green light trigger

[mario]

i found some older posts about the 'green light triggers' and was wondering if more of youse guys have installed them since then and what your opinions are.

thanks.

[GJS]

Hi Mario,

I bought my Interstate in 2004 and that was one of the first additions I made on a long road trip (16k).
It seemed to work as soon as I installed it and, until now, I forgot about it. I see it now and then when I am under the bike for some other reason. So I guess it has been working well as I NEVER have a problem with lights not knowing I'm there. Before I installed it that happened with some regularity.

So I think it is a cheap addition that reduces frustration at lights. Remember to mount it as low as possible in the center on the bike for maximum affect. (at least that is the advice I was given)

Cheers,

Glenn

[John Schmidt]

If I hit a light that appears to not respond to the bike, I just put the sidestand down on the seam in the road where the sensors run. Usually works.

[BF]

Snake oil.  About as effective as deer whistles IMHO. 

There's a traffic light close to home that's on the way to work for the wife.  The wife's Civic coupe won't even trigger it.  If she goes that way (which is not usually), she'll have to wait untill someone pulls up beside her or behind her before the light will change. 

[sandy]

I recall in an old post that they work on the old style sensors which are magnetic. The newer traffic lights work on a new technology which magnets have no effect on.

[PhredValk]

I've never met a light that the bike couldn't sweet talk. I think they changed them all years ago in The Great White North. Also, I think the Valk puts more steel closer to the road than most cars and trucks these days.
Fred.

[Toledo Mark]

I stop, wait an amount of time and if the light doesn't change I look all directions and roll through it slowly.  It works every time nd never had a ticket. 

[Ricky-D]

Most states know there's a problem and are addressing it in their legislatures.

Cops would have to be very mean to ignore the problem and give a rider a hard time and much worse, a ticket.

Some states have already passed laws making it Ok to go on a red light.

***

[Gryphon Rider]

Be sure to stop directly over one of the saw cut running the same direction as your bike to have the best chance of triggering the signal.  When this doesn't work, I either roll forward and wave the car behind me up onto the loop, or if there is no traffic near, I just go.

[dreamaker]

Would this be useful for the green light.

http://www.i-hacked.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=176

[Daniel Meyer]

Most newer lights or lights that have needed significant service/repairs don't even use the in-road sensors anymore. They use an image recognition system using a small camera usually mounted on the pole above the stoplight (not a red-light ticket camera, that's a different animal).

Easy, cheap, and quick to install...they are easily programmed to recognize the lanes (can tell the difference between the main and turn lane) and can tell when something changes (vehicle arrives).

http://www.modot.org/stlouis/links/signalcameras.htm

[gordonv]

Is that what those little cameras are for? I've been wondering about that, but I don't see enough of them in my drving, and compare to the ground to see if they have strip sensors also/or instead of.

I have one light, wouldn't always work with my Shadow 1100, but would with my Valk IS everytime. I even went so far as contacting the city and reporting it. It also only seemed to be a problem after 6:30am, not before. Quite a few times I would just look and proceed when safe.

[garyheskett All 49 x 3 st.louis]

Some intersectons have the magnetic sensors, some have the "camera" system, and some just work on a "time cycle".  And as we all know, some don't work at all, no matter what system they have.