the lesser of two evils

[yettiman121]

Lately, Yetti has been going out for Midnight rides,

Cruising around brampton, Mississauga, Hamilton, oakville.... you get the idea.

Usually im riding around until 2 or 3 am. Its so fun and relaxing to ride down open roads with just about zero traffic

No Noises, other than my exhaust, If you havnt tried this, Give it a shot.


anyways, to the point.

My Bike doesnt seem to be heavy enough to set off the traffic lights, and Often i will be sitting at intersections waiting for a light change.

Sometimes ( if one is available ) I will use the pedestrian crossing button. But more often than not, there isnt one to be found. Especially when Im out on the sideroads.

So.. Although i know its illegal, Ive just been running the reds.

that doesnt mean i dont stop, It means I Stop, and wait for a Period of time to see if the light is going to change for me ( it never does )
I check for other cars, then just go.

What else are you supposed to do ? Do you think a Cop would ticket me for this ?

Doing the " turn right, U-turn, drive through" is also illegal.

pick the lesser of two evils ?

throw an idea out !

[DucDic]

i haven't tested the earth magnet thing with changing lights, but in my area, you can't leave my neighbourhood without using a light...so i just wait until it is clear to go at the lights and boot it through, if a cop stops me, i will take my day in caught...it's not like i pull up to the light and take off right away, i give it a minute and if i don't see the hand flash, then i wain't waiting around...i don't leave my bike to hit the hand button on the traffic light pole...two reasons for that one...anyways, i think i will try the magnets one day...

[Dana_The_Mighty]

Earth magnets. How's that supposed to work?

[Rob MacLennan]

A light that doesn't change after waiting for a 'reasonable' period of time can be considered to be defective and a defective signal is treated as a four-way stop. The problem is convincing the officer who stops you for it of that fact.

[Rob MacLennan]

Earth magnets. How's that supposed to work?

Signal lights detect the presence of a vehicle with a loop sensor and the magnet is intended to increase your 'magnetic footprint.' The problem is that they don't actually detect the presence of a magnetic field, they detect the change in a frequency that is created using the inductive loop in a tank circuit. The presence of ferrous metal in the loop changes the loops inductance, which in turn changes the generated frequency.

The problem is that a bike is frequently just not enough ferrous metal to create a difference that would be large enough for detection. As far as I'm concerned all of those magnetic products are nothing more than placebos.

[diggz]

I have the exact same issue, twice, on my way to work when I'm working days (leave at 4:40am) and Midnights (not as bad, 10:00). I live in a really quiet, older neighbourhood and I have two left turns at red lights... that never change... ever.

There was another thread that went into detail about this. Someone said they called the city to adjusts the sensor or something and a week later s/he never had the issue again. I may do that, but that wouldn't really resolve your ride all over the place.

If it'd dead, I just go. I figure I'll explain the situation to the cop if I get caught and see what happens. I guess it depends on where you are (busy intersection/quiet neighbourhood) for the outcome of the "safety" argument to the cop.

[RetroGrouch]

Doing the " turn right, U-turn, drive through" is also illegal.

This is illegal? I had no idea because that's what I do when the red doesn't change.

[FiReSTaRT]

I don't think it's illegal. As for the magnets, they don't work. Your best bet is to get an el-cheapo GPS logger ($30 or so) and wait for 3 minutes at each light. If it doesn't change, "proceed with caution". If you get ticketed for it, you will have proof (the GPS log) that will prove that you waited for a reasonable amount of time and that as far as your vehicle was concerned, it was malfunctioning.

[GreyGhost]

Doing the " turn right, U-turn, drive through" is also illegal.

As long as you do not do the u-turn with x (maybe 60 m? I can't remember the exact number) of the intersection, right, u-turn, right is legal.

If you have a centre stand, dragging it coming up the the light sometimes works. I always waited around for 2 minutes or so and then went. If you get off your bike to press the pedestrian button, I am pretty sure you can be charged for something (don't remember the charge).

[uncagedca]

I've never tried the magnets but I do have one stubborn light down from me. I just stop with both tire on one of the saw cuts (where the dipole loop is) and just leaned a bit more than usual. Works everytime now.

