[Jubis]

Hey all,

I've been well aware of the traffic light sensor pads present at many of the intersections in Adelaide, South Australia (and supposedly all the other major capitals down here in Australia, too), long before I had my motorbike license.

I have been meaning to read up on exactly how they work, and found this interesting topic on another forum: Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum • View topic - Traffic Light Sensor pads

The most useful bits of info I found were:
- Getting off your bike and pushing the pedestrian crossing button will in most cases almost instantly set the lights to orange for the perpendicular flow of traffic.
- Apparently you can run a set of reds (turns I'm assuming) if they haven't gone green for 3 cycles. Last case scenario, which has happened to me in the past (I think I waited two cycles then just went while the straight lights were green).

The most curious piece of information I found was the information about stopping and starting your bike whilst on the pad. On the second page I found the following: or a few quick taps of the starter button will do it too.

I was just wondering if this damaged the engine or starter motor at all, if you use the starter while the bike is already on?

 

[Lomcevak]

Well, I didn't read the content of the link, yet, but I'm not sure if it was on here, or on the bcsportsbikes.com forum, but someone mentioned using the super strong rare-earth magnets mounted to the bottom of the bike.

A cheap source of them is to raid an old computer hard drive. BE CAREFUL! They're super strong, and could hurt you if they snap together quickly. Note, too, that they're quite brittle. One thing you don't have to worry about is them falling off your bike!

Presumably, the sensors sense a magnetic field. And while I haven't tried the magnets yet, I think the concept is sound. I was in a gated neighbourhood on my bicycle once, and the gate wouldn't open when I pulled up over the loop. However, the gardeners were there, and I grabbed their push-type lawnmower and the gate opened right up! So whether it's sensing a magnetic field, or it's a "metal detector", I bet the magnets will provide the sensor the same result.

The last time I rode, years ago, my bike would not trigger the sensors, but with my CBR250, it seems to be working, so far. So I won't be able to know if adding the magnets to my bike will work, or not.

Apparently some intersections are now controlled by cameras that sense vehicles approaching, or something. So who knows.

 

[Carbonado]

Certainly some sensors are magnetic and the steel in the CBR will trigger them if you are right over the sensor wires. When the wires are installed after the asphalt has been laid you can see the grooves where the wires are. The trick is to ride over the wires. A car can do this easily as it has a large area of steel to trigger the lights. Even my bicycle will trigger the light change if I am careful to ride over the location of the wires.

 

[sendler]

I have no luck getting either of the two triggers on my commute to change even though I put strong magnets all up and down my swing arm. If they don't change then the law says they are malfunctioning and should be treated as a blinking red.

 

[Lomcevak]

I have no luck getting either of the two triggers on my commute to change even though I put strong magnets all up and down my swing arm. If they don't change then the law says they are malfunctioning and should be treated as a blinking red.

Were they the super strong rare earth type How big were they? I would try moving them down underneath the frame, if it's lower than the swingarm.

 

[Scott]

I think in Idaho it's one cycle. There is a gas station parking lot I choose to go through coming off the main road to my street. I can never trigger that light. I'll look for the groves.

 

[JakeySnakes]

I read an article a while ago about some places in the US trialling a transponder type system for emergency services vehicles. If memory serves a transponder was fitted to the vehicle and receiver at the intersection and could sense the direction traffic needed to flow to allow the emergency vehicle to pass without any red lights. one of those would come in handy...

On another note, here in NSW some lights are operated by sensors, others just through timers. Not sure if all the sensors are magnetic or if some a pressure related though (ie the vehicle's weight rather than magnetic field triggers the sensor).


Sent from my iPhone using MO Free

 

[Lowcard]

Where im located, the lights are on timers from around 12am- 7am and sensor the rest of the time.

 

[allen]

I have one or two around here that never seem to work. On the ones that work sometimes, there are some things you can try. One of them is hitting the starter; the field this generates may be enough to trip the sensor. Another is putting the kickstand down for a second to bring some metal closer to the surface.

Installing a skidplate might help as well.

 

[Lomcevak]

I have one or two around here that never seem to work. On the ones that work sometimes, there are some things you can try. One of them is hitting the starter; the field this generates may be enough to trip the sensor. Another is putting the kickstand down for a second to bring some metal closer to the surface.

Installing a skidplate might help as well.

I just would NEVER intentionally hit my starter while the engine is running. Even if you're killing the engine, and then using the starter, I think it's a lot of start cycles to run the starter through. Super-strong magnets would be a much cheaper solution that is less likely to leave you with a dead starter.

 

[allen]

Modern motorcycle starters are not like car starters. There is no danger in hitting your starter while the bike is running. They have a one-way clutch and the gears are always engaged.

 

[Cambobomb]

You can buy products for this problem. This one is only 14 bucks. It's the first result I found. I don't own one but there you go.

Traffic Light Changer for Motorcycles - the Light Knight

 

[sendler]

You can buy products for this problem. This one is only 14 bucks. It's the first result I found. I don't own one but there you go.

Traffic Light Changer for Motorcycles - the Light Knight

I have magnets all up and down my swing arm and it didn't help.

 

[sendler]

Were they the super strong rare earth type How big were they? I would try moving them down underneath the frame, if it's lower than the swingarm.

30x45x5 mm neo magnets salvaged from the guts of my brother's windmill. 6 per side making my swing arm into a 50cm long bar magnet. Doesn't help.

 

[NSU]

A sensor-triggered red light is effectively a stop sign on a bicycle or motorcycle. No point in fretting about it. You can't worry about obeying the law in a system where there is no provision for your existence.

Traffic engineers (and the simpleton politicians who hire them) have, as a profession, trashed our entire nation to accomodate cars and SUVs at the expense of flesh-and-blood human beings and any transportation mode that is less than four wheels.

I can't wait for $12 gasoline and the flood of citizens trying to get to work on bicycles and <150cc scooters whose eyes are finally opened to how hideous our built environment has become.

 

[They call me Ruby]

I find that I have to tell the car behind me to pull further up so the ground sensor will notice us.

 

[They call me Ruby]

I find that I have to tell the driver behind me to pull forward, so the sensor will let us go!

 

[Scott]

I find that I have to tell the driver behind me to pull forward, so the sensor will let us go!

I've done that also but I don't like being crowded either.

 

[Lomcevak]

I've done that also but I don't like being crowded either.

That, and most are just plain clueless that those sensors are even there. So they have no clue why you are beckoning them forward. I tend to pull a little bit into the crosswalk, to try and get them to situate themselves over the sensors.

 

[Lomcevak]

You can buy products for this problem. This one is only 14 bucks. It's the first result I found. I don't own one but there you go.

Traffic Light Changer for Motorcycles - the Light Knight

Wow, what a great deal! $14 bucks plus who-knows-how-much-for-shipping for a magnet. I find it quite interesting that NOWHERE on their website do they tell you that all that they're selling you is a magnet. Everyone has dead computers, every computer has harddrives. Rip one open, and get the magnets out - that simple.