Motorcycle won't trip "smart" stoplight

[trotzo]

In my area (va.) we have "smart stoplights", I'm sure you all know what they are but for the uninformed there is a wire imbedded in the pavement at or close to the stop line and when a vehicle pulls up it breaks the magnetic field and lets the light know a vehicle is waiting. Great, right? Not so great when you're on a motorcycle, which I am a lot. Seems the mass of my bike is not enough to trip the sensor and I sit thru many cycles of lights waiting for my turn to go, which only happens when a car pulls up behind me, and furthermore, never happens at some times. So there I sit sometimes, illegal to run the light, illegal for a u-turn, illegal to back up on a median divided road. Inevitably, I end up making sure my passage is safe, making sure no other vehicles are coming and running the light (only after waiting sometimes for 10 mins or more). I know that's baaaad but all my other choices are illegal as well. I guess my question is this, are leo's aware that this happens with motorcycles and we have no other choice than to run a red light WHEN IT'S SAFE (and the key word being OCCASIONALLY here) Let me add that I am a professional driver and do everything I can to keep my license in excellent standing. Would an officer be sympathetic to my plight if I were to be stopped? It really is quite frustrating, I've written to the proper political authorities and made them aware of certain traffic control devices that aren't "motorcycle friendly" Thoughts, comments??

[arson571]

I have heard there are magnetic devices you can get to trip them.

I personally don't have one. So I share your frustration.

[JediMaster]

I get calls for these all the time for the few places we still use in the road sensors. Most of our lights now use the cameras mounted above that pickup anything. Heck, a deer can trip the lights. I tell people that call in about them to just wait about 5 minutes and then proceed when they see the intersection is 100% clear. Most officers I know will be understanding and do nothing about it if they spot it. However, if they see it during rush hour or some other time, they may think you are just trying to beat the light.

[cu29]

If there's a "won't change to green" problem with a traffic light, you are at liberty, assuming, as you indicated, you make sure you can do so without endangering anyone, to run the light. An officer observing that may have PC to stop you for it, and may do so, but if he buys your explanation he'll probably let you go, and if he tickets you for it, the Court will probably let you off. A traffic signal that won't stop its red light and turn on its green light in a reasonable amount of time, while a legitimate driver is waiting, is faulty -- it's failing in at least one of the purposes for which it was intended, and doing so in a manner that impacts you, and you have the right to, while regarding safety, in the situations you've described, disregard such a traffic signal; otherwise you'd be being denied liberty without due process of law.

[trotzo]

<snip>
However, if they see it during rush hour or some other time, they may think you are just trying to beat the light.

LOL I would never do that at rush hour, it clearly shows an extremely impatient, reckless individual deserving of a traffic stop. After all, during rush hour one wouldn't have to wait long for another vehicle to trip the sensor. ;)

[JediMaster]

<snip>


LOL I would never do that at rush hour, it clearly shows an extremely impatient, reckless individual deserving of a traffic stop. After all, during rush hour one wouldn't have to wait long for another vehicle to trip the sensor. ;)

We had one like that once with a vehicle. The lady said the vehicle wouldn't trip the sensor and she was sitting there for 5 minutes. Low and behold, an officer had just pulled up to the intersection. The female saw the intersection was clear. Our officer saw the red light and initiated a stop and cited her. The lady came to court to testify that she sat there for over 5 minutes. Well, our cruisers record 1 minute prior to turning the lights on, so it was caught on tape that she may have been at the light longer, but it was clearly evident that she wasn't pulled up far enough to get the sensor. So she pulled up a little more, sat for 30 seconds, and ran it. Mayor upheld the ticket.

[zap]

I'd be inclined to buy your story. I've had that same issue with my truck. There is one light particularly that I can sit through 4 cycles before it changes because I didn't land on the weight sensor just so.

[Goren]

Mayor upheld the ticket.

What would the Mayor have to do with the ticket?

[JediMaster]

What would the Mayor have to do with the ticket?

Mayor's court my pal. Might only exist in Ohio.

[Goren]

Mayor's court my pal. Might only exist in Ohio.

So the Mayor is the judge? LOL.

