Have you been fined for running a red light on your bike?

[Johnsco]

I always thought traffic lights cycled endlessly through their pattern, but on empty roads at night I've found some that never change unless a car is waiting. Bikes don't seem to be "noticed", so I run those lights (cautiously)

Some do and some don't cycle through their pattern.
Many city centres have co-ordinated (intelligent ??) traffic lights across areas of the city to regulate traffic flows.
These have a built-in program, which can be varied at certain times of the day.
Late at night, they can be switched fully or partially to sensor operation.
Clever stuff !!

 

[mjr]

Late at night, they can be switched fully or partially to sensor operation.
Clever stuff !!

Not so clever, because the sensors disregard slight detections such as carbon bikes, even if nothing else is detected, so never change for them!

 

[Bazzer]

Not so clever, because the sensors disregard slight detections such as carbon bikes, even if nothing else is detected, so never change for them!

Nor IME aluminium bikes. I know of at least three sets on public roads where outside the hours of (roughly) 8am - 6pm, a cyclist either has to wait for a car, or cross with even more care.
And we have a set at the work underground car park, where a length of metal pole has been left close to the embedded sensor, for cyclists to drag with a foot to trigger the release gate, in the event of someone not being at the security desk to let you out.

 

[figbat]

Put a rare earth magnet on your bottom bracket - this'll trigger the inductive sensors and clear all the nails from the road.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Put a rare earth magnet on your bottom bracket - this'll trigger the inductive sensors and clear all the nails from the road.

but if these 'earth magnets' are so rare - might they be rather expensive????😜


sorry

 

[mjr]

Nor IME aluminium bikes. I know of at least three sets on public roads where outside the hours of (roughly) 8am - 6pm, a cyclist either has to wait for a car, or cross with even more care.
And we have a set at the work underground car park, where a length of metal pole has been left close to the embedded sensor, for cyclists to drag with a foot to trigger the release gate, in the event of someone not being at the security desk to let you out.

Why hasn't work set the sensor sensitivity to actually detect the vehicles that use the gate? Kicking lengths of metal pole around seems like a safety problem waiting to arise.

But what really annoys is that traffic light sensors still have some sort of threshold setting where above means "vehicle" and below means "nobody" whereas now most are computerised and the systems could react to a third "maybe" level by giving it a green light if the other sensors all return "nobody" or an even weaker "maybe" but no-one can be bothered to spend the programming time on it because unofficially cyclists are scum who just jump red lights anyway, thereby perpetuating the circle of disrespect where cyclists hate sensor-activated signals and the signal engineers seem to hate cyclists.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

There is one near Moore that operates on a sensor - seems to detect me quite easily as long as I don't hug the kerb
Temporary ones at roadworks also seem to have been improved in recent years - there are quite a few around here and they all seem to detect me OK
Of course - I am rather larger than some people - and being an ebike it may make it easier to detect???

Now we just need the temporary to stay red at the far end until I get there - which would be nice!!

 

[Bazzer]

Why hasn't work set the sensor sensitivity to actually detect the vehicles that use the gate? Kicking lengths of metal pole around seems like a safety problem waiting to arise.

You have misinterpreted my comments.
The sensor does trigger for vehicles, in the same way as traffic lights on the road do. But cycles no. Hence the pole. Drag it with your left foot to the edge of the sensor then roll it back to the kerb with your foot while waiting for the gate to open.

 

[roley poley]

often you can see where the sensor wires are inserted in the road as the cut has been filled by liquid tar ..ride along these to increase your detection chances rather than across them at right-angles

 

[Milkfloat]

Most Sunday's I will RLJ - the sensor does not work for bicycles and you get stuck on red. If I ever get stopped I will see if
rule 176 from the highway code helps me. As by my definition the traffic lights are not working.

"You MUST NOT move forward over the white line when the red light is showing. Only go forward when the traffic lights are green if there is room for you to clear the junction safely or you are taking up a position to turn right. If the traffic lights are not working, treat the situation as you would an unmarked junction and proceed with great care.
Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10 & 36 "

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Most Sunday's I will RLJ - the sensor does not work for bicycles and you get stuck on red. If I ever get stopped I will see if
rule 176 from the highway code helps me. As by my definition the traffic lights are not working.

"You MUST NOT move forward over the white line when the red light is showing. Only go forward when the traffic lights are green if there is room for you to clear the junction safely or you are taking up a position to turn right. If the traffic lights are not working, treat the situation as you would an unmarked junction and proceed with great care.
Laws RTA 1988 sect 36 & TSRGD regs 10 & 36 "

Exactly and if the lights aren’t detecting you and changing after a reasonable period then they are defective and you may proceed as above.

 

[mjr]

The sensor does trigger for vehicles, in the same way as traffic lights on the road do. But cycles no.

Cycles are vehicles too!

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

sensors do vary lot - I'm not sure if it is adjustable or just based on the technology they use and how it is installed

I used to know one in a car park that would raise the barrier if I rolled the pushchair over the detector
other I have seen won't trigger with me on an ebike

 

[simongt]

I dont ride through red lights its not rocket science

It's very common to see all shades of cyclist running red lights in this neck of the woods. Being a boring type, mainly to try and avoid cyclist 'bad press', ( but why do I bother though - ? ), I'll run a red light when there's no-one else about.

 

[mjr]

sensors do vary lot - I'm not sure if it is adjustable or just based on the technology they use and how it is installed

Adjustable, up to a point. If you report faulty sensors, they sometimes get changed to make them detect bikes. Sometimes, they cannot be adjusted far enough, or so they say.