Motorcycle Laws

[R8DRFAN]

What do I do when I come to a Red light on my motorcycle and it wont change to green? What does California Law say is the legal action in this situation?

[JS89]

Look to your left twice and then your right once. Ensure that traffic is clear. Look down at your tach, bring your revs up to 10,000 rpms, slip the clutch and launch across the intersection as fast as you can, all the while hoping no one saw you....


OR


Make a right turn (as long as their is a right turn to be made), a legal u-turn and the another right turn at the light that you were wait on to turn green.

Unfortunately there is no law allowing you to run a red light when the light is not phasing green for your direction of travel. If the traffic signal is defective, than you need to treat it as a stop sign.

[operator13]

http://www.bikerhiway.com/red-light-changer-p-2.html

you're welcome

[G-forceJunkie]

I'm not a cop...but i have been told if the motorycle fails to trip the sensors, they are to treat it as a faulty signal and proceed with caution when clear. They can't expect you to sit in the left turn lane forever, nor can they suggest you make a right turn from the left turn only lane.

[MrClamperSir]

http://www.bikerhiway.com/red-light-changer-p-2.html

you're welcome

THIS^^. You won't be waiting for red lights ever again!

[ke6guj]

I'm not a cop...but i have been told if the motorycle fails to trip the sensors, they are to treat it as a faulty signal and proceed with caution when clear. They can't expect you to sit in the left turn lane forever, nor can they suggest you make a right turn from the left turn only lane.

I seem to recall that one of the other states just passed a law allowing motorcyclists to "run the red" if the sensors won't pick up the M/C.

[mej16489]

There was also a decent thread on this back in May:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=429371

[Hernz]

This.

or if there is one, get off the bike and push the crosswalk button.

safety first!

I'm not a cop...but i have been told if the motorycle fails to trip the sensors, they are to treat it as a faulty signal and proceed with caution when clear. They can't expect you to sit in the left turn lane forever, nor can they suggest you make a right turn from the left turn only lane.

[Us3rName]

+1 on G-forceJunkie post.

This is correct... or as correct as it can get.

Edit: MIRT devices are illegal.

[RazzB7]

I ride a bike every day. The magnetic "light changers" appear to work. I still run into the occasional light that won't change. I was told by a LEO that there is NO LEGAL REASON to run a red light. Even if it won't trip. But, as long as it's done safely (can you safely run a red light?) I think it would be an easy one to talk your way out of.

[Andy Taylor]

I am not a LEO, but I do ride a motorcycle almost every day.
The light changer magnets work some of the time but not always. They are worth the money, as they are not to expensive and work often enough that they are worth it.
If you can see where the sensor loops are in the pavement, (looks like an octogon cut into the pavement) stop the bike directly over one side of it if possible. This exposes as much of the bike as possible to the sensor.
I have gotten off the bike and hit the crosswalk button.
I have made a right, a u turn and another right.
And yes, I have run a light on the rare occasion that nothing else worked.
If you notice that a particular light is a regular problem, report it to Caltrans, or the local road maintaince department. They usually can adjust the sensors. I have had good results with this in the City of Sacramento. They have done it on my request within 24 hours on a couple of occassions.

[ojisan]

I'm not an LEO, but I have sat at many red lights on my motorcycle before.

Stopping next to the wire loop, then putting your sidestand down right on it helps.
Most sidestands are steel so the sensor wire will "read" the metal.

The pressure type sensors can also be set off by putting down the sidestand and leaning the bike onto the stand to increase the effective weight pushing down on that spot.

[Big O]

If the light won't change, it IS a malfunction. I treat it as such. Since you'll be looking around to make sure there is no other traffic before you proceed, that other traffic you're looking for includes cops.

I'm not a cop.

[DaveInOroValley]

A magnet from an old hard drive works perfectly and for the most part it's free for the taking. Just stick it in under the frame and your good to go. I haven't found one light that I can't trip where before it was a crapshoot.

[oldsmoboat]

I had one light on my commute that wouldn't change. I read about magnets, bought these and zip tied then to my center stand. Light changes now.

But, I've had others that won't change. I wait two cycles to be sure then run the light when safe to do so.