I'd love to get a ticket in OH, I'd have a field day with that one!

[trotzo]

<snip> The lady came to court to testify that she sat there for over 5 minutes.

See now that just chaps my hide. People not taking responsibility for their actions. Why can't people just hang their head in shame and pay the damn fine. But look who I'm telling.......
You guys are like walking lie detectors, that's why one thing I learned in all my motoring days is always tell the truth. No matter how much it may hurt you, or how much it may piss him off...... you're better off in the long run.
I've gotten off with more warnings than tickets by just following that simple rule. Case in point;
Recently on an 8 hour trip w/gf I was stopped for exceeding the speed limit, 83 in a 70.
I usually don't go faster than the speed limit but the traffic was very light, daylight hour, and I had my GF. You know how it is when you're on a loooooooong trip with your chosen mate, she's jabbering away like a hummingbird on caffeine and all you want to do is get there. need I say more? Officer approches vehicle asks me if I have any drugs or weapons (hmmm, I'm guessing even the guys with drugs and weapons say no to that)
and asked me if I knew how fast I was going. "I had the cruise set for 80" and it was. He said he got me going 83 and I admitted I was speeding but pointed out traffic was extremely light. He let me off with a warning and I was on my way (I believe) because I was honest and had not tried to give him a BS story about my speed. I admitted I was wrong and was willing to pay the consequences even if it meant a ticket.

[Breacher]

He let me off with a warning and I was on my way (I believe) because I was honest and had not tried to give him a BS story about my speed. I admitted I was wrong and was willing to pay the consequences even if it meant a ticket.

Thank you very much.

People that come here to gripe about their ticket don't believe that you exist. ;)

[johnnyco12]

Your solution is simple: get a strong magnet and attach it to the belly pan of your bike(flat metal plate right under the engine.) That will break the field and the light will change. This method also works for small cars as well.

[JediMaster]

So the Mayor is the judge? LOL.

I'd love to get a ticket in OH, I'd have a field day with that one!

So far tickets haven't been thrown out for that and it's going on just over a year to decide if Mayor's Courts are illegal.

http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_HB_154

The mayor's in charge of a mayor's court do have mandatory training they must attend before they can sit over the court. However, the bill would make it mandatory that a magistrate oversees the court sessions and he would be paid as a part time magistrate at some undetermined rate at this time, along with alot of other unanswered questions.

The main reason the tickets have stuck is because at any time you can transfer the ticket to a municipal county court and have a judge oversee it based on the way our law is written. Then if you lose, we get the fine minus court costs which go to the court you were found guilty in.

[webster4]

Kinda reminds me of a situation I observed last week on shift. I was sitting in one of my favorite dark spots (mid-shift) running radar, near an intersection. A truck pulled up, (only vehicle at the light) quickly, I might add, and went a little past the sensor. Well needless to say it didn't trip because jack@ss past over it too fast. I just sat there hoping he would just go, so I could pop him. He waited, and waited, and waited, the light never changed, so instead of backing up a little to trip the sensor, he backed up turned around and went another way. I didn't stop him because I probably would have called him a moron, or worse. I just sat there and laughed at some people's stupidity.

[mostlyfree]

Your solution is simple: get a strong magnet and attach it to the belly pan of your bike(flat metal plate right under the engine.) That will break the field and the light will change. This method also works for small cars as well.

It will also trap all those metal chips floating around in your oilpan :)

Its a win/win!

[trotzo]

It will also trap all those metal chips floating around in your oilpan :)

Its a win/win!
If one has metal chips in their oilpan, one has bigger problems than not tripping stoplights :star:

[trotzo]

Thank you very much.

People that come here to gripe about their ticket don't believe that you exist. ;)

You're welcome, I guess I chalk it up to my experience in driving. People don't realize that if they constantly speed, or drift thru stop signs or red lights, eventually they're gonna get caught. They don't think about all the times they got away with it, only that they now have a ticket. To all you civilians out there it's called THE LAW OF AVERAGES. Next time you get a ticket, count your blessings that you didn't get one EVERY TIME you ran that red light ("it wasn't red officer, maybe a little pink that's all...") or went 15 mph over the speed limit, ("my grandma just got run over by a reindeer and I'm on my way to the hospital") .......just pay your fine.

