How to turn the traffic signal green
Submitted by Brent Hugh on Fri, 05/25/2007 - 3:19am
If you bicycle much, you have noticed that some traffic signals will detect bicycles and automatically change. Others seem to be completely oblivious to the presence of bicyclists.
The article "How to turn the signals green" has some good advice for getting those pesky signals to turn for you:
The article "How to turn the signals green" has some good advice for getting those pesky signals to turn for you:
This article describes how cyclists can maximize their probability of being detected by various types of sensors. If these techniques do not work for you at a particular traffic signal, report the defective traffic signal to your local traffic engineering department. After all, cyclists also have the same legal rights as other drivers at traffic signals, and deserve signals that work for them. . . .
To maximize the likelihood that an inductive loop sensor will detect your bicycle, it is important to position your bike over the most sensitive portion of the loop. There are several common shapes of inductive loop sensors, each with a different "sweet spot" for bicycles as shown in Figure 1. The two most common shapes are the dipole loop (Figure 1(a)) and the quadrupole loop (Figure 1(b)). For either of these two loop patterns, position both wheels directly over the sawcut for the wire, choosing either side for the dipole loop and using the center sawcut for the quadrupole loop. (The center sawcut of the quadrupole has twice as many wires in it as the outer sawcuts and is a more sensitive location.) If the signal does not detect you, you may wish to try leaning the bike over toward the center of the dipole loop, or to either side for the quadrupole loop.
Tags:
« Previous story: Bike built from spare parts in 1969 keeps on chugging . . .
» Next story: Kansas City on "Perils for Pedestrians"
Join MoBikeFed's Advocacy Network
MoBikeFed is a statewide group of people like you, working together for better bicycling, walking, and trails in Missouri. When you join our advocacy network you receive occasional important advocacy alerts and bicycle, pedestrian, and trails news from around Missouri.
Working together we make a real difference! Join our advocacy network:
Working together we make a real difference! Join our advocacy network:
Related pages
Current topics...
Archives...
Want better bicycling and walking in Missouri?
We rely on the support of members like you. Please join, renew, or donate today.
- Home
- JOIN/DONATE
- News/Info
- Missouri Bicycling, Running, Trails
- Bicycle Skills and Safety
- Missouri Bike/Ped Law
- Clubs and Organizations
- Bike Shops
- Running Shops
- Bicycling, Running, Trails-related Businesses
- Ride, Run, Walk, Hike, Triathlon, and Events Calendars
- Bicycles on Amtrak
- Maps and Routes
- Trails and Trail Maps
- IBikeMO.org
- Planning a Missouri bicycle trip
- Gravel and Bikepacking Maps & Routes
- Bicycle & Touring Routes
- Advocacy
- Campaigns
- Our Legislative Platform
- Complete Streets
- Statewide Rock Island Trail
- Statewide Trail Vision - Quad State Trail
- Bicycle Friendly Missouri
- Walk Friendly Missouri
- Safe Routes to School
- MoDOT funding crisis
- High Priority Bike/Ped Project List
- Anti-harassment laws in cities & statewide
- Updating the basic bicycle law
- Our Vision for MoDOT
- Our Vision for MPOs/RPCs
- Our Vision for Cities & Counties
- Bicycle, pedestrian, trails plans across MO
- Protecting Vulnerable Road Users
- Vision Zero
- Missouri Trail Towns
- Store
- About