| Author | Message | ||
     Pipefittermike |
Feel free to laugh if this is a Newbie question, it's been a long time (8 years) since I last owned a bike. I read online about traffic sensors and devices that make bikes noticed at red lights and wondered if they are worthwhile or a waste of money. I have a link to better describe what I am asking about, I spotted one on ebay. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Green-Light-Trigger-BUELL-BLAST-LIGHTNING-CYCLONE _W0QQitemZ4635789245QQcategoryZ35557QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem | ||
| Interex2050 |
I have only encountered one light that will not detect my XB12R, and it has been replaced since then... The trick is to just roll right onto the center of the circular sensor, or I just try to get as much bike over the sensor strips (or just the tires). I don't think you should have much trouble... Personally I wouldn't waste the money, get some traction grips or something instead... | ||
| Buellisti |
I've heard a couple of Sheriff's deputies that swear by them, but I suspect an Electra-Glide has enough iron to actually trigger the light. Maybe someone who is an EE can weigh in on whether or not this would create enough inductance to trigger the sensor. | ||
| Ferret_bueller |
sometimes if i cant get it to trigger, i just roll the bike a little forwards & backwards over the sensor line...usually seems to trip it. | ||
| Kurosawa |
OK, what's the deal with the lines? You mean those super thin metal strips arranged in a box, those are what senses the bike's metal? Yeah, there's some light around here I simply must run 'cause it'll never go green for me. | ||
| V8basil |
Was also wondering about the same product! There are a few lights that will not change for me. I can sit there for several light changes and the one for my lane will not change no matter where the bike is or if I rev the engine. What does the law say about this problem? I live in Massachusetts. | ||
| Buellblastrider |
in TN its legal to run a light after waiting a while. not that i do it (seriously) i have done it once or twice and only after letting the lights cycle through its pattern with out turning on the green arrow to turn. | ||
| U4euh |
It used to be, after 2-3 light cycles and all oncoming traffic has cleared, you could proceed. That could have changed by now though. | ||
| Diablobrian |
The lines are where they cut the pavement to put in an inductance coil. It detects disruptions in a magnetic field caused by ferrous metal. these things do work. If your brake rotor or muffler don't do the trick. It all depends on how they set the individual light. Sensitivity varies widely from light to light. | ||
| Pipefittermike |
I just finished the MSF class and was told by the instructor (also a CHP officer) that after 3 minutes you can legally go when it is safe. Thats the law in California, thanks for all the replies! | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Municipalities will (or at least they are supposed to) take complaints from bikers and will usually send someone out to adjust the sensitivity of the pickup. | ||
| Pupu |
i will wait a cyle or two, but 3 minutes, that can be a long time. there is a light by my work i have to run everynight. i leave work after dark, and there is never any traffic, i wait one cycle, and then i run it. i asked a cop who parks in the best buy around the corner, he said i could run it if it was safe, even though i am the only one there, i still wait one cyle, at least if i got pulled over, i could say that in court without lying | ||
| Teddagreek |
I'm a Traffic Analyst and was a worked as Signal Systems Technician... You have a few different types of detection Inductive loops Microwave detection Camera detection The most Reliable and cost effective are Inductive loops but also depends on your states specs.. Basically a good loop has wires spun like a figure 8 a good loop has four wires on the sides and eight in middle… The wires have a low voltage and the inductive field gets disrupted by metal it puts a call into the traffic detector and then to the controller We like to get loops in before asphalt friction coat but often times because of time restraints and work load we have to go in after the fact and cut in the pattern for the wire with a loop saw... If you have two loops next to each other we tune them to different a different freq.. and the sensitivity is adjustable... Word of advise never go past the stop bar… We take our loops a little past the bar but go too far and you will not get picked up.. Some states and older loops don’t cross the bar so your screwed once you roll past.. You won’t get picked up… Our Buells are mostly aluminum and from my own experiments they are harder to pick up from loops than other steel framed and wheeled bikes.. If you see the saw cuts stay on a line the middle is the best.. No cuts try to be on the sides of middle or angle your bike slightly can help.. The loop on the left is old style and often would not pick up bikes.. The loop on the right is a good modern version.. Sometime a contractor will skim on the amount of wire winds and this can effect a inductive loop… We tried one of those green light deals and we didn’t find it to do anything.. We tried magnets and Transformer the size of two fists. A plain small steel bar triggered out our tester way before the other stuff. Are there ones on the market that work, maybe I can’t vouch for every one… If you find a light isn’t cycling for you call local PD not 911 and inform them.. Don‘t run a malfunctioning light you can still get a ticket or get killed… Call your city or go to their website and get the number for Traffic Engineering.. Were more than happy to fix the problem were bikers too..  | ||
