Proposed Law Would Allow Motorcyclists To Run Some Red Lights

[JohnRich 4]

News:

Proposed Law Would Allow Motorcyclists To Run Some Red Lights

If Gov. Pat Quinn goes along, motorcyclists could start ignoring some red lights.

Motorcyclists and bicyclists in some areas will often pull up to a red light that won’t change to green. The reason is that the embedded sensors that trip the switch to change them don’t detect a vehicle as light as a bicycle or motorcycle.

That has led to a bill, now on the governor’s desk, which would allow motorcyclists to treat a red light as a stop sign if it doesn’t change to green in a reasonable amount of time...

Full story: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/08/03/proposed-law-would-allow-motorcyclists-to-run-some-red-lights/

Don't blame me for the misleading title.

[quade 3]

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Don't blame me for the misleading title.

I don't.

I'm beginning to really hate link-bait/click-bait headlines.

When I use them, I've been putting them in quotes and then listing the source in an attempt to cut-down the confusion as to who generated them.

"Stupid Link-bait/Click-bait Title Being Used to Kill Children as an Example" -- Lame News Organization

BTW, I have no issues with the concept of the law as long as the riders still have to come to a complete stop as they are supposed to at any normal stop sign.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[freethefly 6]

You are allowed to do so in my State, Missouri. Went into effect last August.
http://statutes.laws.com/missouri/t19/c304/304_285

A lot of guys on motorcycles and bicycles have been doing it for years (I have.) It's not a free pass to run red lights, but a defense if ticketed for going through a red light after sitting for several minutes.

Edited to omit "Your thread title ia misleading." Sorry John, I didn't notice the disclaimer at the bottom of your post.

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[kelpdiver 2]

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BTW, I have no issues with the concept of the law as long as the riders still have to come to a complete stop as they are supposed to at any normal stop sign.

the requirement is usually steeper than that - waiting 30 or more seconds, or in the case where it's just the left turn signal that won't trigger, waiting 2 cycles.

[normiss 622]

Agreed.
Especially when it's effing hot as Hades over an air cooled v-twin!

[AggieDave 6]

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Your thread title is misleading.
You are allowed to do so in my State, Missouri. Went into effect last August.
http://statutes.laws.com/missouri/t19/c304/304_285

A lot of guys on motorcycles and bicycles have been doing it for years (I have.) It's not a free pass to run red lights, but a defense if ticketed for going through a red light after sitting for several minutes.

The version that had been proposed in Texas would make it a defense to prosecution, not an affirmative defense. The difference is that an affirmative defense means you don't get a ticket. A defense means you get a ticket and you have to show you had an exception allowed by the law in court (which can be a bench trial for a traffic offense in Texas).

I haven't had a chance to see a legal update from the last legislative session, so I'm not sure if that law passed or not. That's ok, we have some time until the newly passed laws go into effect.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Amazon 7]

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Agreed.
Especially when it's effing hot as Hades over an air cooled v-twin!

Why did roasted nuts come to mind with your post

[freethefly 6]

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Your thread title is misleading.
You are allowed to do so in my State, Missouri. Went into effect last August.
http://statutes.laws.com/missouri/t19/c304/304_285

A lot of guys on motorcycles and bicycles have been doing it for years (I have.) It's not a free pass to run red lights, but a defense if ticketed for going through a red light after sitting for several minutes.

The version that had been proposed in Texas would make it a defense to prosecution, not an affirmative defense. The difference is that an affirmative defense means you don't get a ticket. A defense means you get a ticket and you have to show you had an exception allowed by the law in court (which can be a bench trial for a traffic offense in Texas).

I haven't had a chance to see a legal update from the last legislative session, so I'm not sure if that law passed or not. That's ok, we have some time until the newly passed laws go into effect.

Thanks for clearing up my understanding on this.
I know a few guys who have been ticketed, shortly after the law went into affect. They beat it. I think cops are getting use to it.
No cops knows the frustration of sitting in the heat for way to long at a red light like a motor-cop. By the way, how's that Tejas sun doing ya? Feeling like roasted pork?

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[wayneflorida 0]

Here is a light we had once in Fort Walton Beach.

[AggieDave 6]

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No cops knows the frustration of sitting in the heat for way to long at a red light like a motor-cop. By the way, how's that Tejas sun doing ya? Feeling like roasted pork?

My scoot showed 108F yesterday afternoon while I was out in it. Then again, I wasn't really out on it yesterday afternoon, I was evacuating an apartment complex that was on fire. Even kicked in a couple of doors to get pets out. Although one of the dogs bit me.

