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How to Trigger Green Traffic Lights

wikihow.com — "...some methods that will help turn and red light to green."

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  • louiebaur, on 06/30/2008, -13/+81Man when I am on my bike I can never trigger the light and I usually have to just run it!
    • FTWmovin2canada, on 06/30/2008, -0/+14I can almost always get my bike to trigger the light just by stopping in the right area like the article talks about.
      • haydesigner, on 06/30/2008, -1/+5*IF* you can see the wires. Sometimes when they resurface or re-tar the roads, they also cover up the tell-tale signs of them in the process.
      • wabbiteh, on 07/01/2008, -1/+6Which is why you should always make sure to have a metal detector attached to your bike.
      • haydesigner, on 07/01/2008, -1/+2Metal Detector?
        Methinks you mean a neodymium magnet. A metal detector won't do a damn thing.
      • Clumber, on 07/01/2008, -1/+2errm... wouldn't the metal detector, you know, detect the metal of the sensors? Perhaps wabbiteh intended to use the detector to detect where the loop is.

        Or i'm a douche, s/he's a douche, and haydesigner is the only non-douche.
    • flash84x, on 06/30/2008, -8/+8Make sure you are over the sensors in the road, kill your engine and turn it back on. I am not a mechanic but from what I am told this causes a bit of a magnetic field which can help trip the sensor. I have done this multiple times and it seems to work in most cases, or I am just getting lucky.

      I guess I should RTFA, this is included in one of the tips on the page.
      • mandraque, on 07/01/2008, -0/+3this is right. The main thing going on here is inductance.

        Also the faster you pass over the sensors the bigger the disturbance you will make.
        magnetic force is q(charge) * v(velocity of the charge) * B(magnetic field). A magnetic force on the underground loop will cause it to 'trip'.

        Theres also the magnetic flux way. Which, sans the specifics, means that when any magnetic flux is introduced the current will try to counter act it. Or something like that. If a car is introduced to the situation, it 'trips' the sensor.
      • BalooUrsidae, on 07/02/2008, -1/+1If you have to go through that much effort to trigger the signal, the sensor is fundamentally damaged. A bicycle should be able to trigger the signal, as they're prohibited on sidewalks in all fifty states.
    • Spankypoo, on 06/30/2008, -0/+4The mistake I always used to make was to assume that the sensor was under the center of area cut into the asphalt -- it's not. For years I sort of pulled up and sat in the center of the area, and figured my bike didn't have enough metal in it.

      Put your bike (and ideally, the chain, if you're riding carbon or aluminum) over the seam that runs parallel with your direction, and you should get the green. Even though I'm riding carbon now, I almost never have an intersection not recognize me (though sensors in different cities may work differently, can't say).

      Having a road worker on a group ride was very educational.
      • BalooUrsidae, on 07/02/2008, -0/+1It's probably simpler to say, "Divide the circle or diamond the sensor loop is in in thirds, stop over the divisions between thirds so the loop crosses under your bike twice."
    • BoneStamp, on 07/01/2008, -0/+7Reminds me of working at McDonald's in high school... kids would always come through drive-thru on their bike or rollerblades and wonder why no one would answer their screams (the intercom is activated using the same sensors as traffic lights). As noted, you can trigger them with a bike if you're precise enough.
      • macbookhair, on 07/01/2008, -8/+4roller blades... how ***** ghetto is that
      • BoneStamp, on 07/01/2008, -1/+9@macbookhair
        That was when the only company making rollerblades was RollerBlade(tm)... so it was urban rich kids, not that ghetto really.
    • freshgrease, on 07/01/2008, -10/+1Being the typical fatass American riding a motorcycle, I have found that a 300+lb man + a 300+lb bike does not set off the sensor. You'd think "duh", but you fail to realize I'm twice the man you are...literally. I've tested my patience, 3 light changes is my limit. I'll make a right turn, then a u-turn, then a right turn to go straight. Damn. Why don't they make those things sensitive enough?
      • wabbiteh, on 07/01/2008, -0/+7Weight doesn't affect the sensors.
        Unless there are some pressure-sensitive ones, but I'm not sure how they'd manage that reliably. Even if there are, they certainly aren't terribly common.
    • sodade, on 07/01/2008, -11/+2On my roadbike, I run lights regularly. I know when it is safe for me, and if it is, I am going.
      It's my life in my hands and my safety takes precedence over laws (especially ones made for cars). Intersections are the highest risk I take and starting it with momentum is generally safer than from a dead stop.

      The only risk here is that it confuses drivers - if you are that easily confused, GTFO the roads. I can't believe how ridiculously easy it is to get a fricking driver's license in this country.
      • blahtastic, on 07/01/2008, -0/+5If safety takes precedence you shouldn't be running intersections at all.
      • haydesigner, on 07/01/2008, -0/+4"my safety takes precedence over laws"

        I'm sure that works REAL well when whimpering to the cop that pulls you over.
      • bigbenorr, on 07/01/2008, -2/+1I agree, I run lights all the time on my bicycle. It is stupid to try to make bikes follow laws that are designed for cars.

