Bike too light to activate traffic lights!!!

[shunoski]

Just want to share this amusing experience, but it's not funny when you were me at that point of time.

 

It was midnight and I was out riding to familiarise with my bike, an automatic cub kia, Suzuki Hayate. I reached a T-junction and stopped behind the Stop line and in middle of the lane.

 

I saw the lights opposite turned amber and green arrow soon blinks and I know I would be on my way soon.

 

To my horror, the lights opposite turn green again and this goes on for about 10 minutes as I sit there blur blur.

 

After 3-4 cycles, I realised something was wrong and looked down. I was on top of the sensor location, and probably my light 105kg bike with a petite and slim me are not heavy enough for the sensor to sense anything worthwhile to stop traffic!

 

Bo bian, I put down my side stand in middle of the road, (it was midnight, and in a neighbourhood road, no cars on my side of road), went to press traffic light button for pedestrian and sure enough, I got the green light to move on!

 

BTW, those who wondered why I never beat the lights, the road for oncoming traffic do have cars and my view was blocked by LRT tracks. Sengkang West Avenue.... hehe.

 

Damn......

 

Anyone with similar experience?

Edited August 17, 2009 by shunoski

[xXxRatedxXx]

Oh there the traffic light siao siao one....

[barefoot]

i think it doesnt sense by the weight, some sort of metal detector is underlying there. i always bring down my mainstand while supporting the bike on my left leg. works all the time in that way

[shunoski]

i think it doesnt sense by the weight, some sort of metal detector is underlying there. i always bring down my mainstand while supporting the bike on my left leg. works all the time in that way

 

Alamak, like that I also have problem. My leg too short to reach for the main stand, too far back. Side stand will cut off my engine, safety feature...

[fleas]

i heard magentic strips/bolt underneath ur bike can activate the traffic lights similar as the weight function

[shunoski]

Oh yeah, my friend just told me about the traffic light triggers, a specialised magnet strapped to undercarriage to enable better detection of my mostly plastic bike. But I think I'll source local hardware store for perm magnet, because that's essentially what it is!

Edited August 17, 2009 by shunoski

[fleas]

good luck :>

 

i wonder how much weight is needed to trigger the lights?

 

so far my bike seems to able to trigger lights(T-Junction)

[shunoski]

good luck :>

 

i wonder how much weight is needed to trigger the lights?

 

so far my bike seems to able to trigger lights(T-Junction)

 

After some research, it's by magnetic disturbance by the vehicle metal and the sensor. I think your bike very metally, mine is mostly plastic with a puny 125 engine.

 

I wonder if wearing steel toes safety shoes helps..

[kraikk]

I wrote to TODAY newspaper last year about this and it was published some time in June but no one replied. This has happened to me many times on my bicycle. If you are on a bicycle you can lay it down on its side. That will usually trigger the magnetic system. I think the system is called GLIDE; it is a smart system to minimise waiting time at traffic junctions, but obviously it is not smart enough.

[shunoski]

If the car behind you horn while you laid down your bike, you simply just walk away. Watch for his reaction. lol!

[scubasimon]

hehehe...i was worried my bike was too light as well...but so far no problem. maybe its magnetic as someone pointed out...in that case even better cos i have a skid-plate underneath...so far so good. maybe just go install a skid plate?

[shunoski]

Oh.. what's a skid plate? I've ordered a traffic light trigger for bike. Simply paste underneath and secure.

[biting_point]

it's a magnetic sensor instead of weight..

 

not only small vehicles like bike kena.. i was in a 5 tonner this afternoon, where it stuck at a traffic for almost 5 whole minutes..!! i guess the carriage of the tonner was too high for the sensor to detect..

 

i had a tracffic light like that just outside my place.. normally, i'll just put to stand stand and go press the button during wee hours..

 

there's a product out there that claims to solve this problem.. something like a big magnet for you to paste under your bike's chasis..

[minghao23]

same here same here.. at taman jurong there i also tio before. i waited for 15 mins. till one cab came beside me, then less than 5mins the traffic light changed.. Zzz...

[shunoski]

there's a product out there that claims to solve this problem.. something like a big magnet for you to paste under your bike's chasis..

 

Oh yeah, I got it from ebay, awaiting shipment and then wait for wee hours to test it out.

 

Heh heh! Glad to know I'm not alone with this, thought I was a kuku.

 

I think I stirred a "Seem So Stupid, yet I need to know" question.

[dragonforce]

if at night with very low traffic, maybe just go the side of the road and press the pedestrian crossing button.. if dun have then suay lor..

[scubasimon]

Oh.. what's a skid plate? I've ordered a traffic light trigger for bike. Simply paste underneath and secure.

 

a skid plate protects the engine when you go off road.

 

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/394/201/Motorcycle-Article/Works-Connection-Skid-Plate-Review.aspx

[joajas]

Find a few spoilt hard disk, take them apart and take out the magnets. Stick those magnets to the underside of your bike, cable tie them if you are scared they will drop off. But so far none of my magnets have dropped off yet (2 yrs already).

 

So far have no problems with traffic lights at all.

[fleas]

wow thats pretty smart :>

[scubasimon]

didn't even know there were magnets inside HDD units...wow!

[Burnt]

if at night with very low traffic, maybe just go the side of the road and press the pedestrian crossing button.. if dun have then suay lor..

 

this wad i do as well ..

[Sya]

Just want to share this amusing experience, but it's not funny when you were me at that point of time.

 

It was midnight and I was out riding to familiarise with my bike, an automatic cub kia, Suzuki Hayate. I reached a T-junction and stopped behind the Stop line and in middle of the lane.

