Modern Vespa

Does anybody have any problems with red light cameras and their Vespa? When I had the BV there were magnet actuated red lights that I couldn't trip and with my current bike that also happens. I'm at the mercy of a car/truck rolling up behind me to get it to turn green.

Anybody have any solutions for this?

They resurfaced a junction near me and after that the GTS would not trip the inductive loop. I wrote (emailed?, I forget) to the NC DOT and within a few weeks they had fixed it.

The loop is supposed to be triggered by a bicycle but not by a vehicle in the adjacent lane, so it is a tricky adjustment.

I recall discussions of this in the past-you might try the search function. On the other hand, I don't recall any great solution. Most states allow one to proceed after a reasonable wait so you're not stuck in law-abiding mode indefinitely. You may want to check that for Cali.

Here in Oregon, they now legally allow you to proceed thru the red light once you observe 2 cycles of the lights.

That must be complicated multi-lane light...triggered by vehicles in other lanes, or on a timer plus an induction loop?

The problem is that some rural or suburban simple traffic lights never operate on a timed interval and only operate with induction loop activation on the non-dominant cross street direction. If they are poorly adjusted - the light will never cycle until a higher mass vehicle enters the lane. If there is a camera at such a light then you really are stuck.

I saw a magnetic devise that you mounted underneath your motorcycle to trigger red lights, at an local independent shop. I figured it was a gimmick, but maybe not?

Once I see that the light isn't going to respond to me, I just hang a right (right turns are allowed on red in most places), turn around, and proceed.
Best,
-Slashy

slashy beat me to it! easiest solution

Stick a 50+lb neodymium magnet on your oil filter, preferably one with a handle so you can easily pop it off for oil changes. Read an article that they do actually work. Another solution is to put down your side stand. Both of those will trip the induction lights. I haven't seen one not trip in years though.

If you poke around the .nets a bit you'll find a lot of guys easily fight this in court as a faulty light. PITA to have to show up in court to do so, but it's probably a slam dunk.

Slashy's advice is wisdom as well.

(And like Oregon, Idaho's laws allow us to run 'em, but that ain't doing you no good.)

I wait a few moments and then go through. So far no prob'.
The magnet widgets do no work. YMMV

2 turns and then i can go. So said 3 different LEO'S that i asked. I've only found one that's a PIA. Thankfully it's in a area that doesn't have a lot of traffic.

If you see the inductive loop embedded in the pavement, you may have success by making sure you align your bike directly above one of the wires.

In RI it seems to work. It would, of course be dependent on how the sensetivity is set, and of course different states/municipalities may have other standards.

P.

I live in Cali and encounter this problem all the time. I just proceed when it's safe. Nearly 5 years and counting and never has a police officer when present pulled me over for doing so. I suppose I should check the laws regarding this, but it seems a defense of what a reasonable person would do in that situation would prevail in court.

I only wish reason was all that was required!

There are several intersections I go through early in the morning that stop me with red lights. I've waited for a few cycles in the past so I know I'm not tripping them on my own. But, if I give two quick flashes of my highbeams, they usually change to green within seconds.

Not all lights react to it, but I think it's based on a sensor that emergency vehicle flashing lights set off...

Works most of the time.

Let me put it another way:

If it's a long time, I get off my bike. I walk over and press the pedestrian crossing button. This triggers a light change most of the time.

Myth.

Inductive loop does not care of metal is magnetic or not.

This is what I do at some intersections if I feel I don't 'get satisfaction' from the 'drop the center stand' trick. Don't know for sure if that works but I feel it's better than the 'snake oil' of the magnet myth.
On the other side if things, I think the Commenwealth of Pennsylvania put into effect the 'proceed on red' thing reciently. (I don't ride outside of Pa much.)

mmehren, that's a most interesting piece of information!

I have had similar issues, but, the only solution I have is, after waiting awhile, and traffic has passed, proceed, accordingly, with caution.

As I live rurally, there are many intersections the constant flow of traffic is one direction (N - S, for example), until a vehicle approaches the intersection (W - E, for example), to actuate the traffic light. I will sit, sit, wait and wait. The sensor has not detected me; even, if I stand, walk and roll Scoot back and forth to try to get the sensor to detect me and Scoot. Hence, I proceed, accordingly, with caution.

Though, on March 21, 2017 (this past Tuesday) Ohio law now allows drivers to pass through red lights if they believe the intersection has a malfunctioning traffic signal; including, if the sensors have failed to detect the vehicle. Though, the law does not specify how long a driver must wait before determining that the signal is broken. So what is reasonable to me, "exercise ordinary care while proceeding through the intersection," may not be reasonable to another.

