Reporting taffic lights that don't trip

[dwayne]

In all the years I've been riding I have only come accross one set of ligh that my bike can't trip so unless I want to wait for a car to come behind me, I have to wait. Does anyone know who you talk to about this? It is a safety issue, as I nor anyone else going to sit and wait for a cage. The probem is figuring out who is responsible for the light, as it is at an entrance to a street from a highway off ramp. Would it be the City of Toronto, or the Province (MTO)? I don't want to waste a lot of time on this, but like I said this is a saftey issue.

[machew01]

No one has ever given me any grief over running them - which I will do. The two times that I have come closest to crashing involved nearly getting hit from behind at red lights.

mac

[frozennorth]

I don't think they'd do anything about it, especially here in Canada where we only get to ride for 8 mth out of the year But let me know if they do. There's one of these triggers a couple of blocks from my office that drives me crazy.

I run them. Actually talked to a friend of mine who used to be a constable and now is a detective. He said that they are mandated to fine you, but would probably let you off with a warning as long as you weren't doing anything else illegal or dangerous when you ran the light, i.e., cutting in front of traffic, speeding, not coming to a stop prior to proceeding, etc. etc. I don't want to test his theory, so I have a really good look around prior to rolling.

[beemerphile]

A traffic control device that does not detect a legal roadgoing vehicle is defective. Most states have a rule that if you encounter a non-functional TCD you can proceed when safe after a complete stop.

[popgazer]

A traffic control device that does not detect a legal roadgoing vehicle is defective. Most states have a rule that if you encounter a non-functional TCD you can proceed when safe after a complete stop.

Then you trigger the camera

[kp]

A traffic control device that does not detect a legal roadgoing vehicle is defective. Most states have a rule that if you encounter a non-functional TCD you can proceed when safe after a complete stop.

Then you trigger the camera

Hmm, dunno about down there in LA but up here in the south bay area most of the red light cameras seem to be nonfunctional these days. I was wondering if there was maybe some change in the CA laws due to the amounts of lawsuits and whatnot.

Plus around here they only seem to have been put on notorious intersections. The type where at night they blink idiots 8 times per cycle etc. heh. Intersections like that (at least around here) seem to cycle through even in the middle of the night to each point without anyone having triggered anything.

[popgazer]

Hmm, dunno about down there in LA but up here in the south bay area most of the red light cameras seem to be nonfunctional these days.

In LA they are everywhere and they work very well. For such a lucrative source of income the city must be putting up the budget for maintenance.

[beemerphile]

Then you trigger the camera

Then it becomes a defense in traffic court instead of an explanation to a LEO.

Here is an example from Florida law which is probably fairly typical...

Q. What should a driver do when approaching an intersection in which traffic lights are not working?

A. Florida Statutes, Section 316.1235, state: the driver of a vehicle approaching an intersection in which the traffic lights are inoperative shall stop, except when directed to proceed by a police officer.

The driver shall stop:

· at a clearly marked stop line, (or if none,)

· before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, (or if none, then)

· at the point nearest the intersecting roadway where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the intersecting roadway before entering the intersection.

After having stopped, the driver shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle which has entered the intersection from another highway, or which is approaching so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time when the driver is moving across or within the intersection. The traffic signal malfunction should be reported to the police as soon as possible.

Successful use of this as a defense hinges on making your point that a traffic control device that cannot detect a legal road vehicle is "inoperative". I think most LEO's would send you on your way if you presented this in a decent manner. I have done it before.

[popgazer]

Then you trigger the camera

Then it becomes a defense in traffic court instead of an explanation to a LEO.

Sorry, it was meant to be sarcastic humor!
I agree it would probably be no problem getting the ticket thrown out, but you would still have to go through the whole trial process etc. which is still a headache even when done by mail.

[beemerphile]

Sorry, it was meant to be sarcastic humor!

I have been told that I cannot even recognize my own sarcastic humor, so no surprise there.

I agree it would probably be no problem getting the ticket thrown out, but you would still have to go through the whole trial process etc. which is still a headache even when done by mail.

Agree, but depending on traffic, you can't just sit there until someone hopefully comes along. Probably not a problem in LA or Atlanta, but in my part of Georgia you could grow old sitting there. I have often made a right-on-red followed by a legal u-turn when I didn't want to execute a questionable "inoperative signal" maneuver. The fact remains that our M/C's are legal motor vehicles and we should do what we can to insist that the TCD's are tuned to recognize and react to them. One way to do that is to report the ones that don't. Often they can make sensitivity adjustments to them (if the traffic department is responsive).

[NCRoaster]

In North Carolina we can call our local Department of Transportation office to request the vehicle detector to be readjusted to sense motorcycles. The road sensors are adjustable. Of course, asking doesn't mean they will actually do anything. Usually I end up running the light when the way is clear just like everybody else. I have heard this to be a justifiable defense in the event that you receive a ticket. But that doesn't mean it will work if you are stuck with unreasonable courts.