 

I saw the lights opposite turned amber and green arrow soon blinks and I know I would be on my way soon.

 

To my horror, the lights opposite turn green again and this goes on for about 10 minutes as I sit there blur blur.

 

After 3-4 cycles, I realised something was wrong and looked down. I was on top of the sensor location, and probably my light 105kg bike with a petite and slim me are not heavy enough for the sensor to sense anything worthwhile to stop traffic!

 

Bo bian, I put down my side stand in middle of the road, (it was midnight, and in a neighbourhood road, no cars on my side of road), went to press traffic light button for pedestrian and sure enough, I got the green light to move on!

 

BTW, those who wondered why I never beat the lights, the road for oncoming traffic do have cars and my view was blocked by LRT tracks. Sengkang West Avenue.... hehe.

 

Damn......

 

Anyone with similar experience?

 

 

I had somewhat the similar experience but I am not sure if it is because of bike weight that the traffic light didnt turn green in my case.

 

This was what happened in detail.

I stayed back in school late one day and left school at about 9.30pm i guessed. Was from woodlands and wanted to head home to Bishan. Went up SLE and I exited at Lentor Avenue Exit 3.(decided to go by there because I wanna grab a bite at AMK).

 

Then the first traffic light after the exit. Red light so i Stopped. I was the only one waiting at the traffic light at first. Then came an AH pek with his Honda Wave beside me, later a Toyota Wish joined on the lane beside me followed by a taxi behind me and followed by a Suzuki B-king.(not burger king uh. haha) I waited for like 10-15 mins waiting for the red light to turn green. I check my temperature meter and it is almost 3 quarter and my balls were already burning sia... managed to talk to that Ah pek saying " whoa so long sia uncle".My hand was already tired of holding the clutch so I put to neutral.

Then the toyota Wish inched out and eventually beat the red light.The B-King followed. The taxi behind me horn to tell me to beat the light.Ah pek beat the red light before me already. Inched out and beat the red light. THE first ever red light I beat since passing my 2B 3 months ago.I had no choice.

 

 

What confuse me is that, How come the traffic light didnt turn green even after 5 mins.The Suzuki B-King and the Toyota wish is heavy enough to activate the sensor? The sensor will definitely be in another lane not just the lane me and that ah pek wave only right? So in this case If my bike and your bike is too light to activate the sensor, does that mean it wont activate the RED LIGHT CAMERA sensors?

 

Interesting ay?

[joajas]

didn't even know there were magnets inside HDD units...wow!

 

Yes there are magnets inside, and they are not the usual ones you buy outside. They are very powerful. Try to get a pair, stick them together and see how much strength you need to pull them apart.

[steel_headz]

I had somewhat the similar experience but I am not sure if it is because of bike weight that the traffic light didnt turn green in my case.

 

This was what happened in detail.

I stayed back in school late one day and left school at about 9.30pm i guessed. Was from woodlands and wanted to head home to Bishan. Went up SLE and I exited at Lentor Avenue Exit 3.(decided to go by there because I wanna grab a bite at AMK).

 

Then the first traffic light after the exit. Red light so i Stopped. I was the only one waiting at the traffic light at first. Then came an AH pek with his Honda Wave beside me, later a Toyota Wish joined on the lane beside me followed by a taxi behind me and followed by a Suzuki B-king.(not burger king uh. haha) I waited for like 10-15 mins waiting for the red light to turn green. I check my temperature meter and it is almost 3 quarter and my balls were already burning sia... managed to talk to that Ah pek saying " whoa so long sia uncle".My hand was already tired of holding the clutch so I put to neutral.

Then the toyota Wish inched out and eventually beat the red light.The B-King followed. The taxi behind me horn to tell me to beat the light.Ah pek beat the red light before me already. Inched out and beat the red light. THE first ever red light I beat since passing my 2B 3 months ago.I had no choice.

 

 

What confuse me is that, How come the traffic light didnt turn green even after 5 mins.The Suzuki B-King and the Toyota wish is heavy enough to activate the sensor? The sensor will definitely be in another lane not just the lane me and that ah pek wave only right? So in this case If my bike and your bike is too light to activate the sensor, does that mean it wont activate the RED LIGHT CAMERA sensors?

 

Interesting ay?

 

Then tat one sumting wrong wif the traffic light oredi.....

[DeusExMachina]

it's a magnetic sensor instead of weight..

 

not only small vehicles like bike kena.. i was in a 5 tonner this afternoon, where it stuck at a traffic for almost 5 whole minutes..!! i guess the carriage of the tonner was too high for the sensor to detect..

 

i had a tracffic light like that just outside my place.. normally, i'll just put to stand stand and go press the button during wee hours..

 

there's a product out there that claims to solve this problem.. something like a big magnet for you to paste under your bike's chasis..

 

 

 

To be specific, it's actually called a loop sensor. U see those square outlines in the road. The outlines are actually sealants covering a groove that they cut in the road. They squeezed a twisted pair of wires in that groove that runs around and leads back to a metal detector in the traffic light control box.

 

You don't have to be in the middle of the box, or on the outlines. Best place to be is near the outlines and with your side stand down.... or any ferrous metal part (iron, steel based). Aluminium and the such are non-ferrous and will not disrupt the magnetic field enough to trigger the sensor.

 

 

Bikes with fairings may have difficulties being detected.

 

You'll be surprised that sometimes those Army 5-tonners also have trouble being detected as they're high off the ground (if the driver don't position the rims near the loop)