brb

"Agrajag" (Agrajag) 09/18/2016 at 21:51 • Filed to: red light district

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Gonna run some red lights.

There are actually quite a few intersections near me that you can get stuck at where this will be quite helpful.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Agrajag 09/18/2016 at 22:07

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this won’t get abused.

/s

Urambo Tauro > Agrajag 09/18/2016 at 22:33

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I see that the legislation in question applies to all vehicles, not just motorcycles.

Still, there needs to be a way of identifying an “unresponsive signal”. ...Something that would prevent a driver from assuming a malfunction after waiting 5 measly seconds.

A quick Google search quotes the longest red light programming to be in excess of FIVE minutes. That means that unless a driver is 100% familiar with an intersection’s programming, waiting SIX minutes is the only way to confirm that any given signal is indeed unresponsive.

Urambo Tauro > Urambo Tauro 09/18/2016 at 22:55

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Ok, maybe not the “only way”. If the driver in front of you already waited six minutes before going, then they’ve already confirmed the malfunction for you.

JGrabowMSt > Urambo Tauro 09/18/2016 at 23:44

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Most importantly, I think it really just comes down to extremely low traffic, rural areas that don’t rely on timed lights. This would only really be frustrating when there’s no oncoming traffic. I think even some of the thickest skulls would take the hint from an oncoming truck to wait a few more seconds, but there are even lights by me where I end up just sitting there waiting, despite no traffic in sight late in the evenings.

I feel like there does need to be a set time frame though. It can’t be based on personal judgement of an unreasonable amount of time. There needs to be an arbitrary number in place to set a standard. I’m not saying it has to be based on some national average of red light wait times, but people should certainly try to think of this law as turning SOME (not all, only some) red lights into more of an extended stop sign. You should be required to stop for a certain amount of time, be it 30 seconds, 1 minute, I don’t care. That way the cops can ensure that the law is being respected instead of abused. Last thing we need is for a biker gang to roll up to a red light and decide that being stopped at all is unreasonable. Everyone needs to respect the laws and practice them out of safety. Especially motorcycles. Not that some car drivers are any better or worse, but motorcyclists are more vulnerable, to an extreme in comparison.

Sam > JGrabowMSt 09/19/2016 at 01:44

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I’ve been out at 2AM on a weekday and had to wait for red lights. I literally will seemail no other cars the entire drive, but I feel obligated to stop and wait anyways.

Urambo Tauro > JGrabowMSt 09/19/2016 at 09:09

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Leaving it open to interpretation is great when people are responsible drivers/riders. But when I picture people trying to take advantage of it, I can’t help but think that it’s a loophole that needs to be firmly shut.

I have encountered countless “dark signals” during power outages, but only two “unresponsive signal” failures (at two different locations, both when driving a car). It’s a very rare thing to have to deal with for drivers like me, but the motorcycle angle really serves to highlight the situation as a real problem that unfortunately happens frequently enough to require a legitimate backup method of traffic control.

Michigan was looking into drawing up a similar kind of legislation a few years ago, but I’m not sure how far they got with that. In the meantime, the leading recommendation is to make a legal right turn on red and find a place to turn around (or alternate route).