Traffic Lights

rplavery
rplavery Posts: 27
edited June 2008 in Commuting chat
I get the feeling that some traffic lights are controlled by sensing the large metallic mass of a car and then change, for a side road onto a main road. When on a bike, I sometimes get the impression that I have to wait quite a long time, and maybe even until a car shows up, before the lights will change for me. Am I alone in this impression?

Comments

  • rjcastillo
    rjcastillo Posts: 41
    I've experienced the same, also on motorbikes!
  • spen666
    spen666 Posts: 17,709
    rjcastillo wrote:
    I've experienced the same, also on motorbikes!

    there are traffic lights on motorbikes :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :?: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
    Want to know the Spen666 behind the posts?
    Then read MY BLOG @ http://www.pebennett.com

    Twittering @spen_666
  • RufusA
    RufusA Posts: 500
    A lot of traffic lights use an induction loop buried under the tarmac to detect ferrous objects above them and change signal.

    If a particular light isn't triggering for you, then IMHO it hasn't been correctly set up, and it's worth reporting to the highway authority to get it investigated (yeah right). One near me was fixed last year, but only after 2 years of nagging.

    Some motorcyclists swear by attaching small "rare earth" magnets to their fairings to help trigger lights. No idea if it makes any difference, but a powerful magnet on the bottom of your crank might help.

    Finally I also think road position makes a big difference, I always make sure by bike wheel is over the lines cut in the tarmac for the induction loop in the hope it can "see" me better. If it doesn't trigger the first time I roll back and forth over it a couple of times.

    Rufus.
  • rjcastillo
    rjcastillo Posts: 41
    By "road position" the most effective would be 'down the pavement, past the relentless red light'! hehe
  • mba007
    mba007 Posts: 95
    I have heard that if you ride along the cut edge of the loop then you are more likely to trigger it ... but I've not tested it myself as there are too many cars around here!
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    What I want to know is how they detect when you roll to a halt and put your foot down. Otherwise how do they chose that precise moment to change to green?
  • phil_ss1
    phil_ss1 Posts: 194
    RufusA wrote:
    A lot of traffic lights use an induction loop buried under the tarmac to detect ferrous objects above them and change signal.

    Not much use on a carbon or aluminium bike then :wink:

    Lights near my house have stopped sensing cars in the filter lane, have to wait till another car comes along going the other way! - Dead annoying when it's quiet. Taken to driving in the wrong lane up to the lights then moving over at the last moment. - Sorry tunring into a car based entry! :oops:

    Phil

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