The other day, we got an interesting comment from a blog reader. He said he had come up with a device that could help motorcyclists who get stuck at red lights, waiting for a green that never comes. Unfortunately, we can’t really endorse products here, but it did get us thinking. What solutions have people come up with to keep motorcycles from getting stuck at red lights.

Motorcycle Mysteries — Getting the Green Light

Most traffic signals work off of timers, but it’s becoming more common to find lights that only change after a sensor is tripped. At some intersections, these lights use a camera. At other intersections, they use what is known as an induction loop. If you ride a motorcycle, both of these types of sensor driven lights can cause problems because they often don’t detect motorcycles. However, some clever people have come up with solutions.

• For induction loop-actuated lights, people have started selling powerful magnets and electro magnets. You see, induction loops detect changes in magnetic fields. Since cars often have lots of conductive metals in them, they can easily set off a sensor, but motorcycles can be hard for these sensors to detect. That’s why people have been selling powerful magnets for motorcyclists to install on their bikes. These magnets help trip induction loop sensors, and can make your bike more easily detected.
• The visual sensors used at intersections are usually more reliable than induction loops, but they can still have problems seeing smaller vehicles. If you are not in the camera’s visual range, then the light might not change. That’s why some people are sell lights that replicate flashing lights from emergency vehicles. Some of these optical sensors are rigged to change if they detect the flashes from an emergency vehicle, but be warned. Devices that replicate the flashing of emergency vehicle lights are illegal.

Do you have your own tips for tripping red light sensors? As long as they are legal, share them on our Twitter and Facebook pages. You can also learn more about how to handle your commute on a motorcycle by following our motorcycling attorneys right here on this blog.