The loop detectors I've seen don't sense a change in frequency, they sense a change in the induced electrical field. The frequency is switchable to eliminate cross-talk between the loops on multi-lane roads.
A decent magnet like a neodymium should definitely trigger the detector but the closer to the saw cuts you get will be more effective than adding a dozen magnets.

[Krimesf4i]

I never go through a red light, as I'm afraid of getting hit with a red light camera. I'll always opt to make a right and pull a u-turn instead - this way you're always going through a green light.

[Zahadoom]

Ah, a classic one. Here's the mess that is the OHTA, section 144 is about red lights. In the HTA it is said that you must wait until green, and I can't find anything about reasonable time or malfunction of the light. If anyone else can find it, that would be great resource for all of us.

I believe that the signs and lights on our roadways were created for the safety of all the motorists out there, NOT to create a NAZI police state were you have to stand out on a roadway at 3am just sitting at a light for hours until it turns green, like some dumb stupid programed robot. (Oh go ahead and point out you could just turn right and uturn, but there are alot of places where you can't)

So, if the way is clear, as far as I can see, a red light is just an modern stop sign, designed to help speed traffic, it has no brain beyond it's sensors and a basic program, the minute you let something no smarter than a ipod control you, it's all over.

Hey some places in the US, and they thought about it here even, putting it in the law that after 2am you could just stop and go, because of carjacking and crime.

I'm with the just go crowd, I'm no robot.

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/sta...es_90h08_e.htm

[stank killa]

...just run the light. BUT make sure you don't have any drugs, guns, hookers or warrants!!

[Chuck U. Farlie]

The magnets certainly work... it is not just a myth.

The lights near my place would never change for me. So I went to princess auto and got a strong pickup magnet... I think it was called a 100lb magnet with a handle like this:


I then cut off the handle, painted the magnet black and strapped it to my bike under/near the centre stand mount.

I never had a problem triggering that light again.... it is no myth or placebo effect.

[ScoTTY88]

"Officer, I waited for 5 minutes at the light and it would not change. I did not want to dismount my motorcycle and leave it unattended in the road to push the button so I treated it as malfunctioning traffic light and a 4 way stop and proceeded with caution. There were no car headlights to that I could see in any dirrection. IF you want we can go back and I will show you that my motorcycle will not trigger this light."

END>

[tat2]

In addition to calling the city and having them adjust it, magnets & right hand turn then uturn.

Try stopping directly on the cuts in the pavement where the loops actualy are, not in between them.

Some intersections also have 3 white dots painted at them. These are extra loops for bicycles to trigger the lights. Stop on them.

[supitschels]

i usually do the right turn/u turn

it's more because i'd be scared of cameras at red lights... but that's only when i'm IN london

i'm also a HUGE fan of the midnight rides & the late night, no-traffic, 90 down the one-ways, absolute silence aside from my somewhat-excessively loud exhaust.

ugh. love.


the lights are definitely an issue.. but unless i REALLY have to go somewhere specific, i'll just right turn. and go that way, lol. if i come across one that recognizes my bike.. i'll turn left. =)

[stevie t]

I do both, the run and the u turn...another way is to put the bike on the stand and get off and press the crossing button...but usally I just run the light...after waiting and looking both ways of course...but then I live in the sticks...so the late night lights are almost always devoid of any traffic, or cops.

You know, it just occurred to me, if a cop wanted to he could probably charge me with stunting, (leaving the seat while in operation) if he/she was a real jerk.

[Flywheel]

The magnets certainly work... it is not just a myth.

I never had a problem triggering that light again.... it is no myth or placebo effect.

Permanent magnets have a high iron/nickel content, so this is probably the reason the sensors can detect you now. The centrestand alone (if steel) was probably just below the detection threshold. How heavy is that bar magnet? I wonder if a few tire irons would do the trick.

[Chuck U. Farlie]

The magnet is not that heavy, and one of the two bikes that it was on (EX500) didn't have a centre stand... I mounted it where the centre stand originally mounted.

If I can find the magnet this weekend, as I think I still have it, I will go see if it can trigger a signal sans bike... and will let you all know.