Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
Many sets of traffic lights don't sense cycles approaching them. This means that you can miss your turn until a car turns up. I know some lights can be activated by wobbling around or waving in front of the sensor, but on my most recent experience, I didn't realise I would have to do this until my turn was missed and I had to wait for them to come round again. If I had realised, I would have dismounted and walked across on the pedestrian phase.
What is the legal position. Presumably you are expected to wait until a larger vehicle turns up or would you be allowed to cycle across on the pedestrian phase?
Of course, yet another example of cyclists being at the bottom of the pile, but does anyone have any thoughts or experience?
What is the legal position. Presumably you are expected to wait until a larger vehicle turns up or would you be allowed to cycle across on the pedestrian phase?
Of course, yet another example of cyclists being at the bottom of the pile, but does anyone have any thoughts or experience?
Re: Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
I used to cycle through a set of lights like that on my way to work at 6.30am and with little traffic around I could have stood there for minutes, in the silence, to contemplate the meaning of the universe. I just treated it like a Give Way and continued with caution, that being the only reasonable course of action left to me. My argument, should I have needed one, would have been that I considered the lights to be malfunctioning.
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Re: Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
Hello all, I recall reading that them "Plastic" things, Carbon Fibre, didn't trigger traffic census counting rigs. That would figure if the detectors were metal dependant for triggering.
If it is weight detecting hen you must be lighter than me . IGICB MM
If it is weight detecting hen you must be lighter than me . IGICB MM
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Re: Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
Over the years I've posted lots and lots about this.
Above all, if you know for certain a particular set of lights does not detect cyclists, then report it to the relevant traffic authority. If they don't sort it out complain. Make sure you know how the lights in question detect cyclists.
Above all, if you know for certain a particular set of lights does not detect cyclists, then report it to the relevant traffic authority. If they don't sort it out complain. Make sure you know how the lights in question detect cyclists.
Re: Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
Someone once claimed that lights that do not change in any kind of reasonable time are illegal obstructions of the highway. If I recall correctly, he was even willing to go to court in a test case.
Lying your bike down on the sensor sometimes works, especially with some sensors and steel frames. On at least one occasion, I have found myself in a position where I couldn't move because of the light, but I was over the sensor. The lady motorist behind was a bit confused when I suggested changing places, but her car would of course trip it, so we'd have been there all night otherwise.
But what thirdcrank said, really. Hopefully, as the world is becoming a little less car-centric, more highway engineers will actually remember to test their lights for a range of vehicles.
Lying your bike down on the sensor sometimes works, especially with some sensors and steel frames. On at least one occasion, I have found myself in a position where I couldn't move because of the light, but I was over the sensor. The lady motorist behind was a bit confused when I suggested changing places, but her car would of course trip it, so we'd have been there all night otherwise.
But what thirdcrank said, really. Hopefully, as the world is becoming a little less car-centric, more highway engineers will actually remember to test their lights for a range of vehicles.
Re: Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
Hi
Currently going through this process...new traffic lights that are used very little by motor vehicles on a Sunday morning
Induction loops specified by the local authority which don't detect my steel-framed bike; some will apparently detect aluminium wheels in a CF frame. Wait four or five minutes before assuming them to be defective, reported online the same day.
Engineer called out who increases the sensitivity of the loops and advises cyclists to approach the centre of the loop. Still don't work.
Engineer replaces parts, I'm now waiting for Sunday to test them again
There are alternative sensors, e.g. radar, video and a good old-fashioned button to press, but I've only seen loops locally
Regards
tim-b
Currently going through this process...new traffic lights that are used very little by motor vehicles on a Sunday morning
Induction loops specified by the local authority which don't detect my steel-framed bike; some will apparently detect aluminium wheels in a CF frame. Wait four or five minutes before assuming them to be defective, reported online the same day.
Engineer called out who increases the sensitivity of the loops and advises cyclists to approach the centre of the loop. Still don't work.
Engineer replaces parts, I'm now waiting for Sunday to test them again
There are alternative sensors, e.g. radar, video and a good old-fashioned button to press, but I've only seen loops locally
Regards
tim-b
~~~~¯\(ツ)/¯~~~~
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Re: Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
Had this problem in Chesterfield where i work .... Council pointed me in the right direction to talk to highways ..... who where really positive " i wish more people would tell us about this " ... "we'll go and reset the the sensors "...
and they did ...
and they work now ....
and they did ...
and they work now ....
“Quiet, calm deliberation disentangles every knot.”
Be more Mike.
The road goes on forever.
Be more Mike.
The road goes on forever.
Re: Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
The most commonly used sensor on permanent traffic lights ous an induction loop. These are activated best by a large lump of ferrous metal. Before users of steel frames get too over excited. A bike frame is about 3 kg a car about 1000 kg. So as above it depends how they have been set up.
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Re: Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
if i am aware of it not being being cycle friendly, I too will go through treating the junction as a give way, esp on my commute at 6am on a winter's snowy morning....
I stand and rejoice everytime I see a woman ride by on a wheel the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood. HG Wells
Re: Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
I fitted a magnet to the end of a spoke or two.
The moving magnet trips loops quite easily
The moving magnet trips loops quite easily
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
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Re: Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
Our street has an induction loop for in n demand lights. The didn't work well but after a couple of years they suddenly started to work. They were very temperamental and used to not work even for cars!!!
I found that you need to ideally get your rear wheel driving rocking back and forth over the rear part of the induction loop. That works for me. However those lights are the ones I've complained about many times on here and elsewhere as being dangerously placed and designed. Even when you have the green light you're not safe to pull out on bikes or in a car. Motorists simply don't stop at either sets of red lights.
I found that you need to ideally get your rear wheel driving rocking back and forth over the rear part of the induction loop. That works for me. However those lights are the ones I've complained about many times on here and elsewhere as being dangerously placed and designed. Even when you have the green light you're not safe to pull out on bikes or in a car. Motorists simply don't stop at either sets of red lights.
Re: Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
whoof wrote:Before users of steel frames get too over excited.
That's why lying your bike down on the sensor helps.
Re: Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
thirdcrank wrote:Make sure you know how the lights in question detect cyclists.
What's the efficient way of doing that, please?
Thanks
Jonathan
Re: Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
drossall wrote:whoof wrote:Before users of steel frames get too over excited.
That's why lying your bike down on the sensor helps.
I know but much better to get the sensor adjuster.
Imagine suggesting to motorists that they would have to prostrate themselves before a set of traffic lights to get them to change.
Last edited by whoof on 22 Sep 2020, 10:29pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Traffic Lights That Don't Sense Cyclists
whoof wrote:Imagine suggesting to motorists that they would have to prostate themselves before a set of traffic lights to get them to change.
Only if there isn't a red light camera?
; - )
Jonathan