In Kansas, driving a motorcycle might come with one less annoyance. Lawmakers approved a bill that would allow motorcycle riders to go through red lights if their vehicles aren't heavy enough to trip the weight sensors under the street that change the signal.
It's a better plan than dropping the kickstand and running over to hit the crosswalk button.
The "Dead Red" law passed by the state House this week, reads:
The driver of a motorcycle or a person riding a bicycle facing anysteady red signal, which fails to change to a green light within a
reasonable period of time because of a signal malfunction or because the
signal has failed to detect the arrival of the motorcycle or bicycle
because of its size or weight, shall have the right to proceed subject
to the rules stated herein.
The Wichita Eagle reports that the law wasn't universally
embraced. The paper writes that Rep. Owen Donohoe (R-Topeka)
tried to pull the red-light part out of the law, saying: "I see no
skeletal remains of motorcyclists sitting at red lights that never
change."
Maybe if riders have to wait long enough he will.
For obvious reasons, cyclists were thrilled at the news that they might not have
to risk a fat ticket just to get through an intersection. Jim
Lepisto, owner of Cyclops Cycle in Shawnee Mission, gave KMBC Channel 9 the best quote of
all: "I'm not going to sit there and wait a fortnight for the
light to change. That's looney tunes," he told the station. Fortnight!
Looney tunes! Let this guy run red lights!
The Eagle notes that the bill passed in conjunction with a law
that would prevent local municipalities from slapping drivers with large
fines for failing to wear a seat belt (the current statewide fine is
$5). That has some supporters a little skeptical of its chances in the
Senate. Cyclist lobby group ABATE's John Faber told the paper
that the Senate is "a little more moderate as far as seat belts go,"
which could be the demise of the Dead Red bill. Missouri and a
handful of other states have similar laws.
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Filed a formal complaint, Certified Mail, with a township Chief of Police and NJ Dept of Transportation two weeks prior to getting ticketed for going thru a red light because my Yamaha 650 was too light to trigger the sensors. Showed up at court with an DOT engineer, who testified that the sensors were faulty and were being replaced. The judge found in my favor but did not respond when I asked him how many other riders had been ticketed at this intersection.
That would be "failure to grant the right of way" and the motorcyclist would be responsible. Lack of compassion does solve problems.
I have a Harley, and have sat thru 3 or more lights more times than I want to count. Had the same problem when I had a sport bike, but assumed my Harley was heavy enough :-(. Sounds to dangerous to make this change.
Would this apply to bicyclists as well? That seems like more of a problem from what I've heard.
Gango, When you get hit by a car with a green light you will be more than willing to pay all damages to aid vehicle?
Dumbest Idea ever almost a stupid as motorcycles with out helmets... more road kill is what they want I guess
stupid
all you need to do is make a right, then a U-turn and another right and you're through that intersection with the light that won't change and you didn't violate any laws nor require some special exemption to the law everyone else must follow
The author of the article seems to have fallen prey to a common misconception. The sensors do not detect weight nor magnetism. Called loop detectors, they utilize nothing more sophisticated than several turns of 12-14ga wire embedded with tar in a groove cut into the roadbed. In principle, they work like the magnetometers at security checkpoints. An electronic oscillator uses the loop of wire as an inductor in its 'tank circuit.' When something with sufficient metallic mass comes in proximity to the loop, the metal changes the inductance of the loop. Consequently, the frequency of the oscillator changes, and another circuit detects the change and triggers the light. What comes into question here is the sensitivity of the detector circuit. If a motorcycle doesn't have enough metallic mass or isn't slung low enough to the roadway to change the frequency of the oscillator more than the threshold of the detector circuit, no light change.
Just wanted to clear that up.
A buddy on a softail and me on a 600lb Triumph together sometimes have trouble tripping some of the induction loops around Chicagoland. It's magnetic profile, and something about our bikes doesn't always trigger the light.
I think it has something to do with how far down they sawcut and the geometry of the loop, on a per-intersection basis... 'cause it's hit-or-miss.
Most states use common sense and install sensors that detect metal not weight plates..
Ride a REAL Motorcycle instead of a tojo-rice burner and it will change, but not your diapers..
Nice! I been riding my Harley for 20+ years and cant recall a time I didnt trip a light when approached. I guess maybe its possible on smaller bikes. Good law though, I like it.
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