"Arkansas Stop" law - changing the rules at red lights and stop signs
#26
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"North Carolina – (2007) Motorcyclists are permitted to move cautiously through a steady red light after coming to a complete stop and waiting a minimum of three minutes and if no other vehicle or pedestrians are approaching the intersection."
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This is what I experience every morning as well since I take mostly secondary roads, and that early in the morning there are no cars waiting to cross main roads to trigger the light. I either have mount the sidewalk to trigger the pedestrian crossing manually, or I wait for a gap and proceed past the red light.
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Here, at least, sensors are only able to detect large vehicles like cars, not bikes. I've tried positioning myself on various spots on the 'sensored' area, and with both aluminum and steel bikes. It's not defective or broken; it's just not meant to detect bikes.
#30
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It's all about the sensitivity set in the induction loop, and how new the loop is, really. There are some intersections here that I can trip far enough back from the line (usually those with 3 loops) that the light will turn green before I even get there. But then there are others that have to deal with sand and gravel trucks all day, and some of them will never cycle for a bike or motorcycle. There are then those at busy intersections that are both trigger and threshold operated, so even with a car waiting at the light they will sit on red until another car arrives-- forget about it on a bike. Use the crosswalk button or never get through. One particular intersection is red in all directions until a car trips the loop, then that car goes through and it goes right back to red. That's a really complicated and expensive stop sign, IMO.
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It would be worth checking your own states law books just to clear & well informed. Indeed, a policeman bothered me one morning, but nothing came of it.
On group rides, we usually designate someone to hit the crosswalk button so we get a legitimate greenlight and avoid any potential PR issues caused by myth-conceptions believed drivers that may not know the law.
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As a resident of Washington State, it is my understanding that you have to sit for 1 whole complete cycle, & only then is it permissable to proceed. The logic is the infrastructure provided was not sensetive enough to detect your presence to operate in the manner intended.
However, the "I didn't stop because that light is broken" excuse is not valid in court. That's what the ccomplete cycle" thing is about.
There is a law on the books requiring all new intersections being built & all intersections being repaired or upgraded be equipped to be able to detect bicycles & light vehicles such as motorcycles. Motion detection cameras & AI seems to be the method of choice. I hit several suitably equipped intersections on my morning commute. I think it's called "dynamic traffic management," but I may be wrong. I've gotta say, though, by whatever name they call it the system works well.
Edit: Yep. Gotta stop & wait 1 complete cycle.
However, the "I didn't stop because that light is broken" excuse is not valid in court. That's what the ccomplete cycle" thing is about.
There is a law on the books requiring all new intersections being built & all intersections being repaired or upgraded be equipped to be able to detect bicycles & light vehicles such as motorcycles. Motion detection cameras & AI seems to be the method of choice. I hit several suitably equipped intersections on my morning commute. I think it's called "dynamic traffic management," but I may be wrong. I've gotta say, though, by whatever name they call it the system works well.
Edit: Yep. Gotta stop & wait 1 complete cycle.
(Checked google maps, it was the intersection at Highway 9 and broadway ave, leading to High Bridge road. I'd hope it's been upgraded since then! )
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@base2's point is valid. Most states have a provision for non-functioning lights, which comes into play after some certain time.
I never wait that long, honestly. I know most of the intersections I normally pass, and I know that pretty much everywhere else in the U.S., the systems are the same or similar.
Regarding enforcement though ... I did get stopped once after running a stop sign at maybe 2 a.m. on a Friday, in the middle of suburbia. The cop just wanted to warn me ... but he did stop me. I have no idea where he was hiding, either.
I was lost in some completely alien neighborhood, trying to find some obscure back road which would get me home without having to brave "drunk hour" on the multi-lane roads. He was really helpful and got me home when I might otherwise have spent another hour searching.
Hooray for good cops!
And good laws.
(Sorry, but I just can't bring myself to say "Hooray for Arkansas.")
I never wait that long, honestly. I know most of the intersections I normally pass, and I know that pretty much everywhere else in the U.S., the systems are the same or similar.
Regarding enforcement though ... I did get stopped once after running a stop sign at maybe 2 a.m. on a Friday, in the middle of suburbia. The cop just wanted to warn me ... but he did stop me. I have no idea where he was hiding, either.
I was lost in some completely alien neighborhood, trying to find some obscure back road which would get me home without having to brave "drunk hour" on the multi-lane roads. He was really helpful and got me home when I might otherwise have spent another hour searching.
Hooray for good cops!
And good laws.
(Sorry, but I just can't bring myself to say "Hooray for Arkansas.")