| Diablobrian |
Thanks Ted The information is appreciated. I used to have a honda interceptor that would only trip a light near my house in San Diego if I pushed the start button (starter located on front bottom of engine) I did research then to find out why. that was 10 years ago. If anything our buells have less ferrous metal than the interceptor and no steel cradle to hold the motor. Our best bet is the front rotor being close enough. I put a magnet on my lower fairing just in case. Figured it can't hurt. | ||
| Kdan |
Yeah, then there's also the big honkin' steel muffler! My XB9 has never failed to trip a light. Now the Blast on the other hand, with the aluminum Kerker exhaust...That's a whole 'nother story. Then I just lay way back, put my hand over the plate and wave to the camera taking my picture as I run the light. Works every time. Those light trippers are just strong magnets, right? Do they work? Is that enough to be "seen" by the street strippy things? | ||
| Diablobrian |
I don't have one of those steel mufflers, and didn't think about them. My Jardine won't trip any lights that's for sure. Yes, they are strong magnets. whether they work or not depends on if you get them over the right spot, and the sensitivity of the particular sensor. If the sensor is set right I wonder if the steel shank in my boots would trip them. | ||
| Court |
The information posted by Ted is accaurate. My firm installed thousands of inductive loop detectors for cities like Sacramento, Dallas and many of the KC burbs. The one exception I would take is that if the loop he shows on the right is a quadrapole (wound like a figure 8 to reduce adjacnet lane calls and cross talk) I'd suggest you pilot your bike down one of the outer sides and the center is effectively a "null" area. There are a host of new technoligies in the works. I had contacts with #M (using magnetic anomoly detectors measuring in Oerstads) and an aircraft firm (that took a VDT picture and anaylysed the pictures on the screens) If you want to have some fun the nation detector lab we did was at I-5 and Del Paso road in CA. If you drive by there, you'll see about every type of detector there is and a couple 332 cabinets atop the bridge reporting data. The basics, as they apply to motorcycles are common sense. Stop, allow a rasonable time, look to ensure you are safe and there is no conflictin gtraffic and go on your merry way. No court in the land will hassles you. | ||
| Kdan |
No court in the land will hassles you. Except that one in Oregon...  | ||
| Court |
>>>Except that one in Oregon. Right. . . the one that gave the $5,000 speeding fine!  | ||
| Reducati |
you can also put your kick stand down...works every time. | ||
| 12r |
So you guys in the USA are allowed thru on red if you've waited a while and there's nothing coming ? Out of interest, what constitues 'a while' and what's to stop you rolling thru on red anyway if the coast's clear ? | ||
| Diablobrian |
That's the problem with that, the laws in different areas are different. They are also always subject to when it's "safe" to do so. It can depend on the cop, or the judge to determine if it was indeed safe to go. kind of like the reasonable and prudent speed laws. | ||
| Kurosawa |
I wonder if steel shanked and toed boots will do the trick? | ||
| Diablobrian |
I don't know of any motorcycle boots (sidi, alpinestars, daytona,etc) that have steel toes. Most if not all of those do have steel shanks though. As for work boots, ever get a shoe lace caught in your bicycle chain as a kid? That memory is enough to convince me not to wear lace-up boots or tennis shoes on a motorcycle. Of course there are steel toe engineer boots on the market. | ||
| Buellistic |
My OEM MUFFLER works just fine !!! | ||
| Buellisti |
Steel toe work boots don't work. Not enough mass. I've seen the street guys use a 2' x 2' - 3/8" steel plate to test the loops. Of course this is the same street department that I called and complained about the lack of synchronization of traffic lights. The guy asked me if I was complaining about STOP lights. | ||
| Pupu |
well, i know at the light by my work, i will wait one cycle, but if there are no cars coming the other direction, it wont cycle at all, so i will go then, but i wait about a minute. if i hit that light during the day though, i wait for a car to pull up behind me, there is alot of traffic during the day so i wont run it. i could go another way, but that takes just as long as it does to sit there and wait so i just wait. |