        also @ haydesigner, I make sure to look around for cops when I do it. never been pulled over in 5 summers of riding.
      • sodade, on 07/01/2008, -1/+1@blahtastic "If safety takes precedence you shouldn't be running intersections at all."
        Like I said, it is generally MORE dangerous to come to a stop at an intersection - if I can't blow the the intersection safely, I don't do it (duh). Anybody who is digging me down either doesn't ride a roadbike, or is a blind rule follower. As far as getting pulled over, it has happened twice. One cop agreed with me 100%, the other one didn't want to hear it and wrote me a ticket. I just shut up and I paid the fine - it is a small price to pay for my safety.
    • ModernGeek, on 07/01/2008, -0/+2My city has a good multi-million dollar contract with a company that maintains the lights here. Seems to be a good investment, as all the lights always seem to work well.
    • dienaked, on 07/01/2008, -1/+6In many places it is legal to proceed against the red light on a bicycle if the sensor doesn't recognize your presence.
      • BalooUrsidae, on 07/02/2008, -0/+1[citation needed]. It's a common misconception that can get you slapped with a nice moving violation. I got a ticket in 2000 for exactly that. The judge knocked the fine in half because he himself was cited the week before doing the same thing I did at the same traffic light.
    • dOOBiEx213, on 07/01/2008, -11/+6HAHA! You ride a bike!
      • BalooUrsidae, on 07/02/2008, -0/+1Haha, you're paying for gas/transit fare.
    • muzy, on 07/01/2008, -1/+1I know about this like 2 years ago when the first atricle came out, it does work only on smaller streets.
  • snea, on 06/30/2008, -24/+305If I'm feeling slightly impatient I just pull my gun out from under my seat fire a few shots at the goddamn things. I'm not a very good shot but usually after around the third shot the light is all like "Oh ***** I better turn green right now!" and it changes for me. On time I was trying to turn left and the ***** piece of ***** light gave me a green light rather than a green arrow and I was able to empty my clip and put out the red bulb before I finally ***** had a chance to go.
    • Thrash16, on 06/30/2008, -2/+90This actually works when the real lights are out and it's a police officer directing traffic...
    • StealthMonkey, on 06/30/2008, -1/+74I can't stop laughing. You made my day better.
    • bman85, on 06/30/2008, -21/+2Where'd you go psycho boy?
    • DeathJux, on 06/30/2008, -1/+28So if that's your response when you're slightly impatient, what do you do when you're really in a hurry?

      Suitcase bomb? Howitzer?
      • ShellShock11, on 07/01/2008, -2/+1Actually, a gun that shoots shurikens and lightning.
    • fxu1989, on 06/30/2008, -2/+12I just finished watching Wanted, and now I'm reading this and I'm imagining you doing a curve bullet to the traffic lights.
    • aerovolce, on 07/01/2008, -1/+1I want what you're on
    • IllBeBack, on 07/01/2008, -1/+1Ha ha +1 for "***** piece of ***** light"

      Damn that was funny.
    • ShellShock11, on 07/01/2008, -0/+4Self Defense??
  • MrSketch, on 06/30/2008, -9/+388Best method: Stare at them. It works every time.
    • byrc, on 06/30/2008, -2/+96Also works with women, trust me.
    • megamod, on 07/01/2008, -2/+2That might work better than those stupid tricks of getting your TV controller and pressing 6 and 9 at the same time while pointing at the light...

      When I read the title I thought it'd be one of those fake stupid videos
    • Vocifer, on 07/01/2008, -5/+3Weird Al Yankovic joke from 2002 I believe.
      • sherbertbones, on 07/01/2008, -1/+1I'm sure about 2 people care
      • ohnoitstaylor, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1You are halfway right. He used it back on Space Ghost Coast to Coast, back in 1994.
    • MadN, on 07/01/2008, -5/+0Your doing it wrong; stare at the control box to the side of the intersection.
    • petaganayr, on 07/01/2008, -4/+0Hahaha
    • melophobia07, on 07/01/2008, -4/+1That's what chuck norris would do.
    • Rage67, on 07/01/2008, -2/+1I thought you had to blink? - matilda
  • Brianguy2000, on 06/30/2008, -22/+12Some traffic lights have a sensor on top for emergency vehicles lights. Try flashing your hi beams rapidly to see if it changes.
    • DroogInPhoenix, on 06/30/2008, -13/+3I have those near my work, I found it does not work if your driving up to them, but need to be stationary at the stop then flash your high beams, usually changes in about 3 seconds.
    • StealthMonkey, on 06/30/2008, -6/+30myth
      • buba1243, on 06/30/2008, -3/+8Not myth although that type of light is no longer in production and being replaced with an rf id type for emergency vehicles. It will work with a very small subset of lights.
      • mikeyellenlee, on 06/30/2008, -5/+3No, I have one I pass by and use the same trick on every day.
      • polymyxin, on 07/01/2008, -0/+4Folks saying this isn't a myth: You're wrong. Sorry. The signal preemption systems you see on some traffic lights are based on infrared or strobe systems, which require lights to be flashed at specific high frequencies; it's impossible to flash your headlights at the speed of a strobe. Many people claim it works... well, it seems that way, but the actual case is that either your light is controlled by an in-pavement or camera system like those described in this article, or you're simply at the right place at the right time and leaving aside the times when it didn't work out.
      • DroogInPhoenix, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1Maybe it wasnt in wide spread use... Maybe the ground censors are not working... If I do not flash my high beams that light can take 4-5 minutes to change. It isnt on all the lights on this street just a couple of them. All the other lights change faster. But it isnt IR on this one but a flash of the high beams. So go ahead and digg me down, you aren't on this street 3-4 times a day.
    • The_Red_Monkey, on 06/30/2008, -1/+29Its for an infrared device not your high beams. I hate those morons who flash their high beams at every light.
      • Abomonog, on 06/30/2008, -3/+11It's not infrared detector it's a strobe detector. People you need to use an actual strobe light that fires at 10 to 15 times a second to activate the detectors. That's why the headlights no longer work (they used to in the 80's).

        If you don't believe me then just look at the front of the next fire truck or ambulance.
      • apophenic, on 06/30/2008, -7/+5wut if u can flash ur headlights that fast
      • ZeNiTH456, on 06/30/2008, -2/+7@AbomonogAbomonog: partially correct.. it's an infrared strobe detector. Normal lights will emit infrared light as well which is why it will work with some strobe lights if you can get the frequency correct. However the sensor is only looking at the infrared wavelengths.

