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What to do if the light doesn't change?

E

electric!sheep

New member
Joined
Jun 30, 2005
Location
SF Bay Area
Moto(s)
Kawasaki KLR650
I've pulled up to protected left turns, waited for 5 minutes, watched other traffic cycle through, and not had my light change to green. Obviously the sensor doesn't see me. What do I do? I'm usually lucky enough to have a car pull up, which trips the sensor, but if not...?
 
Quoting Metermaid4life :) (Motorman4life):

21800(d)(1) CVC "The driver of any vehicle approaching an intersection which has official traffic control signals that are inoperative shall stop at the intersection, and may proceed with caution when it is safe to do so."

As mentioned before, it would a judgment call as to whether you proceeded safely and if you took adequate time or steps to determine that the signal was in-fact inoperative.. in this case, the switching system that is failing to cycle the lights as designed and your vehicle is not being recognized by the system.

If you get stopped, prepare to give an explanation and use terms like “malfunctioning signal” and “proceeded with caution” in addition to telling what reasonable steps you took and what you observed to make your determination and/or how long you waited.
 
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happened to me once. I waited 2 cycles and proceeded with caution.

no cop around
 
I do that a few times a day. One of the lights near my house rarely recognizes my bike. If it doesn't change within about 10 seconds, I know it isn't working. When it does work, it usually changes immediately.
 
I have found that extremely hard front breaking and or standing up on your pegs and doing the funky chicken on your suspension usualy works. If it dosn't then I just run the light. I can only presume I've done it safely having not been hit yet.
 
wickerman777 said:
I have found that extremely hard front breaking and or standing up on your pegs and doing the funky chicken on your suspension usualy works. If it dosn't then I just run the light. I can only presume I've done it safely having not been hit yet.
Click to expand...

Not only that, dancing on the pegs also amuses the other traffic at the intersection, which makes their commutes less stressful.
 
Thanks for the props SliverSvs. :p

I have found getting over the sensor cut-out near the limit line and cutting my engine, then restarting the engine often gets the signal to trip. I I was told the magnetic impulse of the start up is significant and will usually trip the sensor.

It has worked well for me in the past. YMMV.
 
Is there any way to report this or get someone to deal with it?

The signal I go through when leaving home does this. I have waited for 4 rotations and moved my bike back and forth across the sensors. Finally I just wait and go.
 
Call the City and tell them to jack up the sensitivity or fix the loop.

However, roads like El Camino Real (CA82) are state managed so you'll have to holler at CalTrans.
 
The most common sensors round here afaik are inductive loop, they sense metals within the loop. I've found being to the edge of it helps, but I also ride an hd that's got a lot more metal than most sport bikes. There's one right in front of the police station that failed me the other night, ran it after waiting a good few minutes, and adjusting position over the sensor a few times, no love. It's odd, it usually senses me, but it felt kinda crazy running the light in front of the pd station too. :shhh
 
I tried one of those magnet things on my old ride, didn't work.

Now, I just try and roll over the edges of the loops in the road, and if the signal doesn't see the bike, wait a reasonable amount of time, and run it when there's no traffic.

Had a cop wave me thru one before, too.
 
i've had this happened to me before. you can either do the following:

1.) look down the ground for the sensor boxed area. it's usually a faint octagon cut-out on the cement. have both wheels in it and jump around. that'll usually activate the sensor.

2.) back up and make a right turn then make a u-turn.

3.) what everybody else said.

But generally number 1 works all the time.

spidey
 
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