Anyways, yeah, I'm going through at least 2 gallons of water a day and am still coming home with a fever and shakes. This is my third summer on a bike, but this is by far the worst one so far.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[rushmc 18]

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No cops knows the frustration of sitting in the heat for way to long at a red light like a motor-cop. By the way, how's that Tejas sun doing ya? Feeling like roasted pork?

My scoot showed 108F yesterday afternoon while I was out in it. Then again, I wasn't really out on it yesterday afternoon, I was evacuating an apartment complex that was on fire. Even kicked in a couple of doors to get pets out. Although one of the dogs bit me.

Anyways, yeah, I'm going through at least 2 gallons of water a day and am still coming home with a fever and shakes. This is my third summer on a bike, but this is by far the worst one so far.

Oh man

Take care of yourself

Sounds brutal

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[freethefly 6]

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No cops knows the frustration of sitting in the heat for way to long at a red light like a motor-cop. By the way, how's that Tejas sun doing ya? Feeling like roasted pork?

My scoot showed 108F yesterday afternoon while I was out in it. Then again, I wasn't really out on it yesterday afternoon, I was evacuating an apartment complex that was on fire. Even kicked in a couple of doors to get pets out. Although one of the dogs bit me.

Anyways, yeah, I'm going through at least 2 gallons of water a day and am still coming home with a fever and shakes. This is my third summer on a bike, but this is by far the worst one so far.

This is the hottest that it's been around here, that I can remember. I went riding yesterday when it hit 103. Like riding in a blast oven. It's the same today. The roads have tar bubbling up on them. It's miserable.
I lived and worked in Texas on the old Southern Pacific RR, from Dallas to El Paso, for several years and don't recall this kind of heat.
Take it easy out there, Bro, be careful in this heat.

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[Southern_Man 0]

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BTW, I have no issues with the concept of the law as long as the riders still have to come to a complete stop as they are supposed to at any normal stop sign.

the requirement is usually steeper than that - waiting 30 or more seconds, or in the case where it's just the left turn signal that won't trigger, waiting 2 cycles.

Two cycles is the law here. I have gone through a few lights on my bicycle.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[rehmwa 2]

Of course, this might also apply to those idiot car/pickup drivers that pull so far forward past the stop line that they aren't even over the sensors.

I'd like the sensors to deactivate when they have a 'creeper' on them. you know those guys, they just keep rolling slowly forward instead of just stop at the line and wait

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[ECVZZ 0]

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Anyways, yeah, I'm going through at least 2 gallons of water a day and am still coming home with a fever and shakes. This is my third summer on a bike, but this is by far the worst one so far.

Damn Dave, you're the only cop I actually like (and there are several in the family ), take care of yourself in that heat. REI sells an oral hydration powder called Vitalyte (original - unless you really need the Tri-Phase) that I use regularly and works great. The cost is reasonable too if you buy the 80 serving container ($16.00).

G. Jones

"I've never been quarantined. But the more I look around, the more I think it might not be a bad idea."

[Remster 24]

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Anyways, yeah, I'm going through at least 2 gallons of water a day and am still coming home with a fever and shakes. This is my third summer on a bike, but this is by far the worst one so far.

Damn Dave, you're the only cop I actually like (and there are several in the family ), take care of yourself in that heat. REI sells an oral hydration powder called Vitalyte (original - unless you really need the Tri-Phase) that I use regularly and works great. The cost is reasonable too if you buy the 80 serving container ($16.00).

Regardless of which you get, get something on top of the water for electrolytes. If you need to drink that much, you need them.

If a big container of powder isnt practical in your case (on the road all day), or you dont want all that sugar try those: http://www.google.com/search?q=electrolyte+tabs&hl=en&tbs=shop%3A1&aq=f

Remster

[ECVZZ 0]

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or you dont want all that sugar

Good choice also, but unless you're diabetic, or watching your girlish figure (Remy! ), you'll be needing those sugars.

All kidding aside, Remster is correct. If you're consuming that much water per day, then you should be drinking an electrolyte solution from the first sip you take in the morning.

I would go as far as keeping a pouch of CeraLyte for those times when you get busy or otherwise forget to hydrate until it's critical (Headache, dizziness, etc... and don't tell me it hasn't happened!).

G. Jones

"I've never been quarantined. But the more I look around, the more I think it might not be a bad idea."

[Remster 24]

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or watching your girlish figure (Remy! )

I don't want the other canopy pilots bitching at me for helping Dave to gain 10 lbs...

