BIKE: traffic signal bike detection

[Lane Wimberley]

You might try Colly Kreidler at the city's Bicycle/Pedestrian program.

stephen.kreidler 

I think he knows where to submit such requests.

While you're at it, Annie and Mary at S. First and S. Congress are
also bike routes without sufficient signal sensitivity (or bike
stencils over the loops).  And, Dawson at Barton Springs Rd., while
not an official bike route (it should be), probably could also use
some sensitivity adjustment for bike detection.

-Lane

On 6/10/05, Art <art123b> wrote:
> I'm assuming this is well known but I've noticed at a
> few signals recently that the traffic signal does not
> change to green on the bike side when only a bike is
> present.  I've sat at a few signals recently where the
> cars on the other side are given a green and my side
> stays red indefinitely (until a car pulls up or a walk
> signal is pushed).
> 
> I would like to contact someone to provide a comment
> on this setup.  Is there a specific person I should
> call at the numbers listed below?
> 
> As far as what to do in this situation I'm assuming:
> It is not legal in Texas to go through the red light.
> 
> It is not legally required to dismount the bike and
> become a pedestrian to walk up on the curb and push
> the walk button.  I've had some close calls with cars
> speeding up to or through the light as I try to get
> back into the lane again.
> Hence the biker is required to wait for a car to come
> along to trigger the light (as long as necessary).
> 
> I had recently read the section "Traffic Signal
> Detector Loops" in the Austin Bicycle Map.  It states
> "Traffic detector loops will detect any form of metal
> or other material that will conduct electricity, but
> they work best with steel and iron.  Some older loops
> [don't detect bikes but they are being replaced]."
> 
> "When you stop at an intersection with a detector
> loop, place the steel parts of your bicycle directly
> over the detector loop wires to insure that the light
> will change for you….Even carbon fiber and aluminum
> bikes have enough detectable parts to trigger the
> loops."
> 
> This seems incorrect as I rode my steel frame bike
> (with aluminum rims) all over the top of long strip
> and it didn't work.  Another steel bike was next to me
> also.  Would laying the steel frame down help?
> 
> The lights I've noticed this happening on are on
> bicycle route #47 at Speedway and 38, and the cross
> streets on the north end of Guadalupe (such as St.
> Johns).
> 
> The BicycleAustin.info website has some excellent
> information.  Thanks Michael!
> 
> Some of the information on the signal triggering page
> was unclear to me however.  Are aluminum wheels
> considered metal?  I think there are few steel wheels
> left anymore.  I also tuned out to the idea of
> wrapping metal wires around my wheel or putting coils
> of wire or magnets under my bike.
> 
> It seems like a more sensitive detector should be
> technically possible.  At least have both sides of the
> traffic signal go green.  I don't see the advantage of
> having one side stay red.  Is this a new change in
> signal operation or have I always had a car next to me
> at these lights?  Or had the random luck that
> sometimes they do detect bikes as Michael notes.
> 
> 
> Information from BicycleAustin.info below
> 
> Laws
> http://bicycleaustin.info/laws/
> 
> Info on traffic trigger and loops
> 
> http://bicycleuniverse.info/transpo/triggering-signals.html
> 
> Reporting problems with Signals, Signs, and Roadways
> >From the Bicycle Program office:
> All traffic signal related questions, including ped
> signals, and sensor loops with bicycle detection
> conflicts can be directed to 457-4850.
> 
> For traffic engineering, traffic signs, striping,
> parking, speed limit, and bicycle related issues, call
> the main number for Traffic Engineering, 974-7129, and
> make an official request for the situation to be
> reviewed. All requests are entered into a computer, a
> "blue form" is then generated and handed over to the
> traffic engineer supervisor who then gives the request
> to one of his 3 engineer technicians. The tech is
> trained to make the initial decision on whether or not
> the request warrants a change to be made. If so, the
> change is made and either way the citizen receives a
> letter back explaining why or why not the change was
> made.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> __________________________________
> Discover Yahoo!
> Find restaurants, movies, travel and more fun for the weekend. Check it out!
> http://discover.yahoo.com/weekend.html
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Get on or off this list here:  http://BicycleAustin.info/list
> 


-- 
"Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the
human race."
- HG Wells