New "Dead Red" law

[Bennettjh]

We have been discussing this in our group. It's definitely a good idea but extreme caution is a must. I usually wait it out or turn right if it's possible. In a left turn only lane with its own light, I'll move the bike around to "trip" the light.

 

[Scutter01]

I am all for the law and glad it is in place, but if you are on a motorcycle you will always have to deal with problems. I was sitting at an intersection in the turn lane waiting to turn left. The traffic lights are green for my side (without turn light because I rolled up on a green) but the oncoming traffic that I will be turning in front of has a van with two ladies in it sitting and not moving forward. I am thinking to myself that their light must be green since I don't have a turn light. After waiting for awhile I decide that it must me red for them since they aren't moving. I let out on the clutch and start to move forward, as I do I notice one of the ladies that were talking instead of paying attention say "Oh it's green". She starts to go forward. I am already committed to the turn and trying to stop would have meant laying the bike down. I twisted the throttle and got through before she hit me.

Riding season in upon us so be safe out there.

I would say that this law doesn't really apply to the situation you described. Regardless, there will always be exceptions which is why officer discretion is so important.

 

[Long Rider]

Various states have similar laws. Most require you wait 2 cycles before turning. Problem is, you don't know which ones do. I normally wait one cycle and proceed with caution. Was stopped in Nevada for turning on red, had a nice visit with a friendly cop, who said next time do it when there were no cops around. Red light cameras would be a problem. I will go straight ahead and turn around to make a right, if there is a lot of traffic.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I've had this happen to me several times in a car too and it drives me crazy. I've turned right before just to go down the road, turn around and head back in the direction I had been wanting to go. There are two lights near me (Thompson and Meridian, Thompson and U.S. 31) that are ridiculously skewed in favor of north-south traffic so it's bad enough waiting for them to change even if the sensor does "see" me if I'm heading east-west on Thompson.

 

[CathyInBlue]

This is a new law?

When I went through the Basic Rider Course at ISU about 10 years ago, that was what they instructed. If you wait too long and the light's control sensors aren't detecting that you're there, proceed against the light cautiously when traffic permits.

 

[Gluemanz28]

I would say that this law doesn't really apply to the situation you described. Regardless, there will always be exceptions which is why officer discretion is so important.

Rider discretion, officer discretion???? Who do you think will win that argument?

 

[hornadylnl]

This is a new law?

When I went through the Basic Rider Course at ISU about 10 years ago, that was what they instructed. If you wait too long and the light's control sensors aren't detecting that you're there, proceed against the light cautiously when traffic permits.

Evidently we need the new law because some can't exercise common sense discretion and write tickets for it.

 

[Bob2]

I am just glad I can count to 2 minutes really fast

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Your safe word is "vaðlaheiðarvegavinnuverkfærageymsluskúraútidyraly klakippuhringur"

Yeah, right, like anyone from IMPD can say that properly in Sanskrit while being strangled.

 

[Scutter01]

I am just glad I can count to 2 minutes really fast

That's weird. My wife says the same thing.

 

[KittySlayer]

That's weird. My wife says the same thing.

How does your wife know how fast Bob2 can count?

 

[KG1]

I just do this on the octagon then go.

[video=youtube;Ea9-8Db9pmo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea9-8Db9pmo[/video]

 

[Long Rider]

I just do this on the octagon then go.

At $150 a pop for tires, I'll run the light

 

[Hohn]

I've had that happen to me in a car before. So, some of them won't trigger even if you sit right on the octagon? Hadn't thought of that.

I've had a light fail to trigger with 7000lb of Dodge and Cummins right on the sensors. I suspect only that my truck was a little higher off the ground than it preferred. Need to have the steel closer to ground for the induction effect to kick in, apparently.

 

[MTubbs1]

I can never get the light at 28&31, now I won't be a criminal yay

 

[Mark 1911]

Strangle law. I saw this a couple of days ago.

If you have ever sat at a red light on a motorcycle that will not change because the magnetic couplers in the pavement can't pick up the non-ferrous wheels, it really does make sense, especially when a right turn is not an option (left turn lane for example). It's really bad when there's a line of cars behind you waiting for the light that the bike will not trip. I used to pull up ahead of the line and wave the car behind me to ride up a little closer, but some people don't understand what's going on.

 

[1775usmarine]

As a rider who hasn't a year yet under their belt I've had this happen before and didn't feel right enough to do it. I was sitting at US30 and 421 in Wanatah. I had to turn north on 421 and the light for everyone else had gone through 3 cycles. I also had cars behind me waiting to turn and I felt really bad it wasn't changing. I could also feel the death stares coming from behind. With this law I'm pretty happy for those less busy intersections and places where the speed limit is less than 45, but would feel uneasy trying this where traffic is blowing through at 60+ especially if you had to make a left turn.

 

[9mmfan]

Heck, this sometimes happens while driving my car. Happened several times this past winter when the snow was packed so tight on the road nothing activated the red light sensor.
Makes sense for bikes.

 

[WilsonMD]

I'm glad this law has passed, now I will be legal doing what I have always done.

 

[Gluemanz28]

I was coming home from a trip gone bad a couple years ago and found myself sitting in an intersection in Chicago on Friday night around midnight. I was in the turn lane when I see flashing lights ahead and hear sirens. A little sports car with a muffler that sounded like a a sick bumble bee went through the red light in the oncoming lane crossed in front of me diagonally and back in the proper direction of traffic. Two of Chicago's finest in hot pursuit followed his path through the intersection. The second unit was an SUV. It slid in the "S" turn that they were making. I decided that running the red light was safer than where I was sitting. I got out of the city and and pointed my Scoot towards Elkhart and didn't look back. I got home at 2:00 AM with a total of 830 miles for the day.