Tired Of Waiting At Stop Lights?

[mk2davis]

In So Cal, many of the stoplights are triggered by a magnetic pad under the asphalt. Usually, you can tell where the sensors are due to the patchwork. Having an aluminum bike made tripping these sensors difficult at best.

Solution? About 5 1/2" by 1/8" magnets from ebay. They cost me $4 for 10 (share with a buddy!). I just stuck'em on to the kickstand, and now I actually get recognized by those troublesome lights. Sometimes I need to lower the stand, but usually not.

Outcome? No longer needed to look behind me in order to make sure that car behind isn't a LEO when I run the red arrow after getting skipped AGAIN. And I no longer have to guess if I can make it to the pedestrian button in time. Cheap and easy, just what I like!

[2thdr]

I think your conception is wrong even though you may have found a solution that helps. There is no "magnetic pad". It's just a loop of wire that forms a low inductance coil. When enough iron enters the loop it triggers the light switch. Frequently just lowering your side stand inside the loop is enough to trigger it ...you don't need magnets. Any engineers here can correct my simplistic explanation and terminology.

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[yycviffer]

Better yet, can someone figure how the optical system works for police and ambulance so the light turns green as soon as I pull up?!?!

[luvtoleanit]

I wait until it's clear and just run the light. My morning commute is one mile and I run a particular light every morning.

[crakerjac]

Better yet, can someone figure how the optical system works for police and ambulance so the light turns green as soon as I pull up?!?!

It's an IR signal sent to the stop lights. You can find them in the dark corners of the internet, but buyer beware, any camera will also pick up the signal. i.e. video camera in a police car will see that YOU are the one using an illegal IR blaster to trigger a green light. Point your TV remote at your phone camera and push some buttons; you will see what I mean.

[gll429]

Better yet, can someone figure how the optical system works for police and ambulance so the light turns green as soon as I pull up?!?!

It's an IR signal sent to the stop lights. You can find them in the dark corners of the internet, but buyer beware, any camera will also pick up the signal. i.e. video camera in a police car will see that YOU are the one using an illegal IR blaster to trigger a green light. Point your TV remote at your phone camera and push some buttons; you will see what I mean.

so... use an old TV remote!! only on when you push the button!

i AM going to try this today!

[crakerjac]

^^ Also an easy way to see if your TV remote is working or if the batteries are dead.

[mk2davis]

I think your conception is wrong even though you may have found a solution that helps. There is no "magnetic pad". It's just a loop of wire that forms a low inductance coil. When enough iron enters the loop it triggers the light switch. Frequently just lowering your side stand inside the loop is enough to trigger it ...you don't need magnets. Any engineers here can correct my simplistic explanation and terminology. Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

Thank you for correcting me. You are correct, it's a sensor designed to detect changes in the magnetic field. I didn't think we'd be tested on the terminology, I was just trying to get to the meat of the matter.

Now 95% (this figure was not mathmatically calculated, but is purely figurative in nature) of the time I don't have to lower the kickstand. I get recognized like most other vehicles without having to do anything special.

With the magnets though, the ne

[Rush2112]

There is a sensitivity adjustment for the magnetic field pick-ups in the pavement. Sometimes you need to call the town and let them know it is a safety hazard forcing people to run the light. They will adjust.

I bought the magnets when I lived in TN and there still was one light that still wouldn't register the presence of my bike. Even with multiple magnets on the swingarm & kick stand. The lower you mount them the better.

[ecn]

Outcome? No longer needed to look behind me in order to make sure that car behind isn't a LEO when I run the red arrow after getting skipped AGAIN. And I no longer have to guess if I can make it to the pedestrian button in time. Cheap and easy, just what I like!

Sounds like you noticed an improvement...I like your theory better than my previous assumption that I could use my wieght to trigger lights (not working for me regardless of how much weight I gained). Some dude called Faraday agrees that a magnet moving will cause an effecct in the induction field...no effect if the magnet is stationary.

[2thdr]

Wasn't meaning to correct you...just that it's not the magnets that are important... you could just use any old piece of high ferrous metal and accomplish the same thing

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[mk2davis]

Your right, enough ferrous metal would trigger it, but that's because ferrous metal is magnetic. When a car drives over the sensor, the ferrous content is enough to change the magnetic field over the sensor. The magnets have the same effect with a lot less mass.

In general I try to not lower my kickstand. This is largely because I prefer to stop in first gear in case I need to move due to an inattentive driver. Lowering the kickstand either means I have to be neutral or restart my bike, both or which are not desirable.

