[mezalaja]

I am by no means an expert, but from what I understand the loop sensors that are installed at signal lights work by detecting a change in the magnetic field around them. This means that vehicles get stuck at lights for 2 reasons:

1. They or their engines are too small to be detected (usually motorcycles)

2. The magnetic field was reset after the vehicle was stopped on them. i.e. The vehicle stopped just when the light turned yellow. This can happen with any sized vehicle.

The solutions posted so far work because the all seem to change the magnetic field in one way or another thereby tripping the sensor.

Another possible solution (for both vehicles and motorcycles) is to slip your vehicle into neutral and rev your engine a little bit. By increasing the revs, you change the magnetic field and the sensors should "see" you. It seems to work around where I live. I'd be curious to see if it works for anyone else. Good luck!

J

[XRider]

hmm let me try the kickstand next time

[jetmerritt]

Wow, this thread just won't die!

[phroziac]

For my first time today, had a signal not turn green for me...or well, every signal i stopped at, actually...

Three things I noticed..kickstand down works wonders. Also, pulling up until the front tire is on the stop line works well. In my area, the sensors are right before the stop line....this puts your engine over it...the most massive metallic part of the bike.

Also, if you pull up that far, it makes cars behind you pull up closer.....and they'll trigger it sometimes...

[WickedKatweazle]

http://www.msgroup.org/TIP148.html

Check out that link, its got some great information about how to handle the dreaded stuck signal light scenario we've all faced a million times.

Link courtesy of kickitjp. 8)

The page cannot be found

The page you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable.

[Free Coffee]

Lately I've been looking over my shoulder a few times and bouncing.

[BareKat]

All great tips.

One other tip I've used is on the advance green left turn... the loop is usually 3 car lengths back from the intersection.

[jetta90]

Great information to know. Been stuck many times in the past but I will be armed with a few ideas moving forward.
Although an older thread it is still very relevant - thank you everyone for the tips.

[6Kat]

Considering ive had to run a few lights, this is a good post.

[BlackKat Joe]

Look left, look right, look in front, look behind, and then BLOW that sucka!!!

[ColorfulDan]

thanks

[ygolohcysp]

I think I've posted in this thread before, but I'm too lazy to go back and check all the pages. I've done some research on this subject before, and when I did, I found a very technical write-up of how these sensors work.

It does essentially create it's own magnetic field, and then just senses a change in that field. Now, with the way that electromagnetic fields work, and capacitance works, it does NOT require steel. Just metal. Now, the Kat wheels are aluminum, and can work just fine, if you align your bike correctly.

A lot of people think that stopping with your front tire/wheel over the line of the sensor crossing the lane will do a good job. There may be a problem causing enough of a change that way though. The front wheel is only crossing that line at one small point.

If instead, you pull the bike up centered over one of the lines that runs WITH the lane, so your front wheel and rear wheel are lined up over it, along with the frame and motor higher off the pavement, then you have a MUCH greater chance at changing the magnetic field enough to be sensed. If you can stop like that with your front tire right at a corner, even better.

Occasionally, you'll find a light that just won't work. I've even found one or two that refuses to work even with a car. I think that's just the nature of anything that might break down. However, using the theory I've just described, I've almost never had any issues.

Good luck!

[silva799]

Good tip, I try to take the same route.
Thanks,

Silva 799

[bigredkatana]

Me and the wife faced this problem the other night while cruising through town. TO make it even worse after it gave the green light to the other 3 directions 3 times a 2nd bike pulled up next to me and it still didnt register us. Finally we both just took off when traffic was clear.

Luckily the only times ive ever ran into this stuff was at night but i have been in a car and seen it happen to bikes a 100 times while some cager gets his panties in a bunch behind him.

[Nero]

When I get stuck and a cager is coming from behind, I simply pull forward in anticipation the cager will trip the sensor. However, the ZX-14 has a bit more metal to it than many smaller bikes and incurs less wait time. Also, Virginia is too cheap to put sensors on lights; timing them instead.