Lights Camera Action

Kamzter

I used to cycle to work in the mornings (still do) at between 05:30 and 06:00, its dark as you know and before I had say a £40 front light of which was too tight to go out and buy a decent light when I transferred from MTB to RB.
Everytime i got to a traffic light, the lights would always go to red and so I was forced to unclip and stop.
Now, after buying myself a Lezyne Super Drive front light at an incredible price of £60, everytime I approach a traffic light without slowing down, the lights change to green so I can keep going.
Just a decent light has made my commute to work a hell of a lot quicker, especially when the lights used to go red and make you wait for sometimes nearly a minute and there were no cars about.
I am well chuffed with this and urge any other cyclist that have that problem to upgrade their front lights !!

phy2sll2

How on earth would that work?

verylonglegs

Traffic lights use an inductive loop to determine if cars are waiting and it won't be affected by your front light.

keef66

As I found out one Sunday morning when I rode to work to see how easy it was without traffic, only to become a prisoner on the Science Park. Clearly an alloy bike plus midget isn't big enough to trigger said inductive loop. I'm ashamed to say I eventually sneaked past the stubbornly red light and out into the completely non-existent traffic :oops:

Kamzter

I can confirm that since I have changed my front lights, the time has not changed, what I wear has not changed, the amount of traffic (nil) has not changed, what bike I ride has not changed but since changing my lights, the traffic lights now recognise me and change rather then not pick me up and go red or stay red even with no traffic.
Thats all that has changed so why has the traffic lights now decided to let me through then?
Answers on a post card to ........................ lol

amaferanga

Kamzter wrote:

I can confirm that since I have changed my front lights, the time has not changed, what I wear has not changed, the amount of traffic (nil) has not changed, what bike I ride has not changed but since changing my lights, the traffic lights now recognise me and change rather then not pick me up and go red or stay red even with no traffic.
Thats all that has changed so why has the traffic lights now decided to let me through then?
Answers on a post card to ........................ lol

Traffic light sequencing has changed maybe? Around here they seem to slowly get out of synch at times and then get reset so they're synch'ed again.

Of course I could just be imagining that though in the same way you believe you have a magical light

keef66

Maybe the light is affecting the induction loops? Does your computer still work? Do your fillings tingle? Do you get unexplained headaches???

Redhog14

~Are you travelling at high speeds perhaps - around 77.1mph, it seems anything can happen around this threshold..

hulla the hulla

amaferanga wrote:

you have a magical light

Perhaps he's turned into Jamie.... he had a magic torch

thecrofter

Kamzter wrote:

I used to cycle to work in the mornings (still do) at between 05:30 and 06:00, its dark as you know and before I had say a £40 front light of which was too tight to go out and buy a decent light when I transferred from MTB to RB.
Everytime i got to a traffic light, the lights would always go to red and so I was forced to unclip and stop.
Now, after buying myself a Lezyne Super Drive front light at an incredible price of £60, everytime I approach a traffic light without slowing down, the lights change to green so I can keep going.
Just a decent light has made my commute to work a hell of a lot quicker, especially when the lights used to go red and make you wait for sometimes nearly a minute and there were no cars about.
I am well chuffed with this and urge any other cyclist that have that problem to upgrade their front lights !!

Are you Mr Lezyne ?

Yossie

Well, there is some truth behind this fable of £40 Lezyne enduced radiance: traffic lights have sensors on them designed to recognise the flashing woo - woos of corrupt News International employed Federali on their way to shoot and beat up innocent people and ambulances/fire engines on their way to get pelted with stones, abused and vomited on by the general public they are trying to help.

If you come towards a traffic light and flash your lights in your motor then generally they will recognise the flashing and think its a woo - woo and change to green on your side and red on the other side.

This story of bike lights emitting luminescence enough to change variables that only that bloke with the teeth who did the lecture on TV the other night understands is very dubious though - I'll try it with my Wonder Lights (TM) (c) tonight and see what happens.

As an aside, do you have a basket on the front of your bike and when you pedal really fast does it take off? Is the light actually a small alien with a glowing finger and a penchant for telephoning home?

Kamzter

Had a chat with my Highways Agency friend and he says that depending on what areas of the country, some respond to light and movement, some just respond to nothing i.e. computerised.
So with that said, it might be light activated at night in my area, who the hell cares you dont and no do I, what ever the reason I'm saving a whole 5 minutes of my commuting time !!

*AL*

Kamzter wrote:

Had a chat with my Highways Agency friend and he says that depending on what areas of the country, some respond to light and movement

Almost true.

Some permanent units have a microwave traffic sensors fitted to the light head which will detect movement of >2.5mph.
All mobile, temporary units have these sensors and should be used if the lights are used on a commuter route, but may be set to time sequential if traffic flow is light.

NO traffic lights react to light.

redvee

I've found a strobing Fenix has the same effect, coming home from work one morning at 0230 with the Fenix on strobe I had to stop at one set out of fifteen over 9.5 miles. We all know that TLs are a chance for a brief rest of chance to adjust clothing but as soon as you do so the lights change.