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Motorscooters and Stop Lights

Submitted by gshafer5571 on Fri, 06/27/2008 - 9:56am.

I have owned a motorscooter for 2 years now. It's been great with gas being so high and everything. However, I have ran into a problem around the Olympia/Tumwater area. There are several stop lights that I don't seem to trip. I come up to them and unless traffic is heavy enough for a car to end up behind me the light cycles right past me. Does anybody else have this issue. If so do you have any tips. It seems weird they don't have the lights more sensitive with so many bicycles on the roads around here.

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More Metal

Submitted by Ehver Green on Fri, 06/27/2008 - 10:25am.

Some help:

http://www.scootercommunity.com.au/forums/p/4978/25113.aspx

http://www.cyclecolor.com/id47.htm (an add-on for your scooter)

One trick

Submitted by Guglielmo on Fri, 06/27/2008 - 10:42am.

is to do a little "S" turn over the section of road with the sensor before you come to a stop. That might increase the chance of induction that triggers the light. So I've been told. I used to do that on my motorocycle. Give it a try at least.

Look for the sensor

Submitted by johnnycoke on Fri, 06/27/2008 - 11:58am.

In the center of the lane, there are usually cuts in the pavement for the sensor loops, in a roughly figure-8 pattern (It really looks like two long rectangles side by side. The key is to position your scooter (or in my case, bicycle) directly over the middle line. This is where the sensitivity is highest. If you roll up, directly on the middle line, and stop on top of it, you should be able to trip the sensor. I've gotten pretty good at it on my bicycle.

That being said, there are some lights that are on a timer, that you won't trip, but those should let you have your turn.

-Johnny

Run the red...

Submitted by Norm on Fri, 06/27/2008 - 12:43pm.

but only after a full cycle. On my bike (350lbs plus my weight) there are some lights, particularly in W. Oly, that I cannot trip. When I brought this to the attention of a police officer he very politely said, "Give it a full cycle, if you don't get a green, wait until traffic is clear and run the red." I asked, "Isn't that illegal?" to which he replied, "Eh, nobody is going to write you for that." So that is what I do. It normally isn't a problem for me unless traffic is really light, and/or it's late at night.

That's true

Submitted by Guglielmo on Fri, 06/27/2008 - 12:49pm.

The law is hip to the light cycle thing.

Well, at least one cop is hip

Submitted by Laurian on Fri, 06/27/2008 - 3:06pm.

and I bet it might be one of our regular contributors. Rhymes with Save Me.

As to The Law being hip, I have my doubts...

But remember,

Submitted by JT on Fri, 06/27/2008 - 2:08pm.

if you chose to bust the red light after waiting a cycle, and you have a collision, you likely will be found at fault by your/other insurance company, and may receive a ticket as well.

"A dog is not 'almost human', and I know of no greater insult to the canine race than to describe it as such." - John Holmes

itchyhitch.blogspot.com

Oops,

Submitted by JT on Fri, 06/27/2008 - 2:08pm.

double post

"A dog is not 'almost human', and I know of no greater insult to the canine race than to describe it as such." - John Holmes

itchyhitch.blogspot.com

Last session some folks

Submitted by Just another voice on Fri, 06/27/2008 - 3:23pm.

Last session some folks tried to introduce a bill that would make it legal for motorbikes to run red lights when they failed to trip the sensor or something like that. It died.

More info here: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2919&year=2007 or http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6643&year=2007

But I am Just Another Voice

Really,

Submitted by JT on Fri, 06/27/2008 - 3:31pm.

the correct fix is to have the traffic engineers for the jurisdiction that has the bad intersection fix it. The sensitivity can be reset, and if it still is a problem they can put a "V" at the "hotspot" so both bicycles and motorcycles can make the thing trip, by running your front wheel into the "V".

For Olympia, Lee Keech is your contact at lkeech@ci.olympia.wa.us

"A dog is not 'almost human', and I know of no greater insult to the canine race than to describe it as such." - John Holmes

itchyhitch.blogspot.com

Or...

Submitted by Guglielmo on Fri, 06/27/2008 - 3:39pm.

watch this.

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