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Re: Red lights that don't change
tweek@ccnet.com (The R R M Tweek) writes:
<replying to a posting asking for info on traffic signal trigger loops
in the pavement>
>Some tips... On a motorcycle, if you can see the sensors (if they are
>the eddy current types and not the old but still existent weight type)
>you can lower your side stand over the sensor cut.
On my older Honda 400cc twin I could just place the front wheel over the
wire. But there are a few places...
My 400 wouldn't trip the northbound loop on one street near my house -
it would on the southbound or anything else around the area. On a car it
would work fine. I lived with it for a few months, to the point of
avoiding that street to go home. One day, I commented to a motorcycle
cop who was curious about my ham radio on the bike, and a boom mike I
had added to the helmet (several years before the police departments
started doing it), and he said "Huh?", then we rode over and verified
the low sensitivity of the loop. One phone call to city public
works / traffic engineering had it added to the list for the signal
crew. The cop, after hanging up the pay phone, told me it would be
fixed within a couple of weeks - it was fixed in a week.
<snip>
>And then, I know of MANY CalTrans maintained signals which are
>completely stupid... One in particular hase the choice spot
>back 20 feet from the limit line... Took me a while to find it,
>as The loop senses my bike pass over it, changes the cross traffic
>signals to red, but then, upon noticing that I am no longer 20ft
>from the limit line, skips the green cycle for my direction and
>changes the cross traffic to green again.
That spot probably has two loops - one close, one back one car length,
and the front loop is probably not working... One intersection here in
town has two loops - the 1st detects the first vehicle, the 2nd ups the
priority (i.e. more cars waiting).
<snip>
>Of course, you can always coil 40 lbs of copper wire on your boots...
>that ought to trip the sensors.
Maybe somebody could come up with a oscillator & coil unit that could
me mounted under the engine of a motorcycle - press a button after you
pull over the loop and get a good solid pulse into the loops. All it
would take is reading the frequency of the loop (i.e. transformer
effect), then echo back a burst a little off frequency.
--
Mike Morris WA6ILQ | All opinions must be my own since nobody
PO Box 1130 | pays me enough to be their mouthpiece...
Arcadia, CA. 91077 |
ICBM: 34.07.930N, 118.03.799W | Reply to: morris@grian.cps.altadena.ca.us
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