        Side note: my professor programmed a strobe light to do this but was afraid the street cameras that they have on almost every intersection in the city would detect this and he would eventually get a ticket. To get around this he put an infrared filter on the strobe so there wouldn't be visible light.
      • Murdats, on 07/01/2008, -1/+4dont most cameras pick up infra red aswell, as in a personal camera that picks up the remote light and stuff.
      • curtis87xc03, on 07/01/2008, -2/+1Tell your profressor that infrared light shows up on cameras
    • curtis87xc03, on 06/30/2008, -1/+8Unless you can flash your headlights at 14 hertz youre out of luck with that method. For the person who says it is only for infrared, it works with any light that flashes at 14hz, a lot of the fire trucks use the 3m opticom which is just a really bright white light at the front that flashes at the required rate.

      Some towns use a coded system that they set the flash rate on, but for the most part its just 14hz because they want other emergency vehicles from other towns to be able to use the preemption system.
    • h4k0r, on 06/30/2008, -1/+3I guess it depends where you live. I used to work a grave yard shift and driving home at 4 am if I didnt flash my lights I would actually have to almost come to a complete stop. CHP where I live have said that it is true, some lights will respond to that, and if they catch you doing that they can ticket you.
    • mikeyellenlee, on 06/30/2008, -2/+3It does work on some lights, especially green arrows, like the one that goes into my neighborhood...works every time. Dugg up, ***** these guys.
      • XxERMxX, on 07/01/2008, -2/+1Some lights... meaning you have better luck with them. And especially green arrows.... because they're shorter... Dugg down, ***** you guy.
      • mikeyellenlee, on 07/02/2008, -0/+1Some lights meaning I have better luck with them? What? And oh yeah, ***** you...I'm a lady, learn how to read.
  • WallnutBoy, on 06/30/2008, -23/+795. Pray as you approach.
    • fredmv, on 06/30/2008, -6/+31Richard Dawkins would disagree with that one.
    • PoonGnarfler, on 07/01/2008, -3/+15The Flying Spaghetti Monster always uses His Noodly Appendage to turn a light green for me. Perhaps this "Richard Dawkins" simply does not believe enough...
  • kevman459, on 06/30/2008, -15/+188Slowly creep forward every few seconds that the light doesn't change. Many of these lights require you to move your car at least 3 times after coming to an initial stop.

    Also most of the sensors are well beyond the "stop line" so you should position your car about halfway into the intersection.
    • lostsymphonies1, on 06/30/2008, -15/+45I'd rather not put half of my car into oncoming traffic
    • gquaglia, on 06/30/2008, -1/+9The loops into the intersection are flow sensors to keep the light green based on amounts of cars going through the intersection.
    • itsthebrod, on 06/30/2008, -3/+36Almost nothing makes me think less of drivers that slowly inch their way into the intersection. It's like their destination is so incredibly important, that the several milliseconds they're going to save by being inches ahead of the rest of traffic will somehow make them get there faster. So annoying (and pointless).
      • havocjaw, on 07/01/2008, -6/+3It actually saves a minute amount of gas by closing the distance at a light. It also allows people behind you to get out of an intersection, or whatever roadway or turn lane they are blocking.
      • rhkenji, on 07/01/2008, -1/+6I do that when I drive stick. I try to mix the clutch / gas earlier when I expect the green light to turn on in a moment. Specially when its on a hill.
      • orangekid13, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1what about the people who stop 18 car lengths behind the car in front of them, or if they're in the front, so far back they never trigger the light and a fedex truck parallel parks between them and the crosswalk with ease?
        that's what bugs me most about people who aren't moving. when they are it's going slow in the left lane holding up traffic, luckily washington state patrol officers have picked that for their current focus, which is nice because they're FINALLY enforcing the "keep right except to pass" law that I seem to be the only one observing most days.
      • BossKey, on 07/01/2008, -0/+2I too hate those drivers who inch out, but on the completely opposite end are the clueless drivers who stop too far back of the intersection to trigger the light. I have on at least two occasions watched the left turn light not go green for a couple complete cycles (i.e., a few minutes), and slowly realize that I am going to have to get out of the left turn lane, pull around and up to the car at the front, roll down the window and yell at them that IF YOU DON'T PULL ALL THE WAY UP TO THE STOP LINE YOU WILL NEVER, EVER LEAVE THIS INTERSECTION KTHXBAI. And shake my head.
    • BalooUrsidae, on 07/02/2008, -0/+1They're metal detectors, not motion detectors. Use your brain.
  • rpi22, on 06/30/2008, -14/+7you missed a couple;

    At crosswalks, press the button 3 short, 2 long, 1 short, 2 long, 3 short and it turns the light instantly

    from your car, use a universal remote that is programmed with the code 9-1-1, its tricky finding the right button to press but its usually the power button, volume, or channel. Also, this only works on lights equipped to responded to emergency vehicles and you must point the remote at the sensor.
    • shondell, on 06/30/2008, -4/+2http://www.metacafe.com/watch/418960/make_traffic_ ...
      crosswalk

      http://www.metacafe.com/watch/496319/change_traffi ...
      remote

      Has anyone actually given any of these a try?
      • Portfolioso, on 06/30/2008, -3/+10The 9-1-1 universal remote sounds like BS. here are the flaws. First off, different brands of remotes have different codes so 9-1-1 will not be the same. The second flaw in the video is when it states the sensor will "detect the flashing lights of an emergency vehicle." I drive an ambulance, and the sensors on the lights respond to an infrared transponder, not the vehicle lights. Unless the IR signal is reproduced exactly, you won't be changing that light.

