SuzukiSavage.com - "Dead red light" question

JLC

Senior Member

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 262
Black Forest, Colorado
Gender: male

"Dead red light" question
12/10/17 at 13:04:07

The weather this year in Colorado is great for us motorcyclists... I went on a long ride yesterday on my Sportster, and today on the S40. Normally, the roads I take either have no traffic lights, or traffic lights with enough traffic to trigger them.

Not today. On two occasions, I was stopped at a red light that did not want to change. I know that only 16 states allow a motorcycle to go though a red light that does not change, with differences as to what a "dead red light" consists of - two or three cycles, or a certain amount of time, or..?

I cannot find the answer online for Colorado. Is it a state that allows motorcycles to go through a "dead red light", or not? Is there a site with information about which states allow this kind of thing, or not?

Back to top

IP Logged

verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28752 L.A. California Gender:	Re: "Dead red light" question Reply #1 - 12/10/17 at 13:41:51 Of course not a question I would like to answer on an outastate ride, and there'll always be that ahole cop. But most are reasonable and if you've waited 2 cycles I'd go... and most likely I would go at 1 if there was no traffic to contend with.
Back to top	Versey's Place Tech Section Index IP Logged

Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28362 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: "Dead red light" question Reply #2 - 12/10/17 at 14:16:04 If they gave me a ticket for it, I'd go to court... What are you supposed to do,.. go home?...
Back to top	Ludicrous Speed !... ... ... IP Logged

badwolf Serious Thumper Offline Ridin' my Lil' Bagger - 153k miles so far Posts: 793 Palm Beach County, FL Gender:	Re: "Dead red light" question Reply #3 - 12/10/17 at 15:20:03 Go to Harbor Freight and get a 150lb pick-up magnet. About $15, mount it under the bracket for the C. Converter, and the lights WILL trip. Over the last 2 years I only found one that did not trip for me. It does cut down on your ground clearance thou, only noticeable when rolling over logs.
Back to top	IP Logged

Ed L. Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline "We All go a Little Crazy Sometimes" Norman Bates Posts: 2808 Sunny Florida Gender:	Re: "Dead red light" question Reply #4 - 12/10/17 at 15:27:20 Roll the bike up to one of the sensor wires embedded in the road, turn the bike off and then fire it back up. The magnetic field generated by the starter should trigger the sensor most of the time. Or just say F*** it and run the light when the road is clear.
Back to top	Silver '02, clubman handle bars, Cobra headlight, Sportster muffler, K+N stock air filter, 152.5 main, Superbrace, oil cooler, 1/2 inch aluminium plate forward controls, spark advance, goes like stink IP Logged

Ruttly

Serious Thumper

Offline

Thumpers Rule

Posts: 4997
Manteca , CA
Gender: male

Re: "Dead red light" question
Reply #5 - 12/10/17 at 17:38:41

I have a magnet from a hard drive mounted on the bottom of my frame , I just center it over that tar line and the light changes. What they call a rare earth magnet,buy them on eBay. I got 2 at work the size of silver dollars and you don't want to get your finger between then. Those pick up magnets are large & heavy ,these tiny magnets put out a larger stronger magnetic field. You can also buy a Greenlighter kit on eBay.

Back to top

The Topic Terminator

IP Logged

MMRanch Serious Thumper Offline Evil flourishes if Good Men do Nothing. Posts: 5716 LYNCHBURG TN Gender:	Re: "Dead red light" question Reply #6 - 12/10/17 at 18:16:07 I'm with ED ! : Or just say F*** it and run the light when the road is clear. In Tn. its legal to "just run it" when clear , but we're supposed to wait one cycle
Back to top	I see and feel the Holy Spirit in the world , as does anybody who has eyes to see. How far Man's corruption reaches into Organized Religion , we may never know IP Logged

Ruttly Serious Thumper Offline Thumpers Rule Posts: 4997 Manteca , CA Gender:	Re: "Dead red light" question Reply #7 - 12/10/17 at 18:44:16 It does cut down on your ground clearance thou, only noticeable when rolling over logs. [/quote] OK !
Back to top	The Topic Terminator IP Logged

JLC Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 262 Black Forest, Colorado Gender:	Re: "Dead red light" question Reply #8 - 12/10/17 at 19:36:56 Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I have a hard drive magnet which I stuck on the frame, just like Ruttly did. I still don't know if it's legal to go though a "dead red light" in Colorado, but I won't have to worry about that if the magnet works!
Back to top	IP Logged

justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: "Dead red light" question Reply #9 - 12/11/17 at 03:50:37 Take a right, do a u turn, and ride
Back to top	The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke. IP Logged

Dave

YaBB Moderator
ModSquad

Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 17784
Camp Springs, Kentucky
Gender: male

Re: "Dead red light" question
Reply #10 - 12/11/17 at 04:58:19

Most of the lights I come up to will acknowledge my existence and change.

If the traffic is sparse and I can safely pull out after a significant wait - I will. (Since I am old and grey haired and not riding a sport bike or rat rod....my chances of explaining my action to the LEO are pretty good).

If there is heavy traffic - I will make a right turn on red and turn around at the next legal opportunity.

Another option arises when a car comes up behind you - you can pull ahead of the traffic loop.stop bar and try to get the car behind you to pull up onto the loop detector - sometimes you have to walk back and tell them what is going on and you need their help!

Back to top

Someday I will be old......But not today!

IP Logged

batman Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 3806 osceola new york Gender:	Re: "Dead red light" question Reply #11 - 12/11/17 at 06:21:25 Some have added strong magnet under the bike ( magnets from an old microwave may be a good bet) or you could try hitting your kill switch and restarting the bike ,the magnetic field from the alternator /starter motor may be enough to trigger the light.
Back to top	my old work mates called me MacGyver IP Logged

JLC Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 262 Black Forest, Colorado Gender:	Re: "Dead red light" question Reply #12 - 12/11/17 at 08:17:40 I added a magnet yesterday, and if that does not work, hopefully the "kill switch trick" will. That being said, the first time I came across a "dead red light" in over a year of riding was yesterday, so it's not that big a problem! Thanks again for all the suggestions.
Back to top	IP Logged

LANCER Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Savage Beast Performance Parts Posts: 10586 Oklahoma Gender:	Re: "Dead red light" question Reply #13 - 12/11/17 at 15:25:36 Oklahoma has a sensible law that says if you need to make a left turn at a light, and the signal does not come on, then after a full cycle of the lights you may make your left turn when traffic is clear.
Back to top	IP Logged

stewmills Serious Thumper Offline Imagination is more important than knowledge Posts: 2626 Auburn, AL Gender:	Re: "Dead red light" question Reply #14 - 12/11/17 at 20:25:47 See here for states that allow running a dead red light. Scroll down toward the bottom. https://www.bikebandit.com/blog/post/how-dead-red-laws-let-motorcycles-run-re...
Back to top	2008 \| 152/52.5–Air Mix 3/4 \| RT6 w/Redline \| Seat Lift w/Sheepskin \| Speedo Rattle \| Rear Pulley Shim \| 140/90-15 Rear \| Kaw Front Pulley \| Relocated Rear Signals FREEDOM ISN'T FREE! IP Logged