Do magnets REALLY work?

[wildspirit97]

Local Police made a motorcycle safety awareness presentation where I work. The officer was the lead motorcycle patrolman.

He stated that in Indiana, it IS against the law to turn left if the sensor does not change the light. He says that we are to either go straight or turn right if possible and then do a legal U-turn. He apologized to bikers but said that they must deal with the law as written.

I've found that sometimes is I catch the left or right arc of the sensor circle that the light will change. (at intersections I know are a problem) I have also run the light because at times the traffic never stops on busy 6 lane roads to your right...but you can see an opening to your left. Unless the cagers allow me to get over to the right, I'll be there forever, or until one of them is ready to turn left. Another example of how ignorant our local politicians are about what really can be done to improve motorcycle saftety. How about designing the roads to be cycle friendly???
:wall

If there are intersections where you live that you know will not work for a bike try writing the City to inform them of the problem. Before you send the letter go to your bank and get it notarized. You pay taxes and it is their responsibility to make sure the signals work for everyone on the road. Keep a copy of the letter you sent and continue to do what is necessary to use the roads that your tax dollars help pay for and maintain. If you ever do get a ticket for breaking the an absurd law go to court with the letter.

 

[TattooZ]

I personally have had varying sucess with these magnets. For me most of the time they Don't work. But try putting your kickstand down near or on the metal strip sensors in the road that always worked for me.

 

[1slos10]

I work for the Department of Transportation, and deal directly with installation and the final inspection of Traffic Signals in our region. I have heard a few myths on various ways to trip the detector, such as: sitting the bike on the side stand, trying to trigger it with the starter, and a few others I can't recall. I can tell you from previous experience that these hardly ever work. The loop in the pavement is a single conductor 14awg wire wound in a circle in the pavement, usually 3 or more turns to reach the proper inductance usually in microhenries. There is usually a small amount of current ran through the wire, and when you pull over it in your car the metal on the chassis causes a disruption in the amount of current that returns back to the cabinet, this because current always wants to take the path of least resistance and tries to ground to the closest possible source, meaning your metal chassis. There are few ways to improve the sensitivity of the loop. One is on the loop detector, it has switches that start in value of 1 and go up to 12 usually. The higher the number, the higher the sensitivity, but to high can lead to cars in the nearest lane being detected. The other ways is to put more turns of wire in the pavement itself. The last is all traffic signals have a function called dual entry, what this does is if your on your bike, and heading say "south" and there are cars heading "north" it gives you a green at the same time the north movement get ones, unless there is and opposing left turn(a car turning left with the north movement), if there is you have to wait till the left turn terminates and you will get a green. We use this in the case of losing a loop in the pavement, it guarantees that you get a green when the oncoming lane gets a green. Use of any of these terms will keep them from treating you like a idiot, in fear that you, by reading this post know as much or more than they do. . Sorry for the long post, but it takes a lot of words to explain it. If you have a problem with a signal, start at city hall and if that dont work, right a letter to a State Representative or the Transportation Commissioner, those 2 usually get us jumping trying to get the problem fixed. Later

Ronnie

 

[silentflyer]

Don't know about the "store bought" special magnets, but I took a magnet like you use around the shop to secure angle iorn or flat steel to tack weld, removed the brackets that it is mounted in (the magnet looks like a big washer) and hung it under the frame of the softail, just in front of the shocks on the frame rail. Secured it with some epoxy and a couple of tie wraps. It seems to work well enough and I am out 3$ (from Nothern Tool Supply). For 3$ you can afford to try it, no big loss if it doesn't help.

 

[Buzzy]

I have a buddy (rides a scooter) and swears his works but I've seen him sitting at the same lights that won't change for me. I agree that you need to notify whoever is responsible for the DEFECTIVE traffic signal but it doesn't need to be notarized, it needs to be confirmed delivery with a signature and you need to save that paperwork in case you get a ticket for running the DEFECTIVE light or God forbid, a biker gets hurt or killed because of it. If the City, County etc. is advised of a defect or problem and doesn't correct it it's all on them but you have to show that you notified them.

 

[ProF]

California passed a law this year that requires all new signal systems to respond to motorcycles, as well as requiring that responsible agencies do whatever is necessary to make existing systems work with bikes. I don't remember if there were time frames for fixing the existing systems, but this sure is a step in the right direction.

 

[Technologist]

Magnets will work, but they need to be strong. Check ebay for "neobdynium" (SP?) magnets.

I got several and then dipped them in plasti-dip, to protect them.

Mine are 80LB pull and above (the plasti-dip will reduce the pulling force some).

2nd... Prior to getting the magnets, I found it best to ride over the loop sensor by placing the bike on one of the SIDES of the sensor box... thus putting the entire bike ON the line, rather than just crossing over the horizontals (top and bottom of the loop box).

LASTLY... Prior to getting the magnets, there was one light near me that STILL did not trip for the bike. I called the local Department of tranportation, and after going through the voicemail menu, found a chioce for broken / non-working signal. I told the employee about the light, and he said they would go move the sensitivity up a notch, then call me back. 1 notch wasn't enough, so they bumped it up another... and it worked.

When they set the sensitivity, they test on whatever traffic happens to be in the area... if no bikes go by, then it is likely they set the sensitivity too low. But a quick phone call has solved it for me!

I got the magnets to help for the times I was in a new area... and have not run into any problems since I got the magnets!

 

[glider]

Mine are 80LB pull and above (the plasti-dip will reduce the pulling force some).

WOW! Have you lifted any man hole covers when you rode over them? :lolrolling

That's some powerful magnets for sure.

I often wonder with a magnet that strong if you pick up any debris or nails or such when riding, I would think it may be a good idea just for that purpose itself... no more flats.

 

[KrecoLuke]

Hey bros & siss'....

What is this about the need for magnets? I've read alot about them and the problems some riders have at traffic lights. Beats me as to why, but I've rode rice burners and HDs and have never, yes, I said never, been stalled at a light because I wasn't "seen".
Maybe I jus' gotta lotta iron in my blood or lead in my arse! Ya think?

Happy Trails!

Luke

 

[Cpt.FancyPants]

I wear steel toe boots most of the time. I make sure the toe is over the wire in the ground.The light always change for me