        Also, whoever that guy is talking, he makes a lot of BS Metacafe videos that sound believable.
  • fullofbugs, on 06/30/2008, -19/+2UK - was coming back from a gig one night and the taxi guy said if he flashed his high beams 2 times as he came up 2 the lights it changed the lights to green?
    • ocbeta, on 06/30/2008, -1/+15I don't know what you are trying 2 say
    • CrudeDarkness, on 06/30/2008, -0/+12I love you 2?
    • subhuman, on 06/30/2008, -1/+4This is true - in the uk we dont use sensors like this, there is a small mounted camera on top of the light that detects changes in light (i.e car approaching) so at night you can flash your high beam and trigger the light - things like low bridges with 1 lane which are always red until you approach come to mind.
    • Remmiz, on 06/30/2008, -0/+7Why would you type out the word "one" but not "to" or "two"?
  • BillionWishlist, on 06/30/2008, -14/+2nice a how to guide to get through traffic lights!
  • subliminali, on 06/30/2008, -6/+24you just ask the north korean traffic lady very nicely and she lets you through.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt31epdorY4
    • bjornski, on 06/30/2008, -0/+8Nice body on that one.

      But that's one job I wouldn't want.
      • faatbuddha, on 07/01/2008, -0/+4Seriously... I was expecting a bus ending.
    • centran, on 07/01/2008, -0/+6So how do you know if you can go?
      Here is how I think it works.
      It looks like if she is facing you or her back is facing you then you have to stop. If she points her stick at you and then in a direction then you can turn. Otherwise if she is sideways to you then you can just fly through the intersections.
    • mrjhmm, on 07/01/2008, -0/+4I saw that in India, too. Unfortunately they were all male police officers.
  • DeskFlyer, on 06/30/2008, -6/+142Just ask me to drive on the intersecting street and you'll get a green light every ***** time.
  • beesaretasty, on 06/30/2008, -5/+7Does 311 even work on cell phones?
    • centran, on 07/01/2008, -0/+4It does in Chicago.
      However, I bet it is similar to the issue with 911. You could be in one city and be picking up the cell tower in another city. Most emergency services are used to this and I would assume information services are used to this as well..
      On a side note... If you have a cellphone, there is a roadside emergency but it is not a life or death situation then call *999. They will forward the information and/or your call to the proper authorities(city police, state sheriff, department of transportation).
    • RandoTheKing, on 07/01/2008, -2/+1THREE-ELEVEN!!!
  • GregFD3S, on 06/30/2008, -4/+9The strong magnet neodymium magnet works great for motorcycles.
    • adidos, on 06/30/2008, -1/+9Magnets are a terrible idea...they'll pick up all kinds of ***** that are on the roads...
    • tacohead, on 06/30/2008, -1/+18so does snake oil.
    • GregFD3S, on 07/01/2008, -3/+5The coil can detect a fluctuation of an electromagnetic field from feet away. The magnet doesn't need to be exposed.

      Yet I get dugg down anyways...
    • dOOBiEx213, on 07/01/2008, -0/+4As a plus, you might be able to take Cheney out with one.
  • Ex3poo, on 06/30/2008, -13/+8Al Gore told me not to drive a car O:)
  • oveedrx, on 06/30/2008, -13/+8get Chuck Norris to stare it down, that will make it turn.
    • awesome01, on 06/30/2008, -1/+3chuck norris doesnt need a car, he can run faster than them
      • n0t0kayipr0mis3, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1actually he doesn't need to go anywhere... he's chuck norris.
  • DiggGeek24, on 06/30/2008, -11/+5Also a great way to cause a major traffic accident to save 5 seconds.
    • jerrycurley, on 07/01/2008, -0/+2How so? It is not as if the light will change in an instant and therefore cause a pileup in the other direction. These tips (which are of dubious authenticity) would simply make your light vehicle behave like a larger one.

      Do large cars triggering sensor lights cause major traffic accidents all the time?
  • muffinman1990, on 06/30/2008, -8/+13wow thats mad i never knew american traffic lights were like that ... (im british =D )
    all our traffic lights are just on timers =P
    • gquaglia, on 06/30/2008, -6/+11That's because you are behind the times. No need for the light to change and tie up traffic if there is no cross traffic waiting.
      • jerrycurley, on 07/01/2008, -5/+6You DO realize that the vast majority of traffic lights on the ?United States are also simple timers, right? SEnsor lights are generally only used where one direction of hte intersection is very scarcely used.
      • sherbertbones, on 07/01/2008, -4/+1And you don't know what you're talking about
      • Mish48, on 07/01/2008, -1/+2Quite ironic you claiming that others are behind the times, in an article highlighting how to get around flaws in your own systems lol.
    • Diggnabbit, on 06/30/2008, -1/+26"all our traffic lights are just on timers =P"

      So are the vast majority of American ones.
    • sjmulder, on 06/30/2008, -0/+5Really? I know we have these sensors on lots of places here in the Netherlands. Anyways, they seem to be swapping everything for roundabouts here.
      • InferiorWang, on 07/01/2008, -0/+3They keep trying to put roundabouts around where I live, but the person designing them needs a smack in the head. The ones they put in are always way too small with a sharp turning radius that makes traffic slow worse than a 4way stop. They make better drunk traps than intersections. I wish we had some intelligent people planning our infrastructure.
    • Davrioza, on 06/30/2008, -1/+19Erm... I'm British too, and the majority of our lights are in fact sensor operated... you probably just didn't notice :S or maybe you live in a really ***** area or smthing ;P
      • lirem, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1The majority of our traffic lights HAVE sensors but they aren't sensor operated. Most of the sensors detect cars, or lack thereof, in order to run the pedestrian crossing patrol more efficiently. Some of them do work to change the actual traffic lights, but not the majority.
    • daviddiaz, on 06/30/2008, -3/+5I live in america and i never noticed either.
      • veriix, on 07/01/2008, -0/+7So you always thought you just got lucky when you approached the light, stopped and it changed? PRO TIP: if you can get into the turning lane before the cross traffic gets a yellow 90% of the time you'll be rewarded with a green arrow.
      • trougnouf, on 07/03/2008, -0/+1I never noticed either until I got a scooter.
    • centran, on 07/01/2008, -0/+4All of our traffic lights are on timers as well. The sensors in the road allow the timers to be bypassed. However, I believe in some rural areas, at night, that some traffic lights switch to sensor only. Either that or they are on a really long timer... like 5 minutes. Thankfully if that is the case then those areas usualy have local laws stating if you think the light is malfunctioning or you waited 2 minutes or something similar to that then you may cross through if it is safe to do so.
    • julianrod, on 07/01/2008, -1/+1Yeah! And I live in a poor country that's lucky enough to have semaphores (traffic lights, for our american friends)
    • joeydoo, on 07/01/2008, -6/+1Fairly sure British one have infra-red sensors on them... not this wire under the road thing. That wouldn't work if the road gets wet....
      • VacantThoughts, on 07/01/2008, -0/+4Yeah that leaky pavement is a bitch isn't it?
      • Dachublez, on 07/01/2008, -0/+2Works fine when the road is wet. you fail.
      • Hello1024, on 07/01/2008, -0/+4They have both. An IR sensor is used at pedestrian crossings to detect people waiting to cross or while on the crossing.

