Traffic Lights That Do Not Work !

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Has anyone else encountered these new traffic lights which seem to be unable to detect a cyclist or motorcyclist waiting at them?
I only noticed this at a narrow tunnel on one of my routes. I cycled up to the lights and was waiting there for ages until a car driver came along . The lights only allow vehicles to drive through the tunnel from one direction so traffic from the opposite direction are unaffected.
The only way to get the lights to change is to pull over to one side and encourage the vehicle to move forward so that the vehicle is detected . This same thing happened to motorcyclist at another set of lights . The motorcyclist beckoned the driver to come closer but the message didn't get through . In the end through frustration the motorcyclist went through the red lights !
It would seem that the DoT are buying new lights from a joke shop !
 

DaveReading

Don't suffer fools gladly (must try harder!)
Location
Reading, obvs
Report them to your local authority.
 
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Illaveago

Illaveago

Guru
Report them to your local authority.
Oh! We have one set of lights which were imposed on our town which must be giving Trowbridge a right headache! Even the town's MP has complained. Her office is right next to one set of lights so the exhaust fumes should be a constant reminder . I don't think the local authority are listening !
 

johnnyb47

Guru
Location
Wales
There's a couple of these smart traffic lights by me that don't pick up cyclists. It took a few times before i realised that they only react to vehicles
 

PeteXXX

Cake or ice cream? The choice is endless ...
Location
Hamtun
~Fixmystreet ~ might be a place to start.
I've got several things sorted (and several not, too!)
If it's not in their bailiwick, they forward the issue to the correct place.

609245


These are the t/l options available.
 
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lazybloke

Considering a new username
Location
Leafy Surrey
Some traffic lights only change when they detect something metal on the induction sensors.
Fine if there are cars around, but if I'm riding in the small hours I'll often (cautiously) ride through red lights because I might be waiting half an hour otherwise.
 
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Illaveago

Illaveago

Guru
Some traffic lights only change when they detect something metal on the induction sensors.
Fine if there are cars around, but if I'm riding in the small hours I'll often (cautiously) ride through red lights because I might be waiting half an hour otherwise.
The old rubber sensors that they used to have in the road could be made to work by standing on them . It would be good if there was something visible so that you could trigger the sensor .
Also ! Cyclists on carbon framed bikes and riders on horseback won't be detected either.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
I presume you're talking about permanent lights? I know one set in Bolton on a new junction that do this. It's frustrating for cyclists but from a traffic flow make sense.

All roadworks in Lancashire seem to have lights controlled by movement. It's pretty much standard practice for me to wave at the lights as I approach. Usually does the trick.

The lights which do frustrate me those on long roadwork sections which don't have a long enough lapse to let a cyclist through.
 

Paulus

Started young, and still going.
Location
Barnet,
I have a similar problem with a set of lights at the junction of St. Albans Road and Barnet High Street.
The old lights worked on a timed basis for 3 way working.
The new lights have a grid buried in the road(which caused 3 weeks of chaos whilst they dug the road up) which doesn't pick up bikes, even my old steel framed ones.
When turning right into St.Alban road I have to go past the stop lines and hope a car pulls up behind me on the grid. If not it's much quicker just to get off the bike and walk across the junction on the pedestrian crossing.
There are other examples in the borough as well.
Never had a problem with the lights with motion sensors on though.
 
There is at least one set round here which doesn't detect bikes - but most are either fine or work on a timer as well as the detector.
There is one which uses a camera to detect traffic - and I know it won't see me unless I approach in the middle of the lane.

I agree with the temporary lights on long stretches - some only give enough time for a bike to get about half way long - and that is me on an ebike doing nearly 20 mph to try to get through in time!
 

Supersuperleeds

Legendary Member
Location
Leicester
These lights never change for cyclists (the ones on the left in the bus lane)

I suspect that as a cyclist you are expected to use the cycle path on the left and use the crossing (also to the left) but then you have to use the cycle path on the other side before you can use the drop kerb further up to get back in the bus lane. I ignore the lights and go through red as long as there is no traffic coming from the right. (both lanes are one way only)

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C R

Guru
Location
Worcester
The lights at Eckington Bridge, in Worcestershire would not trigger for cyclists. I complained to the council, who said they were aware of a problem with carbon bikes and were looking at fixing the issue. I pointed out that none of my bikes are carbon, and not even the steel one would trigger the lights. I got no reply to this, but next time I went past in my aluminium bike the lights worked fine, though it looks like they changed from an induction loop to an IR presence detector.
 

Sharky

Guru
Location
Kent
The old rubber sensors that they used to have in the road could be made to work by standing on them . It would be good if there was something visible so that you could trigger the sensor .
I remember helping to martial at a TT on a left turn controled by traffic lights. When we saw a rider approaching, if the lights were red, we would jump on the rubber sensor to make them change.
 
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Illaveago

Illaveago

Guru
The set of lights which affected me are 4 way with one side road which is used by some residents who live down that lane . The road through the tunnel didn't have lights in the 70's and people used to take it in turns to go through . It ended on one side with a T junction . This setup was changed when the lights were installed in the 80's.
What I have found when following cars through is that the lights change immediately once the car has moved forwards, I tend to follow the car's through closely . I now avoid that route as I could be stuck there for ages waiting for a vehicle to turn up .
 
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