If the law is read verbatim, the law only addresses the driver of a vehicle, streetcar or trackless trolley. Hence, I will take the "driver of a vehicle" to be any thing other than a streetcar and trackless trolley.

Hence, this is causing concern for many people; aside of law enforcement and insurance companies, but, the lawmakers who passed the law.

The Wild West has now started in Ohio. Let the red light runners be at the front of the intersection.

I run into this problem constantly here in Charlotte! So much that I dread being the first at a light. Even having a car directly behind me is not enough to trigger it.

How does the induction system work anyhow?

Let me put it another way:

You are spot on. 8)

You, my friend, are spot on about flashing the high-beams helping to change the light, but wrong about the reason why it works. The intersections equipped with camera detection systems (instead of embedded loop detectors), sense contrast. Flashing the headlights while approaching or stopped at such an intersection helps you to get detected. Just be careful to not confuse another motorist into thinking that you are signaling them.

BTW, one of the groups that I give computer support to for a living, are all traffic engineers. So I'm not guessing about any of this. Also, they confirmed as previously posted by someone that the fancy magnets don't work for inductive loop systems. Save your $$$, as you'd do just as well duct taping some ferrous material down there.

Happy motoring!!!

For stubborn loop detectors, I frequently have good luck with getting over the center saw cut and reaching back with my foot and touching the center stand to the ground a couple times.

What "Slashy" said.
That's what I do.

Timmay, Actually, ferrous metal is the last thing you would want. The sensor is triggered by a decrease in the induction of the loop, not an increase. An ideal "add- on" for detection purposes would be a copper hoop about a meter in diameter, but of course that's not practical.

Best,
-Slashy

Iron also carries current. Inductive loop = induction. The system is looking for something that carries current, not just copper, and iron does just fine at this; just think of all the Detroit Steel that causes the system to work. Plastic and rubber are actually the last things you would want.

Madison Sully,
Iron does do that, but because it tends to increase the inductance of the sensing loop, it counteracts a lot of the eddy current. This renders ferrous metals less "visible" to the sensor than nonferrous metals.

I'll see if I can dig up a reference on the subject...

Best,
-Slashy

As large as possible sheet of aluminium underneath should help - but the best recourse is to get the contact details of the responsible person (every locality has one of those!) and tell them the location(s) of the problem lights.

Here's a good one...

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/operations/its/06108/02.cfm

Best,
-Slashy

To be fair to the engineer that I spoke with, his actual quote was, "You'd do just as well going out to the metals recycling bin (we have one on our complex) and grabbing a similar sized hunk of metal." He didn't specify steel, I just assumed it would be best. 8)

Found this on http://motorcycleviews.com

By Walter F. Kern

Every motorcyclist has pulled up to a red traffic light and waited to get the bike to trip a sensor to activate a left-turn or green traffic light. Often they just do not trip. Here are some things to try.

Here's How to Trip a Traffic Light:

1. Get off your motorcycle and push the "walk" button if it is safe.

2. Sometimes you may just have to look both ways and run the light. In some places it's OK to "proceed with caution" after 15 minutes, in some places after 2 cycles. You need to know what the law is in your area.

3. If you fail to trigger the switch, wait at least one more cycle and then proceed when it is safe.

4. Sometimes it helps to kill the engine and restart it just to get the magnetic fields going over the tripping device. Put yourself right over the detector in the pavement. Give the bike a couple of good revs.

5. Turn right and then do a "U" turn when you can.

6. Threaten legal action. Start by calling the street department and complaining. Every week re-check the light. If you get no action, send them a nice professional letter threatening them with a lawsuit.

7. As you approach the intersection, there are lines cut into the pavement where the sensor was put in. The sensor pad is octagonal or square. Put the most metal over the intersection of two sides.

8. Another trick is to put out your kickstand. If you can get the kickstand out, there is more of a metal area to detect. Don't forget to retract your kickstand when the light finally changes.

9. Rig your bike with an electro-magnet under the frame. This is wired into the brake lamp circuit and induces enough of a field to trip most lights.

10. Consider the purchase of a device that will trip the light for you. Two such products are the Green Light Trigger and the Red Light Changer.

11. A new trend is the introduction of special motorcycle boxes that show you where to stop your bike to trip the light. The front-most "box" has additional diagonal lines, with a bike icon painted in the box.

12. Roll forwards and back in an effort to trip the sensors.

13. If you are waiting for a left-turn signal light to change, you can always proceed through the intersection on green and make three successive right-hand turns. This only works with regular city blocks.

14. Some states have sensors in the lights that can detect flashing lights of police cars and ambulances, and will quickly change the light. You might try flashing your lights to see if that will trip it.