Traffic Light Tactics

[breaze]

Yup, aluminum foil turban, shiny side out, is part of my standard riding gear - along with the bra I now wear ever since Ms. Breaze found it under the seat...

[Bear45-70]

..........................................so how do police and ambulances do it and how should you?

(2) they have an "add on" that flashes a strobe of infrared light ( invisible to the human eye) that signals the change. this is why sometimes you can get lucky and flash your brights at traffic lights with success, however newer detectors only run on the infrared ban.

you can buy one or just make one. this is a form of handy people after all.

In every state that I know of it is illegal for non-emergency vehicles to use an Opticom system to trigger traffic lights.

[mmeadows]

Assuming its not myth or a folktale lol

[Bear45-70]

Assuming its not myth or a folktale lol

They are indeed real. The ambulances my wife works on all have them. Our local fire trucks have them and the nearest traffic light is 10 mile away. I've never seen a cop car without one for the last 20 years.

[noiseguy]

Assuming its not myth or a folktale lol

No, the strobe light for tripping lights is definitely real. 7 hz flash, as I recall (7 times per second.) A great way to get pulled over and charged with impersonating a police officer, I hear.

[breaze]

Well, I attached an 18" x 16" piece of sheet metal under the footrest - not a beautiful prototype, but certainly functional (just taped on for now). I also placed a 12" x 12" piece in the bottom of my milk crate (although at that height it probably has no effect).

I need a larger sample size but I did take 4 - 5 trips thru the intersection tonight. At first it seemed to be working great, triggering the light change and giving me a green light, however, my last attempt triggered a cycle change but never gave me a green light.

I'll keep it on there for a while and see what happens...

[zuphilius]

I ended up sitting at a red light for almost ten minutes because a cop had someone pulled over just before the light on the other side of the intersection. And I was in my car along with about 20 other vehicles behind me.

[mmeadows]

if your emitter is purely infrared i don't understand how you would get pulled over or caught.

most cameras need to have an IR lens or else the light will create a bright spot while recording.

im sure you guys have seen the baseball caps that have IR lights in them in order to "hide" or make a bright spot over your face. http://hacknmod.com/hack/blind-cameras- ... d-led-hat/

a lot of night time cameras have IR filters on them so that they dont create these bright spots. but if a camera has the IR filter idk how they would know you used IR lights.



why not just run the light?

[martynkim]

I just put the bike on the centerstand and run over to push the pedistrian button.

[Bear45-70]

if your emitter is purely infrared i don't understand how you would get pulled over or caught.

most cameras need to have an IR lens or else the light will create a bright spot while recording.

im sure you guys have seen the baseball caps that have IR lights in them in order to "hide" or make a bright spot over your face. http://hacknmod.com/hack/blind-cameras- ... d-led-hat/

a lot of night time cameras have IR filters on them so that they dont create these bright spots. but if a camera has the IR filter idk how they would know you used IR lights.



why not just run the light?

The light changing out of sequence will always have the cops looking for why, because the Opticom is the only thing that will cause that. But it isn't a cheap ticket and some places it is a felony, but you do what you want, but don't expect any sympathy when you get caught.

[motormike]

Tennessee law allows motos to proceed with caution after waiting a reasonable time.
The intersection your pass through however, better be loop-signal controled, or you have no defense...
ALSO: The common U_TURN is LEGAL, Except Where Posted....

[zuphilius]

Tennessee law allows motos to proceed with caution after waiting a reasonable time.
The intersection your pass through however, better be loop-signal controled, or you have no defense...
ALSO: The common U_TURN is LEGAL, Except Where Posted....

Phoenix is like that and for the u-turn, as long as you don't enter the crosswalk it's legal to make one.

[motormike]

I tried the "magnet trigger" on a KLX 250 and it did not work, probably because it was too high to be sensed.
My personal stlye of city riding utilizes the tactic of avoidance of these troublesome intersections whenever possible.
The most deadly type of accident involving a car/truck/bus and a moto-sumpin' is when an oncoming vehicle
turns left without signalling, in front of a moto.
Be Aware out there, you're all invisible when riding scooters....

[noiseguy]

Well, I attached an 18" x 16" piece of sheet metal under the footrest - not a beautiful prototype, but certainly functional (just taped on for now). I also placed a 12" x 12" piece in the bottom of my milk crate (although at that height it probably has no effect).

I need a larger sample size but I did take 4 - 5 trips thru the intersection tonight. At first it seemed to be working great, triggering the light change and giving me a green light, however, my last attempt triggered a cycle change but never gave me a green light.

I'll keep it on there for a while and see what happens...

Interesting. The loops vary in sensitivity; perhaps the last one isn't set up well. Keep us posted.

[Bear45-70]

Interesting. The loops vary in sensitivity; perhaps the last one isn't set up well. Keep us posted.

This is very true and the newer systems work better than the older systems. At least the 4 new light in town will a trigger with my scooter over the coil. The 3 older ones, no matter how you hold your mouth, never trigger.