Traffic lights not recognising cyclists?

[sazzaa]

Sat at a set of lights this morning for about five minutes, as the lights on the crossing road turned to green about six or seven times. Tried moving back a bit then figured the sensors must only recognise cars. Does this happen a lot or was I at a set of rubbish lights? Eventually got going when a truck pulled up behind me and lights went to green.

 

[ColinJ]

Some work, some don't. Yesterday, I found a set that didn't, so after enough time to realise that they were not going to change without a car turning up, I proceeded with caution.

I found some lights that would not trigger off my wheels, but lowering my steel-framed bike near to the road surface and waving it back and forth did the trick.

Some lights seem to work off cameras instead of sensors in the road. It might be possible to trigger them by spreading your arms and waving them about so there is more movement for the sensors to detect?

 

[JoeyB]

Ah that makes me feel better about creeping through some lights that never change for me on a dedicated bus route

 

[.stu]

There is a set of lights near where I work that don't detect me, but the loop controlling the gate to the business park detects me ok even if I'm on my carbon bike.

 

[raleighnut]

If you know the traffic lights loop does not register your bike just press the pedestrian crossing button. If you're really lucky there may be a painted cycle on the pavement so not even breaking any law.

 

[summerdays]

Make sure on the approach to the lights that you cross the induction loops, they don't usually go right to the gutter.

 

[User33236]

During a charity ride about a dozen of us arrived at a set of lights at almost the same time. Once it became apparent they weren't going to change the consensus of 'proceed with caution' was reached and we all carried on.

 

[Soup890]

What about if you flash your lights at the sensor? I once saw a sainsburys delivery van do that in the morning he flashed his lights.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

If you know the traffic lights loop does not register your bike just press the pedestrian crossing button. If you're really lucky there may be a painted cycle on the pavement so not even breaking any law.

not all lights have pedestrian crossings!

 

[.stu]

I remember some lights near where I lived in Holland a few years back that had a button for the cyclists and brommers (mopeds) to press.

 

[BSRU]

I have a set of lights on a Rab that does not recognise cyclists, but the sensor is only used overnight, after 7am it becomes a timed light.

 

[sidevalve]

What about if you flash your lights at the sensor? I once saw a sainsburys delivery van do that in the morning he flashed his lights.

Nope - don't work. Don't care how many people believe it does- it don't. 20 years of installing and maintaining the things is a bit more experiance than most and the sensors on the TL pole do NOT detect flashing lights [still, believe what you will].
The pole mounted detectors usually sense an object approaching at a speed of about 5 - 10 mph so don't creep up to them and they are angled not to detect things in the gutter/ on the footpath.
If inset type in the road [look for the tell tale black shape cut into the road surface] be carefull that the last on [at the stopline] is not a square. If it is try to stop on the line of the cut [on top of the cables] not in the centre of the "box" where your tiny mass of metal may be too far away from the cable to be detected.
Also be aware that many sets in the rush hour are under control from the traffic control offices [every city has them] and designed to speed the flow of traffic into [or out of] the centre. and may well not "service" a side road for several cycles. Also in a large junction if the main roads are running to "max" ie maximum time allowed by the time a small side road gets a green the time can SEEM to be forever [just try sitting still waiting for five minutes - it can feel like hours].
Finally not all TL engineers are "stupid" or "dumb" and many of us ride bikes too and take care to make sure the lights DO detect bikes. I'm sorry but 90% of the time the problem is impatience. "Oh I waited X minutes and nothing happened then a car came along and they changed" - the clue is in the "I waited X minutes".
Finally there are only three possibles
1 - there is a fault on your approach detection. This would cause a PD [permanent demand] and the lights would always assume there is something there [a fail safe]
2 - there is no fault and you are impatient [sorry but often true].
3 - the detection has not been set up/maintained correctly and needs to be reported to the council
If all else fails I would just hop off and walk the bike across. For the sake of a few seconds is it really worth taking a risk ? After all we need more cyclists - not more accidents.

 

[MikeG]

Top quality post, sidevalve. Informative and interesting.

 

[SquareDaff]

There's a set near me that I could never get to trigger. Then one of my colleagues showed me exactly were to hit the "sensor". Now I can set it off everytime as long as my aim with the front wheel is reasonably accurate. Maybe just a smidge of paint that shows road users where the most sensitive part of the sensor is, is all that's required.

 

[Dogtrousers]

[QUOTE 3054578, member: 30090"]I believe the wording from the HC is ''to proceed with caution through the junction'' when you have a light that is sensor based that won't recognise you.[/QUOTE]

Not far off, there's general advice for lights that don't work. If you can argue that stuck on red is not working, which I think you can.

176: If the traffic lights are not working, treat the situation as you would an unmarked junction and proceed with great care.

Although a more sensible and practical approach is to fall off your bike, such that your frame is low and parallel to the ground, while skidding to ensure you pass the detector, and flailing your arms and legs about, which should give all possible detectors the best chance to see you.

Edit: Or follow the more sensible and sage advice of @sidevalve above.