[trinic]

Mayors court is ridiculous. There's never been a more redneck hillbilly backwoods way of doing things. If it's a smaller community, then the mayor's buddies are untouchable for traffic violations and small misdemeanors. It's so stupid...Politics at it's best.

[Reign]

Mayor's court...they will usually try to make anything stick, right? Isn't that the point of Mayor's court?...To save money and generate revenue without handing it over to the bigger cities to deal with? Maybe I'm mistaken.

In any account, I think we've all had some kind of experienced with those whacked out trip lights. I think Zap and I may have been at the same light...you think "Oh it's my turn" and nope...it just passes you by. You find yourself inching up, hoping to hit the trip or trying to gesture to the person in front of you to scoot up just a bit. UGH @ some technology!

[JediMaster]

Mayors court is ridiculous. There's never been a more redneck hillbilly backwoods way of doing things. If it's a smaller community, then the mayor's buddies are untouchable for traffic violations and small misdemeanors. It's so stupid...Politics at it's best.

We have one and I second that. I hope the above legislation I previously posted passes as it will force a Magistrate to oversee the court hearings. Ultimately, I would love them to just eliminate it all together but I'm not sure how city code violations would be heard.

[Actiondefence]

I vote for the Judge Dredd style of policing and court process...

[CyberCritic]

Kinda reminds me of a situation I observed last week on shift. I was sitting in one of my favorite dark spots (mid-shift) running radar, near an intersection. A truck pulled up, (only vehicle at the light) quickly, I might add, and went a little past the sensor. Well needless to say it didn't trip because jack@ss past over it too fast. I just sat there hoping he would just go, so I could pop him. He waited, and waited, and waited, the light never changed, so instead of backing up a little to trip the sensor, he backed up turned around and went another way. I didn't stop him because I probably would have called him a moron, or worse. I just sat there and laughed at some people's stupidity.


Or you could have been a better human being and actually helped him....doesn't it say "to protect and serve" somewhere on your vehicle? But instead you sat there "hoping he would just go, so you could pop him.", and you wonder why the public dislike traffice cops....

Btw...there is a difference between traffic cops and real cops...and you just proved it...

[Cerberus]

Yes, in response to the man who apparently likes to give tickets to those that even do attempt to uphold the law ^.~ Where exactly are the weight lines at in the road? Can someone possibly give me a distance measurement from where the pedestrian walk is (2nd line that would be closest to the driver of a vehicle) I have this happen alot at a major intersection at night... and there's always a cop watching that intersection, and I do see them bust people for that.

[Cerberus]

Yes, in response to the man who apparently likes to give tickets to those that even do attempt to uphold the law (since apparently you "do" know where they are at.) ^.~ Where exactly are the weight lines at in the road? Can someone possibly give me a distance measurement from where the pedestrian walk is (2nd line that would be closest to the driver of a vehicle) I have this happen alot at a major intersection at night... and there's always a cop watching that intersection, and I do see them bust people for that.

[JediMaster]

Yes, in response to the man who apparently likes to give tickets to those that even do attempt to uphold the law (since apparently you "do" know where they are at.) ^.~ Where exactly are the weight lines at in the road? Can someone possibly give me a distance measurement from where the pedestrian walk is (2nd line that would be closest to the driver of a vehicle) I have this happen alot at a major intersection at night... and there's always a cop watching that intersection, and I do see them bust people for that.

The sensor lines are those big rectangles you see in the road. They cut out part of the road and usually fill it in with tar. THey are pretty obvious at intersections during the daytime. In the case of an officer giving a ticket, the way you win that in court is how long you sat there before proceeding. If you tell a judge 5 minutes and you proceeded with no traffic coming, you could win. If you say a minute, you most likely will lose. And keep in mind, the officer has cruise cam on his side to prove how long you waited generally.

I personally like the way we have them in Blue Ash (at probably 95% of our intersections.) We use the cameras mounted above that detect a change in image and trip the lights. Never any problems with them.