Magnets

[mdub]

Do magnets really work to trigger signal lights to green? There has been several times i'll be at a red light and ending up running it cause it has cycled over due to the sensors not reading me.

[madvlad]

I was just about to make a thread about the same deal, so yea interested in answers for this. Funny how we pay taxes just like cars for being on the road and shit but nothing works for bikes on the roads, kind of ridiculous.

[mdub]

i have research it a bit...there is a company out in castle rock that has strong magnets the size of a bic pen top. Just wanted to know if any one has it on their bike or clown car.

[Connman]

Traffic lights are triggered by inductive loop systems. You see the saw marks in the street where the loops are laid. They are designed to sense when a mass of metal is above or near them. The mass of metal disrupts the magnetic field created by the loop, triggering the light. The small amount of metal on a bike, relative to a car, is why some lights aren't triggered - just not enough metal to disrupt the magnetic field enough. Whether or not a small magnet can disrupt the field enough to trigger a light is up for debate - but it sure won't hurt. If you're going to try it, mount a neodymium magnet to your ride.

[tecknojoe]

Traffic lights are triggered by inductive loop systems. You see the saw marks in the street where the loops are laid. They are designed to sense when a mass of metal is above or near them. The mass of metal disrupts the magnetic field created by the loop, triggering the light. The small amount of metal on a bike, relative to a car, is why some lights aren't triggered - just not enough metal to disrupt the magnetic field enough. Whether or not a small magnet can disrupt the field enough to trigger a light is up for debate - but it sure won't hurt. If you're going to try it, mount a neodymium magnet to your ride.

does going over them in a certain area have a different chance of the field being disrupted? my buddy in VA always told me he used to run over the bar in the middle and "that always worked", but I never knew

[brennahm]

Kickstand on the loop used to work in FL...

[rfranks303]

I was told they work by my msf instructor. He also mentioned not using them because your more likely to pick up a nail in the tire steel toes on the loop seem to work for me.

[Scatterbrain]

I've ran into that as well. Here's what i've heard works. Shut off and restart your bike while sitting there at stand still. The vibration of a startup is enough to hit the sensors below ya. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't i noticed.

[Bueller]

I've ran into that as well. Here's what i've heard works. Shut off and restart your bike while sitting there at stand still. The vibration of a startup is enough to hit the sensors below ya. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't i noticed.

[Zach929rr]

[longrider]

On the most common loop with the line down the center the hot spot is the front or back of the center line. On a single loop the hot spot is any of the corners. Regarding the starting the bike, it is not the vibration but the magnetic fields of the starter motor that might have an effect. Remember only ferrous metals do anything so if you have an aluminum kickstand (Ducati?) it wont do anything

[cptschlongenheimer]

CO Powersports (on 104th) sells a big-ass magnet you attach to the bottom of your bike. We were just talking about them the other day, while in there. According to the parts girl there, they work well. Then again she said the hand grips I picked up for my wife would work on her Savage and they most certainly didn't.

[D_Sp8s]

I've never tried to put a magnet on my bike, but at least I know how they work...

[Jesterbass21]

I've never tried to put a magnet on my bike, but at least I know how they work...

oh I see that makes a whole lot more sense than the magnet stole the metals family and now the family is trying to get back all of the time.