Bikes can run red lights under new Illinois law

In Chicago, you cannot make a left turn on red light. In Grand Rapids, MI, you can make a left turn on red light. It varies on different states.

I know that in a lot of place in Chicago and surrounding areas, you cannot make a right turn on red light. Period!! Other areas, you cannot make a right turn on red light from 7 am to 7 pm.

I can understand why they put up those rules in Illinois area, but yeah, I agree that it is waste of idle use if you cannot turn right or left if no other vehicles are around.
 
dereksbicycles said:
In Chicago, you cannot make a left turn on red light. In Grand Rapids, MI, you can make a left turn on red light. It varies on different states.
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Why would people be allowed to turn left on a red light?
 
I don't know why Michigan allows it. I guess there aren't as many cars there as Chicago and how road is designed.
 
Tousi said:
Because the lights are already calibrated for other and better reasons than for motorcycles.
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What other and better reasons? They aren't there to look pretty, you know.
 
Banjo said:
Careful, your eyes could get stuck up there. Besides, I asked you a question.
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Nothing wrong with my eyes. You can check that smarminess at the door. Answer is up there in post 10.
 
Red Lights

Tousi said:
Who is talking about looking pretty? You are.....:roll:
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Here in CA there are lots of motorcycles due to the weather. All, or most of our traffic lights have cameras on top. I don't really know how they work, but when a car or whatever pulls up it sees you and changes the light when ready. They work thats all I know!
 
Angle1989 said:
Here in CA there are lots of motorcycles due to the weather. All, or most of our traffic lights have cameras on top. I don't really know how they work, but when a car or whatever pulls up it sees you and changes the light when ready. They work thats all I know!
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I live here in CA and have had motorcycles; now a trike. However, I'm not seeing what you are getting at. Please clarify.
 
Tousi said:
Answer is up there in post 10.
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Are you aware that the traffic lights are programmed to change time patterns throughout the day? For example, they may change every 60 seconds between noon and six o'clock in the evening. Then it may switch to 2 minutes between six o'clock and eight o'clock, then 30 seconds overnight.

By the way, motorcycles are a part of the traffic flow. I fully expect them to follow the same rules of the road as any other motorists. No exceptions.
 
Angle1989 said:
Here in CA there are lots of motorcycles due to the weather. All, or most of our traffic lights have cameras on top. I don't really know how they work, but when a car or whatever pulls up it sees you and changes the light when ready. They work thats all I know!
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It's more than likely that it's the induction loops in the road. Next time you're on the road, look before you arrive at the intersection. You should be able to see a circular loop. Although this is not used everywhere but it's very common. Emergency vehicles use a different method though, they use a specific radio frequency that would signal the traffic lights to change.
 
Banjo said:
By the way, motorcycles are a part of the traffic flow. I fully expect them to follow the same rules of the road as any other motorists. No exceptions.
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I am disagreed with you about same rules. You should take motorcycle course and try ride the motorcycle around city then you will understand why.
 
South Carolina has the same law but it doesn't allow "running" a red light. The biker still has to come to a complete stop for a red light, and wait for at least one complete cycle of light changes before going forward or turning left. (The usual traffic rules still apply for right-turn-on-red).

Sometimes TCS moves up more so that a car behind can also move up and trigger the light.
 
Banjo said:
Correct me if I'm mistaken, aren't the lights supposed to automatically change after two minutes?
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Some do but not all. The left turn arrow lights here only change when a vehicle activates the magnetic strip in the turn lane. Why hold up other traffic when there are no vehicles turning?
 
Banjo said:
Are you aware that the traffic lights are programmed to change time patterns throughout the day?
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Are you aware that's not true for all lights in all localities?
 
dereksbicycles said:
In Chicago, you cannot make a left turn on red light. In Grand Rapids, MI, you can make a left turn on red light. It varies on different states.

I know that in a lot of place in Chicago and surrounding areas, you cannot make a right turn on red light. Period!! Other areas, you cannot make a right turn on red light from 7 am to 7 pm.

I can understand why they put up those rules in Illinois area, but yeah, I agree that it is waste of idle use if you cannot turn right or left if no other vehicles are around.
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Clarification on MI: you can make left turn on red light as long as it is onto a one-way street either from a one or two-way street except where posted. That is from the MI DMV handbook.
 
"...[South Carolina] legislation, which has become law, permits drivers of motorcyclists, mopeds and bicycles to drive through red lights after first stopping for a self-monitored two minutes...South Carolina is the site of 3,600 intersections that are governed by traffic signals, according to Pete Poore, communications director for the South Carolina Department of Transportation. Among those, 1,600, or 44 percent, do not have sensors or have not been adjusted in such a manner that would accommodate a motorcyclist...."
Motorcyclists, safety advocates disagree on new
 
The Highlander said:
I am disagreed with you about same rules. You should take motorcycle course and try ride the motorcycle around city then you will understand why.
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Motorists are motorists, they all have to follow the same rules. No exceptions.
 
Reba said:
Some do but not all. The left turn arrow lights here only change when a vehicle activates the magnetic strip in the turn lane. Why hold up other traffic when there are no vehicles turning?
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Patience is virtue.
 
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