Triggering Traffic Lights | GTAMotorcycle.com

Triggering Traffic Lights

-Maverick-

Well-known member
It's really difficult on a supermoto...not enough motorcycle to interrupt the conductive signal. A lot of threads on it, but no real solutions. Do magnets work? What are your strategies?

The guy formerly known as Mladin.
 
-Stop on line
-Stop and put kickstand down on line.
-Make right hand turn and then when safe make a u-turn if possible.
-Contact municipality & have them dial up sensitivity of sensor.
 
Rare earth magnets do work. Mount them somewhere on the bottom of your bike and make sure you park so the magnet is over the loops. They also tend to pick up a lot of metal fragments over time, so you have to clean them out once in a while.

Was toying with the idea of putting the magnet on a piece of string and storing the whole thing in a tankbag, so you could use it like a fishing rod while you're sitting on your bike, and only pull it out and use it when you're stopped at a light.
 
What about lights that use cameras to detect vehicles? I find they don't pick up bikes sometimes also.
 
I always drag the center stand over the loop while I'm riding up to the light. It's more effective and safer that the side stand. Obviously not every bike has a center stand.
 
So you don't park the bike and go push the pedestrian crossing button? :unsure: damn, I been doing it wrong all along.

This happen to us this past week in Milton (6th line and Derry). I made the light but buddy didn't. I waiting across for him to get back but never did. Had to press the ped crossing light to trigger it.
 
So you don't park the bike and go push the pedestrian crossing button? :unsure: damn, I been doing it wrong all along.
I have 2 lights that need that treatment on my commute. My bikes are fairly big and even with magnets they don’t trigger many light sensors.

The good news is the magnets seem to work perfectly for stop signs.
 
Leadwing.
I will say this about the Leadwing though;
If your suicidal buddy who maybe had a couple of beers is riding the 401 2-up with a 6 cylinder Wing, do Not try to keep up to them. They can certainly roll.
 
I will say this about the Leadwing though;
If your suicidal buddy who maybe had a couple of beers is riding the 401 2-up with a 6 cylinder Wing, do Not try to keep up to them. They can certainly roll.
The 2001 and up wings get an unjust bad rap. When they are set up properly, they are very capable.
 
The 2001 and up wings get an unjust bad rap. When they are set up properly, they are very capable.
and Huge.
You forgot the Huge part.

... as in, you have to go downstairs every once in a while to throw another log on the fireplace huge.
 
The only time i found the wing too big was when the rear would break loose. Then it was a handful.
 
99% of traffic signals with detection use inductive loops. Magnets don't do anything for inductive loops - only metal does, and preferably, a lot of it. That's where motorcycles fail.

I get the best success by first making sure you're actually stopping ON the loop - look for the cut in the asphalt and park right on top of it. If it's not triggering, move forward or backwards a little. Sitll not working? Slowly change the rpm of the engine up and down - sometimes that will change the inductive signature of your bike just enough to trigger things.

Between all 3 of those I can trigger a change 99.9% of the time.

That 0.1% of the time where nothing works, well....if the road is quiet and there's no cars, drive through the red. If it's busy, turn right and then turn around and you're golden.

Absolute worst case scenario, get off bike, walk to pedestrian walk button, press button, walk back to bike. Have had to do that at least once. ;)

Some signals use different methods such as ultrasonic - key there is to park "inside the beam". Google it...I won't bore everyone with the technicalities.
 
I asked an officer one time if I've been sitting there for a long time, can I proceed when Safe to do so.. This was on a smaller street too! She said no, and if she saw me she'd pull me over. But when I asked about going to push the pedestrian button, which isn't any safer, she didn't comment.. Fortunate enough, I haven't encountered another light where I was alone..
 
I asked an officer one time if I've been sitting there for a long time, can I proceed when Safe to do so.. This was on a smaller street too! She said no, and if she saw me she'd pull me over. But when I asked about going to push the pedestrian button, which isn't any safer, she didn't comment.. Fortunate enough, I haven't encountered another light where I was alone..
IIRC, leaving your vehicle can get you a ticket (I guess if they were feeling really prickish, they could hit you with 172 as well).

If a light won't switch, I just make a right and U-turn if I want to go left or straight. Legal in almost every situation (assuming you go up the road a little before the u-turn), safe and doesn't take much time.
 

Back
Top Bottom