In the bike store yesterday, I saw a little magnet thing that is supposed to help traffic lights know youre there, anyone know if they work?

 

?????

 

I would guess it would have to be a pretty big magnet, its a neat idea, but sounds to me like those cell phone antenna's that you put behind your battery to get better reception, I doubt it would work like they claim.

Found one on EBAY, looks pretty shady imo
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=320110565821

Comes with a Zip tie for easy installation, LOL
If you try one, let us know how it works. Maybe find an offending stoplight late at night and experiment.

 

I put on on my ZRX a few years ago. It doesn't trip all the lights I had problems with, but it did make a few of them.

 

Semi-actuated traffic signals use the principal of magnetic induction to serve traffic better. Slightly charged loops of wires are under the pavement and act as circuits. Any change in the current through the circuit tells the signal that a vehicle is there. A changing magnetic field induces an electric current in a wire(this is why turning turbines generate electricity). A vehicle is not a magnet but is a large enough mass of metal that is creates its own magnetic field. The alternator contributes to this field.

So when a car pulls up the current in the circuit is disrupted. A small magnet can generate a substantial magnetic field. I have never used a singal triggering device on a motorcycle but it would not take a very large magnet to put the magnetic field generated by a bike on the same field as that generated by a car.

In theory, these things should work very well. I'd take the chance and get one if it's a problem you face regularly. Let me know if it works.

 

The town i live in has most of its traffic lights on timers but I do know a few that have switches so next week ill have some extra money and might just go pick one up ($11.00 i think). Ill let ya know.

 

When you pull up to one of those, simply put your kickstand on the cut in the pavement where the induction coil is, and blip your throttle.

 

Good idea. I've never thought of that.

 

I just indo on it. Seems to work fine.

 

Yep it works for me 100% of the time.......................of course we only have one stop light, but I'm just saying.[8D]