they are weight-detecting then you are screwed; no way to fake extra mass, although I guess you could go on a pie-eating mission to help pop you over the required weight.
flemke said:
Not the asnwer that you were looking for, and perhaps impractical, but would anything in law prevent you from dismounting and pushing the bike across the stop line, then remounting and carrying on?
Yup - you're still a (motor)cyclist even when pushing the bike - as I couldn't be bothered to point out to a woman shaking her fist at a car which didn't stop for her to cycle across a zebra crossing today.7db said:
Yup - you're still a (motor)cyclist even when pushing the bike
Don't know about motorbikes, but with pedal bikes, if you are completely off them and just pushing (or even carrying), you're a pedestrian with a bike-shaped load. If you're on it at all, including on one pedal "scooting", you're a cyclist. There's case law somewhere....... 7db said:
flemke said:
Not the asnwer that you were looking for, and perhaps impractical, but would anything in law prevent you from dismounting and pushing the bike across the stop line, then remounting and carrying on?
Yup - you're still a (motor)cyclist even when pushing the bike - as I couldn't be bothered to point out to a woman shaking her fist at a car which didn't stop for her to cycle across a zebra crossing today.To take it to absurdity, what if you were dragging a bike?
Pushing a box with a bike inside it?
7db said:
flemke said:
Not the asnwer that you were looking for, and perhaps impractical, but would anything in law prevent you from dismounting and pushing the bike across the stop line, then remounting and carrying on?
Yup - you're still a (motor)cyclist even when pushing the bike - as I couldn't be bothered to point out to a woman shaking her fist at a car which didn't stop for her to cycle across a zebra crossing today.(Sorry, I know it's absurd, but I've got a) a terrific mental image, and b) I'm so tired I'm giggling at everything)
Rob_the_Sparky said:
stara said:
highway code states simply "if the traffic lights are not working, proceed with caution"
Somehow I suspect that means the lights are out of action (turned off) rather than not changing...I'd phone the council / highways agency, await the inevitable scamera, and when it comes start riding the wrong side of the lights if they don't change.
Edited by tigger1 on Thursday 16th August 08:38
7db said:
OK - think about it this way - why not hop out of your car and push it over the line?
You are still controlling the vehicle when you push the motorbike.
IIRC you can be a pedestrian with a bike-shaped load, but you need to be carrying it, not wheeling it.
It is entirely possible that you are correct. If so, this would be another example of an insane law.You are still controlling the vehicle when you push the motorbike.
IIRC you can be a pedestrian with a bike-shaped load, but you need to be carrying it, not wheeling it.
If your interpretation were correct, however, would that not mean that one could not walk whilst wheeling a pushbike along or even across the pavement, because that would be "operating it" on the pavement?
Theres some of these near me, not for a light, but for a barrier to a private road (farm road leading to some public footpaths). My bicycle won't trigger the barrier if I ride straight over the wires, but if I ride over the corner of the wires (where they turn 90') the barrier will lift.
For now, that might be an option, until they're repaired.
For now, that might be an option, until they're repaired.
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