        Sometimes an IR sensor is used in the road to detect bicycles, as well as an inductive loop to detect cars.

        The inductive loop is a few inches under the surface and insulated so it doesn't matter when it gets wet.

        In the UK the time lights seem to be stuck on red forever are usually those temporary traffic lights at roadworks. Their battery powered, and if any ofe of the light runs out of battery or looses the radio signal, all the other lights turn to red and stay there forever.

        (for you non-brits, these are portable, battery powered wireless traffic lights used during road work.)
    • robjohnston, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1no they are not all on timers dumbass, im british as well and i can tell u for sure that a lot of them have the same sensors as the american setups.
    • Hello1024, on 07/01/2008, -0/+3An IR sensor is used at pedestrian crossings to detect people waiting to cross or while on the crossing.

      Sometimes an IR sensor is used in the road to detect bicycles, as well as an inductive loop to detect cars.

      The inductive loop is a few inches under the surface and insulated so it doesn't matter when it gets wet.

      I believe many use a timer as well as sensors in case the sensor fails or doesn't detect something.

      In the UK the time lights seem to be stuck on red forever are usually those temporary traffic lights at roadworks. They're battery powered, and if any of of the light runs out of battery or looses the radio signal, all the other lights turn to red and stay there forever.

      (for you non-brits, these are portable, battery powered wireless traffic lights used during road work.)
      • Niz1, on 07/01/2008, -0/+2gosh those are a bitch arent they? usually the taxi drivers know and everyone just follows suit.
      • Hello1024, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1Niz1: Normally I wouldn't respond to a topic a few days old, but I really like your truely British use of the word "gosh". You only find that in real old fashioned true English, along with simply "spiffing" ideas.
  • TStanNY, on 06/30/2008, -7/+21I usually just fly over them on my Dolorean time machine.
    • byrdgang, on 07/01/2008, -4/+3The Delorean is not a time machine; it is a car with a built-in time machine (i.e., the flux capacitor allows this to happen).
      • dOOBiEx213, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1Oh snap!
      • xkorbin, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1In a sense; however the Delorean's all stainless steel exterior is necessary to withstand the great stresses placed on it during time travel.
      • grizzlybrice, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1just don't park it next to anything. Those gull wings... not made for opening.
      • Jennefah, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1Yep.

        Here's a flux capacitor... good luck getting to 88mph. You could, I dunno, try using a goat or something.
    • KaJuN4, on 07/01/2008, -1/+9Traffic lights? Where we're going we don't need...traffic lights.
    • jerrycurley, on 07/01/2008, -5/+2No you don't. That is from a movie.
      • grizzlybrice, on 07/01/2008, -0/+5you obviously didn't support saving the clock tower... bitch.
      • TobiasParker, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1Sense of humor much?
      • Jennefah, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1Stop ruining my perception of reality.
  • xsquirrel378x, on 06/30/2008, -15/+7Just run the red you pussies
  • smoothmann, on 06/30/2008, -44/+2No cop, no stop.

    No 5-0, no go slow.

    To trigger green lights u needs 1.21 GIGAWATTS of POWER
  • smoothmann, on 06/30/2008, -47/+1No cop, no stop.

    No 5-0, no go slow.

    To trigger green lights u needs 1.21 GIGAWATTS of POWER
  • paulsabo, on 06/30/2008, -13/+4What a useless article - the light always turns eventually, and if not, just ***** run it... there can't be a cop watching it 24/7.
    • kakwakas, on 06/30/2008, -1/+9But lights with cameras on them are watching 24/7.
    • Kanidia, on 06/30/2008, -0/+6It's called obeying the law, and driving safely.
    • balthisar, on 06/30/2008, -0/+5Actually, some lights will never turn at certain parts of the day.
    • DNABeast, on 06/30/2008, -1/+2I've been caught at a side road in a car that hasn't activated the the light. I sat there for five minutes before finally accepting that I had to run it.
  • samuelmcm, on 06/30/2008, -1/+81Hmm, we should report the "Attach neodymium magnets to the vehicle." idea to the Mythbusters.

    It'd be interesting to see what they find.
    • gravityPersists, on 06/30/2008, -3/+14That a magnet passing over a conductive loop causes inductance?

      Mythbusters wouldn't even waste time on this. Seriously, I don't understand why people doubt these magnets. You're car or bike acts like a magnet to cause inductance in the first place, look up eddy currents and inductance.
      • jerrycurley, on 07/01/2008, -0/+2No...that a magnet attached to the bottom of a bicycle or motorcycle is strong enough to trigger the light.

        Do you ever WATCH Mythbusters? They are about testing theories IN PRACTICE. Hence this would be a good myth for them to test.
    • dOOBiEx213, on 07/01/2008, -5/+3Only time worth watching Mythbusters is when they can CONFIRM a myth, otherwise, it's simply a myth THEY couldn't reproduce.
  • psion01, on 06/30/2008, -19/+49Holy crap! You're supposed to STOP for red lights?

