Motorcycles get to go at red lights

[ThirdgenTa]

Sometimes the loop detectors at red lights do not detect motorcycles, therefore they wont change. I cant tell you how many times I have sat at a light for like 5 minutes and then made a right and turned around to go left.
Motorcyclists get to go at some red lights - chicagotribune.com

Gov. Pat Quinn today signed legislation that gives motorcyclists a bit of relief from the confounding problem of red lights that seem to go on forever.

The new law allows motorcyclists to proceed straight through a red light after a reasonable time of not less than 2 minutes has passed without a change in the light.

The roadway also must be clear.

Sometimes automatic lights don’t detect a motorcycle and stay red.

The law takes effect immediately

Click to read more...

 

[Flyn]

Should be interesting.

 

[Chester Copperpot]

I remember reading about this a while ago. Makes sense, honestly.

 

[Ear Rak]

Will be abused. Will expect motorcycles to blow redlights and posts complaining about how cop ticketed them.

 

[Bubbles]

Just don't wheelie tho.... You will get ticketed and if you get 3 you go to jail!

 

[rocket5979]

Will be abused. Will expect motorcycles to blow redlights and posts complaining about how cop ticketed them.

I agree. A guy I know told me about this a few months ago. Though it sounds like a good idea in theory, in practice it will be abused. It will probably get abused so much so that there will be a few more accidents caused by this because some newby biker doesn't really look before blowing the light. A "reasonable time" is just entirely too ambiguous and leaves too much to interpretation.

 

[Euro]

Will be abused. Will expect motorcycles to blow redlights and posts complaining about how cop ticketed them.

Yup. In4morecarvsbikeaccidents too

Stupid. I've sat at lights and had the same problem in a car multiple times. So should I go complain to Quinn too? Maybe cars will eventually get to blow red lights then.

 

[cacicgtp7]

Something had to be done though. Will it be abused? Probably. But if you're out late and you constantly have to keep turning right, then pulling a u-turn and going straight is absurd as well.

Some intersections that's not even possible on bigger one's that have a median with dedicated turn lane (like 59 or north ave) and your bike doesn't trip the sensor. Maybe they've changed it since I've lived out there, but it used to be like that at least.

For some reason in San Antonio, my bike trips everything so maybe they use different sensors or something. Weird.

 

[Stink Star]

my scooter doesnt trip a few lights around town. I generally wait 2 or 3 minutes but ive gone through a few red lights already late at night. i still feel like im gonna get pulled over though.

 

[Dan00Hawk]

I wouldn't really expect more accidents as a result... Bike vs car usually results from the car not seeing a bike. Not a bike pulling in front of the car that the biker didn't see.

For a biker, you can also either attach magnets to your bike or learn how to better position the bike to trip the sensors. How to Trigger Green Traffic Lights (with pictures) - wikiHow

 

[Greenmachinecustoms]

This was passed months ago. However, it was passed for lights outside the city and it was only a reasonable amount of time. Now it states I have to wait two minutes? At 2 am, how is 2 minutes reasonable? If the light was going to change it would have done so after 30 seconds at that time of night.

 

[Chester Copperpot]

In the heads of politicians they're thinking "It's only two minutes."

 

[Flyn]

Pop a 2 minute song in your Ipod, park and dance around the bike. When the songs over, you can go.

 

[KagA152]

yeah I dont wait two minutes, maybe during the day but a car usually comes along before then. at night I dont wait very long at all, one because the odds of a car coming along are diminished, two odds are increased that the driver of said car is hammered and not going to see my index card sized tail light, even if I apply brake in attempt to make a strobe light, which I do routinely do.

 

[ChromeCobra]

Now they just need to legalize lane splitting like California.

 

[Burtonrider10022]

Now they just need to legalize lane splitting like California.

Unfortunately, there are too many stupid people. It would be used at every light by bikes who have no need, vs. the original intention of helping air-cooled bikes from over heating. Then, as it's being abused, someone is bound to get hurt, and god forbid someone gets hurt. I can't believe they actually passed this law. I like it, and I have used it more than once already (ok, so maybe it wasn't a FULL 2 minutes).

 

[willsmysticcobra]

Having my heavier, more exposed metal, bike helps a lot with this. My 03 GSX-R 750 had some issues with red lights late at night.

 

[GearsForYourRears]

Not sure, but I don't think the original intent was to allow air cooled motorcycles to stop from overheating, I think it was for them to get past slower traffic ahead. Motorcycles enjoy quicker acceleration (usually) than cars and theoretically could save time by being allowed to move to the front at traffic signals.

I dont think "lane splitting" is a good idea personally, but I do think we should be allowed to "filter" at stoplights. I personally do it if I am turning right, and I am only a few cars back from the light, I will ride the shoulder up to the light and make my turn. I will only do it if the person at the intersection is not turning.

I still worry about jealous people in cars opening doors or jutting over causing me to crash, but I go slow(ish) and just do it.

I have not had an issue. In Michigan, this is common practice. As is parking on the crosshatch lines near the handicap spots, as long as you leave LOTS of room for handicapped people to get in/out of thier vehicles. We also used to park on the sidewalk near (but not close) to the entrance to stores and such.

I digress...

 

[Mr Baytchos]

I have used this quite a bit already. Leaving work at night I sit at the light forever since there are not any cars leaving with me. I just wait till no one is coming and cut across. Doesn't seem like a big deal to me. unno: