Stoplights that don't turn

[JDM]

Have you ever tried flashing your headlights at the light as you approach it? It is a fairly old school trick that can do the job sometimes.


Doesn't work

[Kracka]

The cop that pulles you over most likely isn't going to see you waiting there for 10 minutes. They saw you run the red which is illegal. I would not make a habit of breaking the law.

Thats why you do it with no other traffic around. I don't want to be held responsible for wasting gas by just sitting there causing global warming. Think of the poor polar icecaps!! ;)

[JDM]

Well #1.
Flashing your lights to attempt a light change is a felony under the impersonation statute. "OPTICON" is a device that sends BOTH a strobe light, and an infared beam to stoplights up to 1 mile away. These are usually mounted behind the grill on unmarked, or squads with new LED light bars, or in the mid section of a larger, older light bar. You will see the white flood light mounted at the top of each signal light up when the OPTICON has been tripped.

#2
Red is Red. Not yielding to a semaphore is a statute violation. A Semaphore is the imaginary box formed by an intersection. Failure to follow directions on the signs that control and regulate this "box", such as lights, signs, or persons, is a fineable offense. Sounds dumb, but call dispatch non emergency line if you can, and inform them. I'd say if no one is looking.....


not my fault if you get a ticket though....

[dylan]

I have heard that if you are at a light that doesn't change, after you wait for a reasonable amount of time you can treat the light just as a stop sign and go through it if there is no traffic. I have done this numerous times.

CRAIG


this is true, they were teaching it to us at the motorcycle driving course. it is because the sensors detect metal, not weight.

[Khadgar]

There are like 2 lights around the mall that do this, i have no idea how no one else hasn't complained about it, but it is so irritating. Maybe I should wait longer? I can't imagine that working though, the lights around me had cycled a few times each while the light I was at would change to let crosstraffic make left hand turns, but never green to let me go forward.

[GSXMatt]

Theres a few in Woodbury to get onto 94 that suck. That's about it though.

[Matt D.]

Instead of whining about it on here you should pick up the phone and contact the city street department or the police department and let them know.

[x-pride]

That happenes to me alot. I notice that some times I am not on top of the sensor on the road and it does not turn. So I move my car foward a little or reverse alittle and it usually work. I don't know if this is going to work for you but it wouldn't hurt to try. That flashing like trick does not work because it is not the strobe lights that trips the sensors. They have a device in their vechicle that trips the sensors. The correct way of doing things is like what DSM said call the city and complain. If you get caught running the light than that is a ticket. If you take it to court you might win but it is on your record so you could never use that excuse next time. Most people who drive that route probably avoid that light because they know how long it takes to turn and go a different route(joking).

[x-pride]

I mean JDM not DSM. My fault.

[Jakey]

Well I am not going to start an agrument but I have personally seen the headlight flashing trick work within the past few months so it is possible.