    My bad.
    • bjornski, on 06/30/2008, -1/+15"Hey! The light is green, why did you stop?"

      "My brother might be coming from the other direction!"
      • psion01, on 07/01/2008, -1/+6[chuckles]
        That's *exactly* the joke that went through my head before I posted. I'm turning you in for unauthorized telepathy. May the BPRD have mercy on your soul.
    • PalmerEldritch, on 06/30/2008, -2/+12I always thought the red lights meant "slow down to the speed limit"
      • unusualbob, on 07/01/2008, -0/+32those are blue
      • bjornski, on 07/01/2008, -1/+4@unusualbob

        I wish I could digg that up more than once.
    • Enron, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1Wow, I had no idea Lewis Hamilton used Digg!
  • jakdracula, on 06/30/2008, -17/+9My iPhone can do it. It can do anything.
    • Gee1004, on 06/30/2008, -1/+5except flash and cut&paste
    • freshgrease, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1My Blackberry > Your Iphone. It has built in magnets.
  • viacombusta, on 06/30/2008, -15/+1Do like my friends do and flash your brights repeatedly. It works 50% of the time. Some might call it coincidence.
    • Remmiz, on 06/30/2008, -1/+7I really hate your friends as I'm coming to the intersection on the opposite side of the road.
    • gquaglia, on 06/30/2008, -1/+5***** it doesn't work. The Opticom system that you are thinking of uses a flashing strobe light at a certain frequency that triggers the cycle.
    • SixOrSoPapers, on 06/30/2008, -1/+2Your friends are what happens when science and engineering education fails. I knew a guy who did the same thing; it took everything in me not to slap him.
    • YogiWanKenobi, on 06/30/2008, -0/+8You could just toss a coin, since it has a 50% chance of making the light turn green as well.

      Or learn about causation.
  • isiz, on 06/30/2008, -3/+5Would the magnets interfere with electronic devices in the vehicle?
    • username7410, on 06/30/2008, -0/+7Yes, but it's worth it... you're going to save 3, maybe 5 minutes in your lifetime by having it attached to your vehicle.
    • bjornski, on 06/30/2008, -1/+5Probably not, unless you had a magnet strong enough to pick up all the random steel crap you drive over.
    • gravityPersists, on 06/30/2008, -6/+1What the hell?

      No. It's a magnet.
      • macbookhair, on 07/01/2008, -1/+7Does your bike have racks of servers on it? Then yes
      • InferiorWang, on 07/01/2008, -0/+7My bike is made from spare floppy disks.
      • xkorbin, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1@macbookhair what are you talking about? mine is?
    • xptoast, on 07/01/2008, -7/+1Did you really just ask that question? Somebody please tell me these are not Americans..sadly our education system sucks at teaching stuff. Gah I will have to deal with incoherent numb-nuts for the rest of my life! *runs away and cries at this fact*
      • isiz, on 07/01/2008, -0/+5I'm not American -- I figured any magnet powerful enough to mess with a traffic light from many feet away might ***** up a laptop or something, try putting a big magnet on top of your computer and tell me what happens.
      • xptoast, on 07/01/2008, -0/+2It only messes with the light because induction and magnetism are hand in hand. Yes putting a magnet on a computer messes with it if big enough. However magnetism degrades over a distance very quickly. Something like the inverse of the square of the distance. So a powerful magnet may not even screw with the induction however it sounds like these coils are pretty good at picking up differences even if it is a small difference. I am sorry to assume the same educations but it just seems that schools should teach more than they do. I apologize isiz.
  • byrc, on 06/30/2008, -1/+6Ha. This must have been on your google gadget today also.
  • gquaglia, on 06/30/2008, -1/+11The loops are crap. NJ is starting to phase them out in favor of pole mounted cameras that sense a vehicle waiting in the intersection.
    • xptoast, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1Those suck too. They use them for when they are fixing country bridges. They don't always pick up that there is a vehicle there. Not sure why. Should be simple enough.
      • gquaglia, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1That is because those are temporary set ups, those sometimes are adjusted improperly. Permanent ones are much better.
      • quanta88, on 07/01/2008, -0/+3Video traffic imaging is so iffy because it has to be able to recognize vehicles of varying sizes, colours and positions in all kinds of weather and lighting.

        They tend to get dazzled by reflections and direct sunlight and can sometimes be blind to dark-coloured vehicles. And don't even get started on when snow, dirt and rain clog the lens.

        Fortunately, there are many overhead traffic detector technologies to choose from, such as low-power microwave radar, infrared, Doppler, and laser. They all have their advantages and disadvantages.

        Inductive loops are actually the cheapest and most accurate tech out there...but they break up and you have to dig them up every few years, which forces road closure and is a general pain.
  • Raptor007, on 06/30/2008, -1/+13By the way, this article is mostly for motorcycle drivers (the article states this, but the Digg entry doesn't). Not much applicable to cars except the magnet trick, which may or may not have any effect.
  • deMonkey, on 06/30/2008, -2/+9Flashing your high-beams debunked on Snopes:
    http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/strobe.asp
    • Spankypoo, on 06/30/2008, -0/+4I call secundum quid on Snopes on this one. Where I grew up we had a signal that you could trigger to go green even if you were standing on the sidewalk with a handheld floodlight. Flashing high-beams absolutely caused it to switch early, every single time. There weren't any in-ground sensors in that part of town yet. If you hit the litte shrouded sensor sitting on top of the light, it went green, even if there was cross traffic.

