Stoplights that don't turn

Khadgar · 01-09-2005

Has anyone ever been to a stoplight that just wont turn green? Twice I've been around the mall at night and this one light WILL NOT turn,I was sitting there for close to 10 minutes, no one else came from the same direction I was and the light just never turned, I ended up making a right and then a U turn to get across. It seems like a few of the lights there are like that, is there anyone to complain to?

Jakey · 01-09-2005

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.

**Kracka** · 01-09-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakey

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.

That doesn't work, and is illegal to even try.

TheBlizzard · 01-09-2005

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

Jana · 01-09-2005

How does flashing your lights help? I've never heard of that.

Khadgar · 01-09-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRAIG

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

I eventually did that last night and it felt SO wrong, it was like 4am and I didn't feel like drviving a few blocks out of my way to make a uturn, but what if we ever got those stupid stoplight cams.....

Iceman · 01-09-2005

Buy a motorcycle

**Kracka** · 01-09-2005

When riding my motorcycle, stoplights never turn for me so once the traffic is clear I'll just go. If I ever got a ticket for that I'd take it to court and win without a doubt. When sitting at a stoplight for a few minutes with no opposing traffic, I'll just go. They can give me a ticket all they want, but honestly, how does that make me a threat to society? I'll fight that too and probably win.

**Kracka** · 01-09-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSMChick

How does flashing your lights help? I've never heard of that.

Some people think the emergency vehicle strobe sensors on the lights will catch it and give you a green. It doesn't work, first off human reactions aren't quick enough to strobe a bulb, secondly, halogen lamps can't strobe, they have too much fade time. Maybe this worked way back in the day when the sensors were first put in place, but no anymore.

john · 01-09-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRAIG

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

BS. Who is to determine what a "reasonable amount of time" is. They were thinking about passing a law for motorcycles a while ago. I am not sure if it passed or not. 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. We will see what JDM has to say.

JDM · 01-09-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakey

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** · 01-09-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by 92tsiawd84

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 · 01-09-2005

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 · 01-09-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRAIG

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 · 01-09-2005

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 · 01-09-2005

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

Matt D. · 01-09-2005

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 · 01-09-2005

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 · 01-09-2005

I mean JDM not DSM. My fault.

Jakey · 01-09-2005

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.