BIKE: Needed signal sensor adjustments on bike routes

[Michael Bluejay]

Remember the advice from BicycleAustin / Car-Free World:

	http://bicycleaustin.info/triggering.html

	"If you want to  trigger the traffic lights with 100% certainty, 
simply  get off the bike and lay the front wheel of the cycle  flat 
over the loop towards one corner for a second or two. The rim of a 
cycle wheel acts like a big short  circuited turn of wire and used in 
this way will produce  a bigger signal than most automobiles do. The 
reason for  this is that you can place your wheel flat on the ground  
so that it is about 10 x closer to the loop than most automobiles can 
reach."

Yeah, it's inconvenient, but it (supposedly) works.

Did I mention I'm going to Vegas?  Expect a full report on the 
monorail, and the allegedly new BRT, which I suspect is anything but.

-MBJ-


On Jul 30, 2004, at 9:47 AM, Lane S. Wimberley wrote:

> In trying out a new route down to my new location today, I discovered
> the following signalized intersections that are part of established
> bike routes officially recognized by the city, yet having sensors that
> are not sufficiently sensitive to be triggered by a bike.  It's also
> the case that there's no bike stencil on the pavement to indicate
> where to place wheels to trigger the signal at these intersections.
>
> This is particularly frustrating since, in the morning, the bike route
> through these intersections tends to be perpendicular to main car
> commuting routes, so the lights tend to just stay green for that
> direction, and it can be a long time waiting for a car to come along
> to trigger the signal (presumably by the nature of the primacy of the
> car commuting route).  Also, there are many occassions where I need to
> be in the left lane, and so triggering the signal using the pedestrian
> "push to cross" button at the corner isn't a realistic option.
>
> This seems pretty bad to me, and not just because it's very
> inconvenient.  We have bike routes to encourage people to bike instead
> of drive.  But, then they are either frustrated by finding themselves
> second rate citizens, or feel encouraged to break laws by running
> lights, etc.  The latter is particularly dangerous during rush hours,
> but I see it happening.
>
> The intersections I discovered this morning are
>
>   o 40th & Lamar, in front of Central Market
>
>   o West & W. 38th, just south of Central Market
>
>   o Mary & S. Congress, at Fulmore Jr. H.S.
>
> It would be marvelous if the City could get these sensors adjusted to
> sense the presence of a bike.
>
> -Lane
>
> PS Otherwise, I'm really digging the new commute!  ...well, except for
> the nails and glass around I-35 and Ben White.
>
> _______________________________________________________________________
> Lane Wimberley             8303 N. MoPac, Suite A-300  Austin, TX 78759
> Wayport, Inc.                512.519.6195 (voice)    512.519.6200 (fax)
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