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Which red light changer?

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SmallBikesRFun

SmallBikesRFun

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I want to get one of those magnet things that mounts to the bottom of the bike so the traffic lights will change when I pull up. Which one is best?
 
Don't bother getting one. Best thing is to ride up on the long line in the ground for the wire that is embedded. So if you see the whole loop and it is one, ride up and stay over either the left or the right side line of the loop, whichever is safer. If it is two loops side by side in your lane, go for the middle where there are two wires. Just stay over them. Getting over the shorter, side to side wire doesn't work well. The long edge significantly increases the chances you will be detected.

I've tested this method often on some intersections coming to work early in the morning and it does make a difference.

Also, in Texas, if you call in a light that isn't detecting you, they have to come out in a reasonable amount of time and fix it. I've head of people getting contacted to come out with their bikes to intersections they've reported so the tech can verify it detects their bike. Won't happen all the time, but I've heard multiple stories.
 
if it is a induction triggered light (coils in ground) a strong magnet could help but you need to get the magnet over the line marking where the coil is.

pulling up where you can put down your (steel) side stand on the line also will do the job.

there is a state law requiring the traffic light to be sensitive enough to be triggered by a motorcycle, if you find a light that won't cycle for you, report it!

many lights have been upgraded to machine vision, if you see cameras on the light poles pointed at the front of vehicles, that is the camera that lets the controller see vehicles at the light and triggers the cycle. a problem with the cameras is rising or setting sun can blind the cameras.

the newest system uses radar via small white square panels pointed at the lanes.
 
Magnetism makes no difference with wires in the ground. Mass and proximity of metals does. Semi truck and bus rims sit higher off the ground than most other vehicles and lots of lights will not respond to semis or busses. Built 4x4s with tall tires have similar problems. Road department guy where I live carries an aluminum bicycle rim, simply sets it on the wire and twists the adjuster until it works. Problem is, some detectors thus set activate when a vehicle passes in a nearby lane, and then your smart light develops a severe case of mental retardation. Repaving adds distance between the wire and vehicles, sometimes causing the lack of sensitivity. Road work supervisors are often relatives of politicians and can't seem to remember to readjust their dumb lights.
 
I've always wondered if placing a magnet in the heal of your motorcycle boot would work better. Computer hard drives have flat, rare-earth (strong) magnets in them to move the read-write head. I tear apart defective drives and harvest the magnets to use them around the garage for picking up screws etc. My thinking is these strong magnets would work better if they were closer to the ground. If they were in my boot and I dragged my foot a few yards as I was coming up to a stop, maybe it would work....?
:shrug:
 
Little known fact: the metal in Harley bells will help with inductive loops. You just need about a hundred of them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I use the drive magnets as well. I have about four or five stuck to the bottom of my KLR. One on the drain plug, so that one is "functional".

Without them I can't trigger the gate to leave my property, so they do help.

Also, looking for the big square in the road were they buried the wire loop and waiting at one of the corners helps.

I have also heard that pressing the starter button works. It may, but I don't like that idea and never tried it.

Thurmont said:
I've always wondered if placing a magnet in the heal of your motorcycle boot would work better. Computer hard drives have flat, rare-earth (strong) magnets in them to move the read-write head. I tear apart defective drives and harvest the magnets to use them around the garage for picking up screws etc. My thinking is these strong magnets would work better if they were closer to the ground. If they were in my boot and I dragged my foot a few yards as I was coming up to a stop, maybe it would work....?
:shrug:
Click to expand...
 
I had thought the magnet in the left boot heel would work well too. One could put their foot down directly on the inductive loop. The magnet should influence the loop like a larger piece of metal.

Then I thought about the nails, staples and FOD that might be picked up and the steel and iron grates I might get stuck to. :giveup:
 
Magnetism does not influence traffic sensor wires. Magnets are metal mass near the wire, and that is what makes the difference. Magnetism can really make mounting metal mass easy, though.

EDIT: Traffic engineers say magnetism doesn't work. Otherwise, aluminum wheels would not trip the sensors. The only people advocating magnets as a solution are people selling magnets, or suckers who bought them. Google the process, you'll see.
 
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I thought Harley's worked because of the parts falling off each time you stop.:rofl:
 
Oh! Harley joke thread!

EDIT: Drove I-77 through West Virginia and the real Virginia twice yesterday. An Ultra Classic Electra Glide would be perfect on that road. What a rush that would be.
 
