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Best road positioning to trigger traffic lights?

by poppa
Wed, Dec 02, 2015 08:58
9

I cannot seem to trigger a particular set of traffic lights on my commute, and it's really annoying! Does anyone have any experience/information on the best road positioning to triggger traffic lights?

I understand that they are normally triggered by an induction loop, and I commute on a steel bike, so I would have thought there wouldn't be a problem. Are there any surface marks I should be aware of that indicate the location of the induction loop? At the stop line there is a sort of box superposed with an x that has been cut into the surface, and further away there is a box without an x.

All help gladly received!

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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9 comments

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CXR94Di2 | 9 years ago
0 likes

It's not a problem only for cycles, some motorcycles suffer with this aswell

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austinpowers | 9 years ago
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Inductionloop marks are usually grooves cut into the road surface then filled with tar. Sometimes there can be a loop on approach and just before the lights, make sure you ride over botth to trigger the lights.

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poppa | 9 years ago
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Thanks for the feedback. It's the first light after I leave my house, but it's a minor road and not used by many other cyclists, so a full on media campaign might be over the top! I tend to have to wait for a car to turn up before the lights change. I also noticed that this problem only started when they recovered the junction in an anti-skid coating.

 

I will try some zigzagging, but probably not bunny hopping (I think my Brompton might fold up...)

 

 

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Eric D | 9 years ago
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Contact the Council. They can adjust the sensitivity.

The first time they will say "Tested - performs to specification"

Second complaint, say "Specification is wrong. If you're not taking action because it's not causing a problem, then we might find that it becomes a problem"

Then stop on the sensor at rush-hour, if they don't fix it.

Arrange for media coverage, and talk about the impossibility of a cyclist jumping red lights.

This may not apply if you have carbon frame and carbon wheels ...

I've seen one that didn't trigger for some cars. Queue ensues.

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Kapelmuur | 9 years ago
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I've found that slowly zig-zagging over the sensors works.

Also, I was told that those temporary traffic lights used when there are road works are motion sensitive.   So if you see a cyclist frantically waving at a traffic light it's probably me. 

 

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barbarus | 9 years ago
1 like

That's interesting, I never knew about the induction loop. So I suppose it's been a waste of time bunnyhopping on then all these years! I thought they were pressure sensors!

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DamienB | 9 years ago
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Bunnyhopping on the sensor in the road seems to do the trick for some of mine...

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devoid99 | 9 years ago
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If the road is busy they should work as normal, if there are no cars around to trigger them you should just be able to ride through (with care).  If you are really unsure, get off and walk past.

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hughw | 9 years ago
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I don't think your bike has enough steel in it to trigger an induction loop - unfortunately they are designed for cars which have a big lump of steel front and centre (otherwise known as an engine).

each of the boxes cut into the surface are induction loops so the lights known how much of a queue of traffic they have (as I understand things, anyway)

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