Trigger GREEN Traffic Lights

if you or someone you know, owns a motorcycle, a scooter or even a small car, you've probably noticed that it's easy to get stuck at traffic lights. Well, I'm going to explain why it happens and show you a great little trick that will save time, gas and frustration by getting you a green light every time.

Step 1: The Problem...

At most traffic lights and turn signals, you will notice a loop of wire buried in the pavement of the road near the stop line. This is called an Inductive-loop traffic detector that operates by sensing a change in frequency to the electromagnetic field over the coil of wire. In other words, when a car pulls up, it senses the vehicle and the light changes. Most motorcycles, scooters, bicycles and small cars don't have enough conductive material to trigger these loops and change the traffic light.

Comments

[cathys]

First thing...if you have a scooter you should ride on the side of the road with bicycles instead of putt putting along where people in cars, trucks and motorcycles travel. Second thing...if you took a motorcycle course or did some research you would find out that the lines underground can sense metal. So, if you are on a little scooter or even a motorcycle there is not enough metal for it it sense that's why you will see a motorcycle at a line moving their bike back and forth over the line and Third thing....really? really? You can't wait one minute for a light? dah

[snuzzle]

First, yes a bicycle or slow scooter should be on the side of the road... unless there is a right-turn lane, in which case he or she should be in the through lane so as not to get right-hooked by a car making a right turn :) I'm not going to get right-hooked. If I'm going straight, I'm in the through lane. If I'm turning left, I'm biking to the left. You know? Common sense here.

Thirdly, it's not a matter of waiting... some lights do not change at all unless they detect a vehicle. The magnets allow them to detect that a bike or small scooter is there so they know they need to change.

[Furball_Fidelis]

Yes..scooters are entitled to ride on the road just like any other road legal motorized vehicle...and most of them are able to keep up with traffic however scooters are not meant for highways where the speed limit is 65Mph or 100Kmph (not 100% on the conversion) and yes...I own a motorcycle and it's only a small one a 250 Suzuki..and at most intersections i'm able to trigger the light...but there's very rare times when I have to move my bike around to trigger them

[cowen]

One of my customers has a 80 model Harley and had the magnet idea professionally installed some years ago because of the loops not picking up very well. The loops are burried in cement so the only way to FIX them is to dig up the payvement. The only way to check them for PROPER operation is to trigger them. If the cement shifts in the heat and cold that can break the loop and thus you need something to help trigger them. The Loop starts most lights counters that change them to green it is not a Green light EMS device that makes your side change and everyone else RED. I work on LOOPS at the drive thru and sometimes we have to cut them out and replace them or fix the junctions that connect to the inside equipment.

[anjin12]

Cathys --- First things first. Scooters ARE entitled to be on the road, they are a "motorized" vehicle, and, as such, shall NOT travel in the bicycle lane if marked. Second, most states and provinces require that "bicycles" travel "As far to the right as practicable", not as far as possible and recommend that a path 1 metre or 3 feet be maintained from the edge of the road. .... Now ... for the rest of your comment ... Most bicycles have enough ferrous material in the crank set (pedals) to activate the sensors embedded in the road. The bicycle must be on the outside edge of the circle to "change" the current to activate the lights. For more information see ... http://www.humantransport.org/bicycledriving/library/signals/detection.htm ... Thanks and have a good day

[cathys]

putt putt

[snuzzle]

Waiting at a red light with your bike laying on the pavement isn't really safe, so it's not really feasible. As soon as you move off the conductor (ie, stand your bike up) the light assumes you've moved on and that it doesn't have to change.

I haven't tried the magnets yet, but I'm going to. You can also try aligning your wheel and frame with the outline of the detector. This allows for the most metal in direct line with the conductor and should (usually) get you a light change.

[dscotthep]

Any metal will disturb the field of an inductor (metal detectors are nothing more than inductors-on-a-stick!) A powerful magnet just gives you more bang for your buck.

[pcooper2]

As an ultimate test, I took a powerful rare-earth magnet salvaged from an old hard disk drive and taped it to the end of a 10-ft long PVC pipe, then waved it over the sensing loop at a quiet intersection where cars only passed every few minutes. The light only changed when cars arrived at the intersection, but never did while I was just waving the magnet. Conclusion: It doesn't work. Don't waste your time or money.

[Ludwig Von Mech]

I had a rather large and powerful magnet, and I attached it to my bottom bracket. I thought it was working, but after about 4 months of testing, I conclude that magnets do not work. Wait for a break in the traffic and just go.

[Ludwig Von Mech]

In Wisconsin this is no longer a problem, as in 2010 we got a new law that allows bikes to wait and proceed through the red if traffic allows. I used to report all the lights that did not work, but now I don't bother. I just ride through.

[pcooper2]

I've been treating signals with unresponsive road sensors as four-way stops for decades, even without the benefit of such a law. If I hadn't, I'd have died of thirst and starvation while waiting for the light to change ages ago!

[2 stroke]

awesome i let a car get in front of me lol

[NatureGeek24]

We have that here, too. But sadly, it doesn't apply much for heavy traffic when you have a line of cars behind you getting madder with each missed cycle and no opening to go. This is a helpful fix.

[Ludwig Von Mech]

You have a very good point.

Another way to fix this situation is to become proactive; the inductive coils in the road will not trigger if they are out of adjustment. I have reported these for years and years, and I have also seen them become so bad that a pickup truck will not work. The state supervisor is on my email list, and he will send out a crew if someone complains. They do not have time or manpower to continually inspect each light.
I will try this magnetic solution at a place that I know does not work.

Also, if you are on a bicycle or moped, do not hug the curb. You will get old waiting for the change. Ride over the lines slowly, and position yourself directly on top of the transverse wire. If it is still working, you will trip it.

Happy riding.

[dylanl]

Cool

[boom1234]

find the I !!!! TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

[crazyg]

cool, so i guess revving the nuts of your motor at the lights does the magneticy thing thus changing light,

[cyber_meat]

you can also do it a different way using a universal remote.

[Spense09]

yeah. but I bet thats illegal what your saying. would you have to hack the traffic light for a remote for it to work with a control

[cyber_meat]

first of all no it's not illegal, second the cops can't arrest you for having a universal remote on your dashboard, and third their is no law against doing it. no there is no traffic light hacking needed for it to work; you just need the sensor code. i am not saying the code because it is so obvious if you can't figure it out then oh well i don't really care.

[brhoney]

which button on the Uni remote do you use to change the light?

[brhoney]

911 maybe?

[mikerosati]

Everything you said proves you do not know what you're talking about.. Here are the actual facts, from someone who works on those systems: 1. It is illegal for non-emergency vehicles to trigger (and attempt to trigger) the emergency pass system. If you think a universal remote magically has the "codes" you speak of, everyone would be trying it. (see next note) 2. The "code" you speak of is a simple 14hz flash from a high-powered infrared strobe mounted on the dash or exterior of an emergency vehicle. Universal remotes use a morse-code like flash pattern, which these signals ignore. 3. Bringing back to point one, yes, you can be arrested if an officer sees you just trying to trigger that sensor. You obviously don't know that the basic circuit being sold to most localities also records data about each trigger, including the time it occurred - fairly easy to prove you were the one who tried to trigger it, when they can figure out when you went through the intersection. 4. While ignorance may be bliss, you arrogance doesn't help anyone, including yourself. Please read up before you try to push someone down with complete misinformation.. Next time learn from an actual source, and contribute to the conversation - People will give you respect when you give it.. Thank you.

[acassis1]

Thank You Mike Rosati, it's about time people start telling things as they really are, you'd be surprised who pushes to wrong excesses, check on Facebook PM's fall from grace... it's too bad that such a useful info-mag. slips in so lightly, dangerous lies & wrong infos. But thanks for putting things to wright.

[chrwei]

most tv/dvd/stereo remote IR operates at 38Khz anyway. maybe programming it to turn off an on at 14Hz would work, but it's still illegal.

[cjrush1009]

No Cyber, it is COMPLETELY illegal to have a remote device the changes lights. We had a guy here who was doing it but what the guy didnt know is that every time the lights get tripped by an IR signal they log the event and the DOT audits the reports. So the DOT noticed that around 8am a whole line of lights start getting tripped everyday during the week. They checked the cameras at the intersection and noticed the same red truck going through. They got the license plate number and put cops at the intersection. When they guy came through and tripped the lights they pulled the guy over: they found his hacked remote and busted him; he's in jail. Dont think for a minute that you would get away with something like that because you wont. They have already considered the possibility and they have a system to catch people who do that.

[pcooper2]

References, please. Without any references, what you write is an interesting anecdote or urban legend, nothing more.

[clintsmithgsm]

what makes you think your special. those devices are so i can get to your dying grandma not to get to class or the nearest burger joint........your so cool! i hope you get caught you don't care about the rules of the road? driving is a priviledge you don't deserve hopefully you don't get caught bye creaming someone or me

[RainyDayInterns]

It's "you're so cool...", not "your so cool." Thought we would mention it as you seem to care about proper spelling, so we assumed you cared about proper grammar as well.

[cornonthecobert]

So? I'm like that too but typos happen. You've probably done it many times yourself.

[cyber_meat]

dumass look at the post date

[kinetic_elite]

Where's the "b" eef?

[clintsmithgsm]

first of all learn to spell and that doesn't change anything

[janettetsmith]

You probably want to make sure you spell everything correctly before blazing the all-knowing grammar-spelling-comment.  Case in point: ... get caught bye creaming someone or me (needs punctuation at the end of the sentence, as well).

[kinetic_elite]

Thank-you

[kinetic_elite]

This is proof that all those English majors should have just become armchair engineers, instead. So they can spend all their time flaming comment boxes instead of collaborating together to make these ideas into valid inventions. Just save me the highschool drama performence of "I feel so bad for myself" . Oh no! Now I have now potentially set myself up to get banned. It would be worth it just to change my name and IP address and come back to criticize all of your posts!

[Dubi01]

If you live in the United States and try to use any kind of triggering device, it is and always has been illegal. I work for the local dept. of transportation installing and repairing signalized traffic systems and all these home gizmos don't work.

[kinetic_elite]

Thank you for the information! Much appreciated to hear this from someone who knows what they are talking about!

[thenameisbam]

Well i know in california it is illegal, and can carry heavy fines if you do it and are caught, even more so if you do it and there is an accident.