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That's West by God Virginia! As my mother used to say.

I never figured out exactly what that meant.
 
KenH said:
Google the process, you'll see.
Click to expand...

Link something please.

I can get behind the 'magnets don't help much' argument. It does help some because I can't trigger my gate without them on the KLR. However, I know exactly where the loop is and have had the luxury of experimenting with locations. I could not do such a controlled experiment at a red light and have always suspected the effect to be minimal.

After some google education (avoiding sales and MC sites, trying to stick to traffic/engineering sites) the word "ferromagnetic" comes up a lot; basically meaning a magnet needs to be able to stick to effect the loop. Aluminum wheels would not quality as ferromagnetic.
 
Voltar said:
Link something please.

I can get behind the 'magnets don't help much' argument. It does help some because I can't trigger my gate without them on the KLR. However, I know exactly where the loop is and have had the luxury of experimenting with locations. I could not do such a controlled experiment at a red light and have always suspected the effect to be minimal.

After some google education (avoiding sales and MC sites, trying to stick to traffic/engineering sites) the word "ferromagnetic" comes up a lot; basically meaning a magnet needs to be able to stick to effect the loop. Aluminum wheels would not quality as ferromagnetic.
Click to expand...

Well, I suppose Google is too difficult for some. :rofl:

Here. is info on all manner of detectors. You'll note that inductive sensors respond to a twitch of their electrical fields, not magnetic fields. There are magnetic sensors, but generally not used in roads due to endurance problems and other bad habits.

All these sensors really are are metal detectors. Really. No rocket science.

Want to learn how a metal detector works? Look up "metal detector". There are several methods, magnetism is one, but others use less energy and are more dependable, so magnetism generally isn't used for stop lights and gates and such. Otherwise, nonmagnetic metals would not be detected. Induction allows the detection of conductive materials, not just magnetic. Apparently induction vs. magnetic is where the confusion comes from.

There is a forum on inductive sensing on the Texas Instruments website.
 
When you see the trace line of the sensor, either try to break 2 points on it (round) or center the mass of your bike over it (square). That's the only tricks I've ever found. I hate them things.
 
At my old apt, they had a gate that would never open until one day I had my 10lb steel skid plate on my vstrom. Then on, it would open... If I had the massive hunk of steel.

The metal lines are where copper wire is laid... It is inductive. That means your magnesium case and aluminum frame is near invisible.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
:) Not so fast, KenH. :zen:

I know the difference between magnetic sensors and inductive sensors. But the discussion is around if a magnet can help trip an inductive sensor.

A moving magnet absolutely does have an effect on an inductive loop. In simple terms, inductors resist changes in current (capacitors resist changes in voltage). A moving magnet is going to effect the current stored (and collapsing) in the inductor.

For me, the question is still; "is a strong magnet enough to have an effect on a traffic inductive loop.?". For sure, if you slooowly sneak up on the traffic loop the answer is no. If you move the magnet over the loop the answer is "well, maybe", but the environment is may not be controlled enough to really get a good result.

But, as mentioned earlier, I have a gate with inductive detection. I also have a rare Earth magnet that is about 1/4 the size of the one in the video below (they are dangerously strong!). I walked out to my gate, waved the magnet over the 'sweet spot' and..... the gate opened. No car, no motorcycle, etc. Only my body and a moving magnet. Okay, a magnet that you would never stick to your bike and if you did you may never get if off, but I still got a positive result.

Here is a quickie basic inductor tutorial and a demo on how pronounced the effect can be:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgwXkUt3XxQ"]Inductor basics - What is an inductor? - YouTube[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu1uRvErM80"]Eddy Current Demo. - YouTube[/ame]


KenH said:
Well, I suppose Google is too difficult for some. :rofl:

Here. is info on all manner of detectors. You'll note that inductive sensors respond to a twitch of their electrical fields, not magnetic fields. There are magnetic sensors, but generally not used in roads due to endurance problems and other bad habits.

All these sensors really are are metal detectors. Really. No rocket science.

Want to learn how a metal detector works? Look up "metal detector". There are several methods, magnetism is one, but others use less energy and are more dependable, so magnetism generally isn't used for stop lights and gates and such. Otherwise, nonmagnetic metals would not be detected. Induction allows the detection of conductive materials, not just magnetic. Apparently induction vs. magnetic is where the confusion comes from.

There is a forum on inductive sensing on the Texas Instruments website.
Click to expand...
 
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