[Rush2112]

Wasn't meaning to correct you...just that it's not the magnets that are important... you could just use any old piece of high ferrous metal and accomplish the same thing

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True, but it takes a much larger piece of ferrous metal to passively induce a change in the magnetic field... a magnet actively pushes a change in the magnetic field so a small, strong, rare earth magnetic will create a much larger change in the field compared to even a larger sized piece of ferrous metal.

... I wonder why the spinning magnets in our generators don't have a similar effect? I guess, the magnetic energy is captured in the stator coils and doesn't radiate out very far...

[mk2davis]

Cool topic I always thought weight changes triggered the sensors.

In some areas they may be triggered by weight, I don't know. I also thought it was a weight thing, then I was corrected. At least about the ones in So Cal.

Oh, and I almost forgot. I did standardize polarity on the magnets to get the greatest field change. I don't know if it matters, but making sure they were all positive or negative is easy enough.

[2thdr]

Davis I think you just need to get a big pig of bike like my ST! Plenty of magnetic potential! You and Russ are correct of course...high strength magnets = less mass required.

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[Rush2112]

Cool topic I always thought weight changes triggered the sensors.

In some areas they may be triggered by weight, I don't know. I also thought it was a weight thing, then I was corrected. At least about the ones in So Cal.

Oh, and I almost forgot. I did standardize polarity on the magnets to get the greatest field change. I don't know if it matters, but making sure they were all positive or negative is easy enough.

Good advice to install multiple magnets with consistent orientation of polarity to maximize field effect... I did the same thing on my old bike.

Triggered by weight is a common misconception. I'm not aware of any public road vehicle sensors working on weight sensors... too expensive and not durable enough to install and forget it. Wire coils installed under the road... set it and forget it.

[NakedViffer]

I have my kickstand switch looped anyway, so I just kick it out while I'm rolling to a stop at the lights I know are a problem. Aside from that, I enjoy running the lights when they won't change.. I have very little respect for authority.

[MaxSwell]

I have my kickstand switch looped anyway, so I just kick it out while I'm rolling to a stop at the lights I know are a problem. Aside from that, I enjoy running the lights when they won't change.. I have very little respect for authority.

I fine it satisfying to run them also. In Minnesota you are allowed to stop and go when they do not respond to one's presence but were advised in The Basic Rider Course that LEOs do not like it. So word is not to do it if ANY vehicles are visible.

I respect authority but value my time more. And I can get bored in seconds. Few things are as boring as waiting at a light with no other motorists to entertain you.

[IntAceptor]

Here is the solution to it all. Just move to Tennessee. A law was passed some years ago that allows motorcycles to go through the light if they have waited a "reasonable" amount of time or something like a light change go around.

I have used it on occasion but the definition of reasonable is yet to be determined.

The most sensitive section of the induction loops that are cut in the ground are at the corners. So if you see the cut, try to get the motor over a corner and maybe you will be more successful.

[NakedViffer]

NC has the same law basically, but I don't remember if its a "reasonable amount of time" or '3 minutes', I've researched for a couple different states..

[cruzinaz]

Got one of those pesky lights that I go thru, I just hang a right and do a U-turn.

[wagzhp]

Other tricks:

Put several rare earth magnets in each of your boots, then just put your foot on the cut line at the intersection.

Put several rare earth magnets at the bottom of your fairings and try to position them above the cut line.

I have mounted one of these http://www.thelightknight.com/ to the kickstand of my bike and my son's CBR and we rarely get caught a lights anymore.

[ecn]

I have my 2 magnets (reallocated from a server rack panel hatch) and I plan to rig them to my center stand with tie raps.

I think we have a similar law in CA that says an MC rider can watch lights go through a cycle and if they aren't picking you up, proceed when it's safe.

Wiating 2 turns in the morning during rush hour at a freeway metering light doesn't seem like a safe option though.

[mk2davis]

I think we have a similar law in CA that says an MC rider can watch lights go through a cycle and if they aren't picking you up, proceed when it's safe.

From what I've been told, this is not the case. The MSF RiderCoach said there is no provision to "proceed when safe" against a red. This was a few years ago, and may have changed since.

[JZH]

Better yet, can someone figure how the optical system works for police and ambulance so the light turns green as soon as I pull up?!?!

I thought they turned the stoplights all to red? Green would cause chaos!

Ciao,