RLJ Conundrum

langtounboy

As much as i hate the cyclists that disregard the red light to gain a perceived advantage of quickness I'm now in a delicate situation.
My commute takes me along a separated bus/cycle road that has traffic lights at the junctions. My problem is that unless there is a bus present the lights they won't see a lone cyclist. I've tried varying my position on the road but I guess I'm just not a big enough target for the lights to register.

My question is do I wait for a bus to turn up and trigger the lights or safely cross through the red light when the road is clear.
If I did will I be a RLJ Muppet

fenix

If nobody sees you RLJ - have you really RLJ'ed ??

Obviously you're not going to do it unless your way is clear - so I'd do it with caution. Obviously check behind you to see if a bus is coming and if not - use extreme caution before making your way across.

tgotb

Write to the council, and ask them what you should do.

Highly unlikely that the response will be in any way useful, but it might be amusing...

slowbike

tgotb wrote:

Write to the council, and ask them what you should do.

Highly unlikely that the response will be in any way useful, but it might be amusing...

Whilst that does sound daft - it is something that needs bringing to their attention - don't tell them it's broke and they won't even think to fix it.

Meanwhile - you're hardly going to sit at a traffic light when there's nothing else around ... well - I wouldn't... for all you know - they could be broken...

Killerclown

Ah the good old induction loop with a scoop sensor traffic light on a bicycle conundrum. To cut a long story short, avoid it unless you’re with a bus, or jump the light, it’s your shout. Only one option is strictly legal.

jds_1981

Meh,
Where the a1205 crosses the A13 to become the a1206/a1261 there's a separate light controlled bus lane. The buses have to be about a metre over the line to trigger their lights so they frequently rlj. Sometimes when the lights don't trigger they go through anyway. :shrug:

Brakeless

Killerclown wrote:

Ah the good old induction loop with a scoop sensor traffic light on a bicycle conundrum. To cut a long story short, avoid it unless you’re with a bus, or jump the light, it’s your shout. Only one option is strictly legal.

There’s no such thing as a ‘scoop sensor traffic light’

How do you think up this [email protected] ?

Killerclown

Brakeless wrote:

Killerclown wrote:

Ah the good old induction loop with a scoop sensor traffic light on a bicycle conundrum. To cut a long story short, avoid it unless you’re with a bus, or jump the light, it’s your shout. Only one option is strictly legal.

There’s no such thing as a ‘scoop sensor traffic light’



How do you think up this [email protected] ?

You should do your research a bit better / get a clue about civil engineering before you comment. Or you risk making yourself look like a bit of a d1ck. Google won’t help you, Scoop is a generic unofficial / slang term in civil engineering circles for the sensors used for triggering traffic lights, and can include the latest fancy laser systems and microwave detection. But I guess you wouldn’t know that, seeing as you’re obviously relying on google, and not real life.

Brakeless

Killerclown wrote:

Brakeless wrote:

Killerclown wrote:

Ah the good old induction loop with a scoop sensor traffic light on a bicycle conundrum. To cut a long story short, avoid it unless you’re with a bus, or jump the light, it’s your shout. Only one option is strictly legal.

There’s no such thing as a ‘scoop sensor traffic light’



How do you think up this [email protected] ?

You should do your research a bit better / get a clue about civil engineering before you comment. Or you risk making yourself look like a bit of a d1ck. Google won’t help you, Scoop is a generic unofficial / slang term in civil engineering circles for the sensors used for triggering traffic lights, and can include the latest fancy laser systems and microwave detection. But I guess you wouldn’t know that, seeing as you’re obviously relying on google, and not real life.

More complete bollox. How are your lawyers getting on with the libel case ?

cougie

Maybe a 40kg backpack would trigger it ?

thistle_

tgotb wrote:

Write to the council, and ask them what you should do..

Sometimes, that does work. To my disbelief they adjusted a set near me so it detects bikes now.

If the lights have an induction loop and you know where it is, sometimes getting off and laying your bike down on its side over it will trigger it!

redvee

thistle (MBNW) wrote:

If the lights have an induction loop and you know where it is, sometimes getting off and laying your bike down on its side over it will trigger it!

There was a set of lights I used to pass through that if you weren't in the right spot on the road they wouldn't react but once I found that if you ride over the corner of the lines of the sensor cables the lights would react to a bike and 15 stone rider.

langtounboy

redvee wrote:

thistle (MBNW) wrote:

If the lights have an induction loop and you know where it is, sometimes getting off and laying your bike down on its side over it will trigger it!

There was a set of lights I used to pass through that if you weren't in the right spot on the road they wouldn't react but once I found that if you ride over the corner of the lines of the sensor cables the lights would react to a bike and 15 stone rider.

They do have an induction loop, large square about bus width a couple of meters before the lights, but I end up track standing like Zebedee looking for a trigger point.

