I have just purchased a motor scooter so I can get to work (particularly problematic on a Sunday - with public transport not working for me).
I need to pass through a number of sets of traffic lights. Two sets have "pads" which will change the traffic lights to let traffic out of side streets.
the lights don't change unless there is demand.
My problem - when I set on the sensor pad, I have not heavy enough - or enough metal - or whatever, to set off the sensor.
Surely, I am not the first person to strike this situation.
What do I do? (beynod waiting for a car to come)
v8_mopar,
Sep 6, 9:08pm
Ride on the footpath and press the button for walkers lol
Why do the magnets not stick to the bike? do you need to attach to the bike with the Magnetic field pushing away from the bike?
tamarillo,
Sep 6, 9:43pm
Does this work here? This an issue for all motorcyclist and scotterists but does anyone know what sensors we use here and whether this will work?
seadubya,
Sep 6, 10:13pm
I couldn't figure out why the magnet wouldn't stick to the bike, unless the tape is to protect the magnets from rust as mentioned with his pill container option. I don't know how our lights work, but I have seen similar lines in the road to those on the clip, hopefully someone on here will know, because it looks like a simple and effective fix.
tweake,
Sep 6, 10:19pm
alloy chassis.
m16d,
Sep 6, 11:07pm
You need more steel on your bike so it will trigger the magnetic sensor. I suggest you take your barbecue plate to work with you.
tamarillo,
Sep 7, 12:13am
So we do use magnetic sensors? In which case magnet idea might work? Don't know why but I had an idea they were weight sensing . sense when run over but needed certain weight to do it. Anyone know for sure?
We do use electromagnetic induction sensors, which do work by sensing metal in the vehicle above. Not convinced that a magnetic mass of that small size would have any effect though. The ignition coil and magnets in the flywheel would have more impact.
aj.2.,
Sep 7, 12:30am
I have seen the road crew cutting the seal to insert the strips as above posts .
Weight does not come into it as for that to work , some thing would need to flex and over time the seal would break up with all that flexing .
cammey,
Sep 7, 1:11am
I don't have a scooter anymore, I cycle these days and enjoy the same problem.
But when I had a scooter the lights would never change. An enthusiastic policeman wrote me a ticket for stopping, checking the way was clear, then proceeding.
The court threw it out, in fact the judge was scathing of the police.
The law is clear.
The lights are supposed to detect vehicles, even bikes. If they don't detect your vehicle they are faulty. By adjustment, or design.
You are entitled to proceed when you have ensured it is safe if signals are faulty.
My suggestion ? Write to the local authority, pointing out the lights don't change. They may fix them.
Regardless, treat them as a compulsory stop where you give way to EVERYONE, but just go when safe.
peja,
Sep 7, 1:21am
Pretty much what I do on my bicycle. Mostly I am either on cycle tracks where it isnt an issue, or in heavy enough traffic where there are cars present to trigger them, so dont often have to do it
whqqsh,
Sep 7, 2:06am
get hold of an old microwave & strap that under your bike. nah but they are throw away items & have in them a magnetron that has 2 doughnut shaped, very strong rare earth magnets hat are easy to cable tie under your bike or scooter if you don't have exposed steel. BTW don't try & put these agents together as getting the apart is hard (usually only done by sliding sideways) AND when the clamp together most people end up with multiple fingertip blood blisters
tintop,
Sep 7, 2:58am
Traffic signals used to use pressure pads - but they are long gone and replaced by inductive loops.
All is revealed in Johotech's link in #11
Contact your local traffic manager - the sensitivity may be able to be adjusted.
duckmoon,
Sep 7, 3:22am
this is a technique which would work at 7am on a road that is straight with a medium-busy side street.
my other intersection was in four directions - not an event cross road and and fast & busy. and in the middle of day - so lots of traffic.
I solved the problem by waiting and waiting and waiting for a car to come
yz490,
Sep 7, 7:55am
If it's 'such a problem' & obviously it 'is'. Why don't the Council or 'Land Transport' in particular produce a waiver form [or whatever] for scooters that could be issued by VTNZ & registered against 'that' scooter once proven to be the case by some vtnz magic quick simple test procedure for situations like this. Would be up to the rider to Stop & make sure the way was clear, then If Pinged you could produce the form & hopefully argue your way out of a ticket, if you'd done the 'come to a stop' thing.
motorboy2011,
Sep 7, 12:08pm
I had this particular problem with a motorbike at certain lights on my way home from work. I rang the council and told them what lights, they adjusted them so they were more sensitive.
kazbanz,
Sep 7, 3:00pm
My answer is far simpler. IF your waiting time is substantial then either A) sit and wait for a car to come along or B)given there are NO cars around treat the traffic light as a stop sighn. If you are expecting to go across several lanes of traffic then a left turn followed by a U turn might be safer.
sr2,
Sep 8, 3:34am
Having spent my fair share of time over the years waiting on two wheels for the lights to change I've been watching this thread with interest. I asked the opinion of a mate who is an electronics design engineer. His reply was a neodymium (or Iridium) magnet was verging on overkill when it came to interrupting magnet fields!
dinx,
Sep 8, 5:09am
Its not a new problem thou. My old V50 scooter didn't set off several lights when I was still riding in the city in the 90's. There were lights I pretty much had to run in the Wgtn CBD then and it was was , I was just lucky I never got pulled up but then the roads were usually empty due to shift work and no police around when it was a problem.
v8_mopar,
Sep 8, 5:15am
Some traffic lights have above ground motion sensors for the least busy street. Maybe we need more of these?
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