      There's absolutely nothing post hoc ergo propter hoc about this, despite Snopes's claims, which are based on the idea that all of these sensors are the same, nationwide (and there's your secundum quid).
      • deMonkey, on 07/01/2008, -0/+2Just wondering, but how many years ago was this? I imagine some of those changed. I bet now that for every sensor that this might work on, there are thousands that it won't work on. I just posted that link hoping it'd stop at least one jackass from blinding me on the way home from work while trying to turn a light green. :)
      • itspuddingtime, on 07/01/2008, -0/+7easy with the Latin there, buddy
      • Duositex, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1Buried for overuse of pretentious latin phrases where unneeded.
    • MScrip, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1I was in a taxi in Chattanooga, TN and the cabbie kept flashing his high beams. All the lights remained green the entire trip across town. So, if flashing your lights didn't work, someone should have told the taxi driver.
    • helenkupo, on 07/01/2008, -1/+1This works. I'm in Minnesota and when no one is driving at night the lights run on these sensors to detect when cars are sitting at a light. I don't think we have these ground sensors due to the freezing temps. It would wreck havoc on those sensors as it does on our wonderfully pot-holed roads.
  • Jdban, on 06/30/2008, -1/+8I just got a moped, and most lights have trouble triggering. I often park the moped in the middle of the street and run over to the walk button then run back when it turns green!
    • hashref, on 07/01/2008, -0/+2Are you serious? That is classic! lol
    • KaJuN4, on 07/01/2008, -0/+2I've heard of people actually riding up onto the sidewalk to press the button. That's genius!!
    • mcdougan, on 07/01/2008, -0/+2if you pull up a little more the car behind you will get the idea and pull forward, the one directly in front of my school never works
  • kmattso, on 06/30/2008, -2/+104Right, U-turn, Right.
    • KaneElson, on 07/01/2008, -13/+4Ripping off xkcd is fun aye...
      • itspuddingtime, on 07/01/2008, -1/+19believe it or not this maneuver was around long before xkcd
    • d722002, on 07/01/2008, -0/+11Offer does not apply outside of Michigan.
    • jaalin, on 07/01/2008, -0/+4in china, the taxi drivers just hop in the right line and pretend they're making a right turn (dodge the red light cams) and keep going straight. i've yet to see it done in bright daylight and with pedestrians around, but it's totally possible.
    • flxfxp, on 07/01/2008, -0/+2Does not apply in Europe as well
  • seeyounorth, on 06/30/2008, -1/+11In Arizona, there are several lights that have two of these sensors in the left hand turn lanes. Pulling forward to the first sensor will not allow a left hand turn arrow (if no one is behind you). But if you stop just short (about one car length behind the stop line, it triggers the second sensor which gives you the left hand turn arrow. Naturally this is only necessary when you are faced with having to turn left and not wanting to wait for all the traffic to pass first. Call it selfish or whatever but I call it a small traffic light hack.
    • orangekid13, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1i'd just call your arizona ***** broken... they ***** up if they don't both work
  • pooroldluser, on 06/30/2008, -4/+9I just use the force, and gesture Obi-Wan like at the light. Sometimes it takes a few tries, but it always works. Eventually. Patience is the key.
    • dnields, on 06/30/2008, -0/+8"I just use the force, and gesture Obi-Wan like at the light. Sometimes it takes a few tries"

      Do or do not. There is no try.
      • MadN, on 07/01/2008, -0/+0I have found this distresses people whose opposing light has just turned green.
        You then need to tell them they just arrived at the light.
  • thechadstannard, on 06/30/2008, -2/+58I like how they say to glue a magnet to the bottom of your car. Why do you need to glue it? It is a magnet!
    • Cruelapollo, on 07/01/2008, -0/+6It can slide off, and not all metals can be attached to a magnet.
      • xptoast, on 07/01/2008, -0/+4Do you realize how much steel is in your car body? That is why hide a keys always use magnets to attach to your car.
  • senatorpjt, on 06/30/2008, -2/+56All you have to do is look around to make sure there's no cop/camera, then the light is green.
    • RedHairedMan, on 07/02/2008, -0/+1Might want to also check for the family of 4 who have a green light and are going across the intersection, you ass.
  • unfinite, on 06/30/2008, -2/+5Sometimes on my motorcycle I've got to do the right-turn-u-turn-right-turn thing if the light wont change.
    see: http://xkcd.com/207/
  • cochese8, on 06/30/2008, -9/+4If you're the jerk who stays at a light if it doesn't change and there's no one around- I pity you. Run the piece of sheeeot!
  • ancientdinko, on 06/30/2008, -1/+5wear a bigger helmet??
  • hagfish70, on 06/30/2008, -4/+22Or you can wait patiently and miss that additional 5 - 10 mins of TV watching.
    • Duositex, on 07/01/2008, -1/+2But what if you really REALLY really have to poop?
  • AngeloM3, on 06/30/2008, -8/+2Some lights have "light" sensors... so flashing your lights work on these. It is made to recognize police, fire and rescue vehicles to make the intersection a little more safer.
    • jkleinrichert, on 06/30/2008, -5/+4debunked by snopes

      http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/strobe.asp
      • InferiorWang, on 07/01/2008, -2/+1Snopes is wrong. Some lights do it, but most don't. I know a couple that are worth triggering in the middle of the night when it's a long wait through the light cycle and I'm the only one at the intersection.
      • AngeloM3, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1Visit NY city one day and wait for some rescue vehicle to go screaming down the road.... you'll notice as soon as it gets within a certain range of the stop light it'll turn green.
    • hashref, on 07/01/2008, -0/+2I have a bridge for sell. Really cheap.
  • stonefree1987, on 06/30/2008, -0/+5Someone who payed attention better in electromagnetic theory classes correct if I'm wrong, but applying a static magnetic field will not change the inductance of a coil. What changes it most would be a material with high magnetic permeability, such as iron. Those in-ground loop detectors are LRC circuits that resonate at the natural frequency of the loop with no metal present, and adding iron on top of the loop effectively changes the value of the inductor. So, whatever changes the value of the inductance most will sway the sensor most, not additional static magnetic fields...right?
    • KaneElson, on 07/01/2008, -0/+3On that note, they forgot to mention you can rev the engine, it often works. Obviously the movement of the engine changes the inductance....
      • LanceUppercut, on 07/01/2008, -1/+3I glazed over your post but dugg you up for seeming smart. This is something of a rarity on digg.
    • smeenz, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1Remember a vehicle (or a magnet on the bottom of a bike) is moving right before it comes to a stop at the lights.
    • Bugsdigg, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1Sort of. It depends how the system is set up, which I don't know.