Remster

[kallend 1,625]

Traffic lights do not reduce accidents, and they lead to more congestion. They should be eliminated altogether.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[JohnRich 4]

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Traffic lights do not reduce accidents, and they lead to more congestion. They should be eliminated altogether.

That me be true in some cases, such as lightly traveled intersections, but certainly not all.

Here in heavily congested Houston, when the power goes out on the traffic lights and everyone has to treat the busy intersections like a 4-way stop, traffic backs up for miles. Therefore, traffic lights definitely HELP traffic flow most of the time in those circumstances.

[Remster 24]

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Traffic lights do not reduce accidents, and they lead to more congestion. They should be eliminated altogether.

That me be true in some cases, such as lightly traveled intersections, but certainly not all.

Here in heavily congested Houston, when the power goes out on the traffic lights and everyone has to treat the busy intersections like a 4-way stop, traffic backs up for miles. Therefore, traffic lights definitely HELP traffic flow most of the time in those circumstances.

Lights and Stops arent your only 2 options, John.

Remster

[normiss 622]

Agreed.
Insurance companies think the same way.

[AggieDave 6]

Thanks both of you!

The easiest solution I've found so far are these single serving packs of Gatorade powder that are sold in larger packs. I start off with a scoop out of the big container in my water cooler in the morning. About 9-10am I'm refilling that container and adding a "stick" of gatorade. About 1pm I'm refilling and adding another stick. About 3-4pm I refill and finish out with water. That doesn't count what I drink at lunch. That also doesn't count the at least 1/2 gallon I drink in the gym before work in the morning. When I get home, I spend most of the evening trying to catch up on hydration.

You would think being in this much heat and sweat that I would be thinner!

Even though the summers are hard, I wouldn't give up the motorcycle!

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[champu 1]

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A lot of guys on motorcycles and bicycles have been doing it for years (I have.) It's not a free pass to run red lights, but a defense if ticketed for going through a red light after sitting for several minutes.

At a few intersections aroud here they've started adding "push for green" buttons at the right edge of the street that you can reach from a bicycle without having to go up on the sidewalk. Most intersections I encounter between a side street and a major street are so busy you'd have to be a nutbar to run the light.

[DanJohnson 0]

***News:

Proposed Law Would Allow Motorcyclists To Run Some Red Lights

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This is already law in all 50 states. If a mechanical traffic control device ( a traffic light) is malfunctioning you simply treat it like a four way stop.
If the sensor isn't sensing your presence it is malfunctioning.

There are a few other traffic laws which (imo) should not pertain to motorcycles.

!) Posted speed limits.
These limits are often different for different vehicles. It is all over the freeway. One limit for trucks and a higher limit for other vehicles. The reason for this is that trucks have very different stopping capabilities and handling charachteristics than a car or suv.
That makes perfect sense!
The thing is that motorcycles have far superior handling characteristics and stopping capabilities than most cars so I give my self an additional 20 mph over the posted limit . After that I figure I'm breaking the law.

2) Passing

a) The dotted lines next to the solid line are all set up by the engineers based on sight distance and a cars ' performance characteristics .
Motorcycles' higher performance envelope allows me to safely pass in a much shorter distance so in general if I'm passing over a solid line I don't consider my self as breaking the law, it wasn't engineered for me!

b) Lane size is generaly based on the width of standard 4 wheeled or larger vehicles with a pretty generous amount of extra space. In general I find that there is enough room where one could eaqsily squeeze a Mini Cooper in between even two large vehicles travelling side by side on most interstates.
This being noted I see no legal requirement to wait for those in parade mode to drop into single file before I make use of the extra space between them. You can consider this my first step in going green,(I'm expecting an honorable mention from the Sierra Club any day now), attempting to fully utilize the existing infrastructure before adding all the carbon defecits required to expand it. In fact I'm almost certain the dividing line painted between lanes on multiple lane highways is intended to demark the safe path for motorcyclists to take in between side by side vehicles.

3) Pedestrian Crosswalks

Really?Two lanes of asphalt isn't enough space for some old ,drooling ,geezer in a hoverround or a wheel chair and my motorcycle at the same time even if our flow is perpendicular to each other? Besides, he's in a vehicle also , isn't he? What's he doing in the "Pedestrian Crosswalk"? 'nuff said!

4) School Zones

Refer to items ! and 4

I'm sure there are a few more but they escape me at the moment.

Oh .., one more thing..,
Dave, if you weren't wearing that helmet you'ld be much cooler! That skull shell really holds in the heat!!! Go ahead , take it off! Who's gonna bust ya?

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