Perhaps I should ditch the Alu/Carbon mix and go steel

imposter2.0

Killerclown wrote:

Brakeless wrote:

Killerclown wrote:

Ah the good old induction loop with a scoop sensor traffic light on a bicycle conundrum. To cut a long story short, avoid it unless you’re with a bus, or jump the light, it’s your shout. Only one option is strictly legal.

There’s no such thing as a ‘scoop sensor traffic light’



How do you think up this [email protected] ?

You should do your research a bit better / get a clue about civil engineering before you comment. Or you risk making yourself look like a bit of a d1ck. Google won’t help you, Scoop is a generic unofficial / slang term in civil engineering circles for the sensors used for triggering traffic lights, and can include the latest fancy laser systems and microwave detection. But I guess you wouldn’t know that, seeing as you’re obviously relying on google, and not real life.

It’s ironic that your claimed ‘real life’ experience has no apparent basis in reality. ‘Scoop’ does not exist in any generic/slang, except inside your own head. Anyone can fact-check your absurd sanctimonious drivel and it makes calling it out very easy. You probably meant ‘loop’ sensors, but you’re just too arrogant and delusional to admit it.

wolfsbane2k

As pointed out above, write to your council, highlight the issue, advise them that their design is failing a duty of care, and ask them to address it.

you "Could" always get off you bike, walk through the stop line, get back on it - You've broken no law.

tgotb

I think this is one of the very rare cases where I'd consider jumping the red light; knowing me, I probably wouldn't be able to do it without stopping and waiting for a bit first, even though I knew it wasn't going to work. And write to the council; otherwise, how will they know?

Clown/Brakeless/Imposter: Get a room...

elbowloh

tgotb wrote:

I think this is one of the very rare cases where I'd consider jumping the red light; knowing me, I probably wouldn't be able to do it without stopping and waiting for a bit first, even though I knew it wasn't going to work. And write to the council; otherwise, how will they know?

Clown/Brakeless/Imposter: Get a room...

Anyone else feel like they stumbled across a family feud or a couple of neighbours with a border dispute

imposter2.0

elbowloh wrote:

tgotb wrote:

I think this is one of the very rare cases where I'd consider jumping the red light; knowing me, I probably wouldn't be able to do it without stopping and waiting for a bit first, even though I knew it wasn't going to work. And write to the council; otherwise, how will they know?

Clown/Brakeless/Imposter: Get a room...

Anyone else feel like they stumbled across a family feud or a couple of neighbours with a border dispute

That’s actually fairly close to the truth Clown has been through three previous user accounts on this forum (each of them subsequently banned for abuse, inaccurate advice or threats of violence). The guy just rejoins and continues to post his censored .

thistle_

redvee wrote:

There was a set of lights I used to pass through that if you weren't in the right spot on the road they wouldn't react but once I found that if you ride over the corner of the lines of the sensor cables the lights would react to a bike and 15 stone rider.

I was told that to increase the chances of it detecting you:

• Ride over it fast
• Ride over the line (of the loop) parallel to the way you are going - kinda similar to riding over the corner.

Seems to work for me, but don't know how much of it is bollox

langtounboy wrote:

Perhaps I should ditch the Alu/Carbon mix and go steel

We have a loop for the the barrier on the alleyway out of the car park. It detects my alu road bike without fail (700x23), usually detects my alu singlespeed (26x1.5) but never my alu full suss (27.5x2.3). I suspect it's to do with how close the rim is to the loop rather than frame material.
Interested to know whether carbon triggers them...

drlodge

thistle (MBNW) wrote:

Interested to know whether carbon triggers them...

What you need are induction loops designed by Social Justice Warriors, they'll get triggered by anything and everything.

roger_merriman

My commute has some shared traffic lights that seem to be rather erratic, in that some times they work fine, you press the button they change, other times nothing lights up, other times it flicks back so you have to press again.

I tend to treat them as give way now since I quite often have no idea if they are working today or not...

redvee

I had a MagicShine light that had a slow flash mode and when approaching some traffic lights and aimed aimed at the top of the traffic lights as I approached it would start the change sequence so when I got to the lights they were green so I could ride straight through as I dipped the light back to it's usual position.

prawny

I've got one of these on one of my routes, I tend to filter into the main traffic lane before then rejoin the bus lane after

The Rookie

Highway Code Rule 176 "If the traffic lights are not working, treat the situation as you would an unmarked junction and proceed with great care."

Although that is often interpreted as 'no working at all' the legislation doesn't say that, so arguably one that is meant to change and doesn't isn't working.....

chris_bass

There are a lot of horse riders near where i live and the traffic lights that require a vehicle for them to change are fitted with a button (a bit like the ones at pedestrian crossings) for them to press and then the lights will change. It is a bit high up but also handy when i'm on my bike!

maybe something similar could be fitted? suggest it to the council.