      Danger, physics ahead:

      You're right that a stationary magnet won't induce any current in a loop of wire. However, when you're driving over the loop the magnet is moving past it too, so it could induce current after all. This can't be how the system works though, or ONLY magnets would trigger it.

      More likely it works like a metal detector. Metal detectors have two loops tuned to oscillate at the same frequency but in antiphase. One loop is the detector, the other (which can be physically much smaller) is the "control". The control loop is shielded and held away from the thing you're trying to detect.

      When you bring a piece of metal near the detector loop, the loop's oscillating magnetic field induces a (tiny) current in the object, so the loop loses energy. This makes the detector loop oscillate at a slightly different frequency. This frequency change is detected by comparing it to the shielded "control" loop; How much the frequency changes tells you a mixture of how much metal there is and how close to the loop it is. Because this approach works by interfering with the loop's electromagnetic field, a magnet will have a more powerful effect than ordinary metal. Also, because the loop's EM field is constantly oscillating, it works for stationary objects: the loop is stationary and the object is stationary but the EM field is moving through both, all the time.

      So: the "detector" loop is the big one buried under the road surface. Anything you do to change its frequency beyond whatever threshold the designers set will trigger the lights. You can do this by a) having a bigger chunk of metal on the road or b) putting a powerful magnet over it.

      As for whether a powerful pea-sized magnet would be enough to trigger the lights... I've no idea, sorry.
  • computerusr, on 06/30/2008, -11/+8Sucks to be you all. Thank God for my Hummer.
    • spriggig, on 07/01/2008, -9/+2Oh the irony of thanking gods for technology. Please try to follow along, your imaginary friend in the sky had nothing to do with the existence of your vehicle. 100+ years of technological advancement *in spite* of religion is what you should be thanking for that monstrosity in your garage.
      • plnegative1, on 07/01/2008, -1/+4spriggig, i think that you are, quite possibly, dumber than computerusr.
    • macbookhair, on 07/01/2008, -0/+6Did you put some D's on that bitch?
    • mcdougan, on 07/01/2008, -0/+6except we have the same gas mileage to the tank... and i have a one gallon tank on my vespa :D
      • Dachublez, on 07/01/2008, -1/+0Ya but your gay. So is the guy with the hummer he's just in the closet. It's probably an h2 anyway.
      • MadOtaku, on 07/01/2008, -0/+1Not to be a jerk, but you may find this term useful; 'gas mileage to the tank' = range = how far you can travel without refueling. Vespas are awesome, btw.
  • sbga420, on 06/30/2008, -6/+1I know the local lights around here can be triggered either by honking your horn or flashing your lights or brights...
  • CaviMike, on 06/30/2008, -1/+9There's already laws in many states in the US that allow bikers to run a red if the light clearly isn't changing.(you've waited through complete cycles without you ever getting a light)
  • WrldsWrstDigger, on 06/30/2008, -1/+1if it doesn't change...you're doing it wrong.
  • Shenanigans, on 06/30/2008, -1/+1This was featured on Instructables a while back too. http://www.instructables.com/id/Trigger-GREEN-Traf ...
  • FishHammer, on 06/30/2008, -4/+7Am I the only one who always thought traffic lights were all on timers?
    • SkippyDoorknob, on 07/01/2008, -0/+6Many of them still are.
    • Lith25, on 07/01/2008, -0/+3Yea, many are, but they are probably starting to put in "smarter" lights where you live. I've noticed just in the past 5 years that many traffic lights around my area have been replaced with these lights, and they change instantly if there is no traffic to obstruct your way.
    • MrWhite7, on 07/01/2008, -2/+3No, you're the one in front of me pissing me off because you weren't smart enough to trip the sensor.
  • Spamiclese, on 06/30/2008, -0/+33It should be noted that trying to change a light by flashing your headlights to flip the emergency vehicles sensor is a ticketable offense.
    • jkleinrichert, on 06/30/2008, -9/+4and unfortunately doesn't work, debunked by snopes

      http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/strobe.asp

      • KaneElson, on 07/01/2008, -0/+21Congratulations, you can spam the same link at every mention of flashing lights. I think we get the picture....
      • jkleinrichert, on 07/02/2008, -0/+0"Congratulations, you can spam the same link at every mention of flashing lights. I think we get the picture...."

        No spam, just a fan of facts (and snopes)--trying to at least educate people before they go off telling "facts" that heard from guy who heard from a guy who...

        Repeat of reply was for those that don't read down the thread, which obviously happens a bit, if the "lights thing" was mentioned more than once...

        So sorry to have offended you...geez.
    • awesome01, on 06/30/2008, -4/+2bull *****. getting a ticket for flashing your lights.. pfft
      • macbookhair, on 07/01/2008, -0/+7seriously... you can just say you meant to turn on the...... radio
      • DrKickflip13, on 07/01/2008, -0/+2My brother got a ticket for beeping at a car in front of him who wouldn't turn right at a red light, when he could have easily gone since there was no traffic. It was just a quick beep in case the guy was eating a porkchop sandwich or something and didn't realize he could go.
    • sagegoku666, on 07/01/2008, -1/+3snopes can say whatever it wants, i've been up to a stoplight twice where i've seen it change less than 5 seconds before, and i flashed my lights as fast as i could, it changes to green so fast that it doesnt even turn yellow for the perpendicular direction.

      *edit: you will get a ticket though haha. i dont know for sure but i've been told
    • aroundtown, on 07/01/2008, -0/+4Disparaging the boot is a bootable offense.
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