So, this being my first season on a street bike, I’ve learned pretty fast that it’s a whole different world out on public streets.
Aside from all the other shitty drivers, shitty road conditions, etc etc, I’ve noticed one other really annoying factor: At night, when no other larger vehicles are around, many traffic lights refuse to change!
I’m sure this is old news to all you veteran riders out there… But what are you supposed to do? Sometimes i put the bike in neutral and stand up, flail my arms, honk the horn, flash the brights, and other random crap like that… Since I’m trying to abide by traffic laws and NOT run a redlight, I usually end up just making a right on red, then choose an alternate route… which is obviously frustrating…
Well i’m working on that, i just ate a bacon sandwich… which was GREAT…
But that’s all it is? just the weight sensors?
a 400 pound bike and 175 pound me isn’t enough for those things?
:lol: Please tell me you actually honk the horn and flail your arms.
Anyhow, yeah. Such is life on a motorcycle. If there are any that you frequently go through, do yourself a favor and get a complaint about said lights on file with the town. That way when you get ticketed for running them you can say “Well I filed a complaint on July 14, 2008. Apparently you haven’t fixed your malfunctioning equipment.”
I don’t ride a bike, but I have this problem in my cars sometimes too.
There is one intersection in particular that comes to mind (Eggert rd and Winspear) where they changed the lights from the hanging ones to fixed post. If you stop where you can see the light, you’re not over the sensor so the light never changes. If you pull up farther, you can’t see the light because the roof line of your car is in the way. I have sunroofs so its not a problem, but my GF’s car doesn’t and its a PITA. I usually just run the light.
I do not know of any over-road red light vehicle sensing arrays in WNY.
The way the red light knows you’re there is by an inductance loop in the pavement. (Works the same way as a metal detector) Your bike does not have enough inductive mass to trip the sensor.
Waving your arms is the stupidest thing i have EVER heard.
putting your kickstand down on or near a sensing strip is your best bet.
so I finally gave into what I read online about stop lights and what not and I could not find anything online telling me what the law is in Illinois with regards to running a red light after so much time has passed so I went over to my local American Science and Surplus store and bought me one of these 35lbs of pull magnets for 10 bucks on sale. http://www.sciplus.com/singleItem.cfm/terms/11292 < Wonder Magnet
The first one I had sadly died because the lady at the store told me it was so strong heat wouldn’t kill it, but when I learned I had an aluminum oil pan after the thing fell down and stuck to my exhaust(right where it goes from 4-2) and I couldn’t get it off I figured it would be ok cause heat won’t kill it. But boy was I wrong and after a ton of red lights I’m thinking whoever said magnets help redlights see motorcycles was wrong. So I went to take it off my bike and it came right off with no resistance at all. Yup my hot exhaust had completely killed the magnet in less than a week. I went back to the store that sold it to me, and the lady that told me heat wouldn’t kill it ended up being the store manager and was very happy to exchange it for me on the spot. After looking for a better place to put it, I learned that the F3 has a steel swing arm so now I have the magnet nicely hidden on the inside of the fork of the swing arm under the tire hugger in front of the rear wheel.
All I can say is wow, this thing works great! Red left turn arrows no longer stay red! At night, stop lights don’t stay red! Its an amazing feeling to ride at night and not get stuck at every red light! The one thing though that I read somewhere thats true is these magnets don’t always help the light see your bike if you just park on top of the sensor. Some lights you might have to bounce your front end a little, or I roll a few inches back and forth and that always seems to work great for me.
This little 10 dollar magnet was a great investment!!! just incase anyone is curious
I love the people that don’t pull up to the line so they can “see better” all they see is the red light not turning green 'cause they are such fucking idiots, (along with me in the rearview with one hand pushing the horn, the other giving them the middle finger).
