Do you run red lights?

[redwing-2001]

Soooo what do you recommend? Wait indefinitely until someone shows up that can trigger the sensor? Or are you pleading the 5th?

sorry, but I didn't notice the question before. My point was that someone speaking in an "official" MSF capacity, in this case while teaching a class, would not advocate intentionally breaking the law. What I recommend is to make a right on red then a u-turn, moving around until the light is triggered, shut down and start back up with the side-stand down, waiting for another vehicle to trigger the light. Now, if a motorcycle consistantly gets trapped at that light, report it to the local DOT and they can adjust the sensitivity.
Also, write your representatives to draft a law for motorcycles to treat the traffic actuated signal as a stop sign.

 

[Anthony]

happens to me all the time waiting for the "left turn light" its somewhat annoying to have to sit through several light sequences. As soon as a car pulls up, the sequence gives us the green light. I try rolling back and forth ect to no avail... Ill have to see if this is already allowed in Indianapolis, indiana..

 

[kevin8198]

I talked to a guy who attached 4 rare earth magents to the bottom of his bike, and he said it solved the traffic light actuation problem.

How big were they? My friend has a bunch or rare earth magnets, maybe I should get some from him. I've had to run a few in my days.

 

[BrueThru]

Original question: Do you run red lights?

Every freakin day.

Sometimes because I know my bike won't trip the loop and sometimes because I can.

Red lights are fascist.

And here in GA its legal as long as you come to a complete stop first.

 

[redwing-2001]

Original question: Do you run red lights?

Every freakin day.

Sometimes because I know my bike won't trip the loop and sometimes because I can.

Red lights are fascist.

And here in GA its legal as long as you come to a complete stop first.

Might want to double check on that in Georgia, I am pretty sure that bill did not pass (actually it didn't even come to a vote). Currently the only way to proceed through a red light in Georgia is a complete stop then right (only).

 

[rhnatyk]

Yep, happens all the time at advance left turn signals in Atlanta. If I can, I move forward as far as possible to allow a car into the sensor zone. If no cars join me I just make the left turn when it's safe.

 

[ariaswan]

running in red lights

Many people are running in red lights. Especially those who are in states that running in red light is legal. Nebraska is thinking about the bill that would allow motorcycle drivers to run red lights under certain conditions. Opponents say the move is too great a safety danger. You can read more about the article.
Running Red Lights. Buy here, pay here, car lots for your situation.

 

[MistahT]

the title of that article is very mis-leading. The Kansas bill and a similar one in Georgia would allow motorcycles to proceed with caution after 60 seconds if a traffic actuated signal did not change. Basically, this allows motorcyclists to treat these types of red lights like stop signs but only after 60 seconds has expired. The Dept of Transportation is ok with this idea.
Incidentily, these signal sensors are magnetic, not weight activated like a lot of people think. Since motorcycles do not have a lot of metal, the actuators often don't work. To answer the question, 8 other states have laws already in place for motorcycles to treat a traffice actuated signal like a stop light.

Maryland has a law (I can't find it now) that allows motorcyclists to proceed through a red light if the light needs to be signaled by one of those sensors in the ground. I believe if it's after 9pm and you've waited two signal cycles, the bike is clearly not activating the light, you may proceed when the coast is clear yielding to all traffic.

There is a light like this right outside my neighborhood and I have to wait for the left green arrow. Did this once on my scooter and got pulled over... whatever...

 

[vengeance44]

ya in california you can do this too i remember when i did it when i was riding with my friend he freaked out lol

 

[SurfJunkie]

If you approach the light correctly, you can usually get a green.

as you come up to a light, you will notice 3 rings on the ground. ( depending on signal, sometimes they are 1 big ring. those are the pain in the ass ones. )

If you ride over the left or right corner of all 3, and STOP with your front wheel directly on the last one, you can usually get it to cycle green WITHOUT having to purchase the bullshit magnets that do nothing or run the light.

As stated above, those large single loop ones suck. There is one in my path every day at the meter light for the freeway and Im usually the only traffic. I gave up stopping for that one weeks ago. I don't even sit and wait for it anymore. just throttle up and merge.

 

[Scott_Thomas]

I've actually slowed and pulled over letting a cager ahead so they can trigger the stupid F'n sensor. I've also run a few lights as well. Luckily haven't been stopped for it because cops around here are Aholes and would probably ticket me.

 

[Spunky99]

I ran one today.
Pulled up and centered the stupid sensor just after the light went red and waited the nearly 2 minutes for the left hand turn signal to trigger.
It didn't.....
No cars behind me and nothing to trigger the stupid left turn. 2 lanes to the right straight and a 3rd to make a left turn. Not legal to do a right and figure another way.

So I waited until it was safe and made my turn against the red light.
I could have been there 5 minutes to an hour before a car triggered the light.

 

[DragonBlu]

I ran one today.
Pulled up and centered the stupid sensor just after the light went red and waited the nearly 2 minutes for the left hand turn signal to trigger.
It didn't.....
No cars behind me and nothing to trigger the stupid left turn. 2 lanes to the right straight and a 3rd to make a left turn. Not legal to do a right and figure another way.

So I waited until it was safe and made my turn against the red light.
I could have been there 5 minutes to an hour before a car triggered the light.

Hey,,if no one saw you ,then did you really run a red light? Kind of like the old "if a tree falls in the forest".

 

[Spunky99]

Hey,,if no one saw you ,then did you really run a red light? Kind of like the old "if a tree falls in the forest".

I used that argument at lunch today with my workmates. LOL it didn't work but who cares.

 

[buzzbomb]

I used that argument at lunch today with my workmates. LOL it didn't work but who cares.

SPUNKY! Hey dude, long time no see!

Anyway, back to the question: I don't run red lights. Just makes sense if one wants to survive to get home.

That being said - On a recent run to my Charlotte Cycle Gear, I'm sitting at the light. I was first in line for the left turn, because it's a U to get to it. Three lights I sat through. *sigh* It never changed to let me go, and I had to run it. I had so many cars backed up behind me, I couldn't count them all in my mirror.

The beeping horns informed me that it was not uncommon for a bike to have to make the turn on a red, to get to the FRICKIN' MOTORCYCLE GEAR SHOP!

I don't run red. Car or bike. In that situation? I suppose I could have tried to pull out to the right, back into Charlotte traffic and gone further up the road and then looped back. Honestly that seemed like asking for trouble. Situational specific.

I felt it was actually safer to run that red, at the correct moment, than to try to pull back out into the flying traffic. That situation doesn't happen too often, though.

 

[godwearsblack]

I've done it once, been presented with the problem often though.i always try and wait for about 2 min. if theirs no traffic I'm down to take it as a stop sign and go.