[net.cycle] traffic lights - a tip

toml@rlgvax.UUCP (Tom Love) (07/24/85)

i don't often run into this problem in my area, but once in a while...
anyway, a trick i picked up somewhere which seems to help sometimes is
to identify the lines in the asphalt where the sensor loop was installed
(usually just a thin cut filled with tar) and to, after positioning
yourself properly, lower your sidestand and lean the bike to the left
so that the sidestand presses directly on the sensor.
this isn't foolproof - those lights can be *very* stupid at times -
but i'd say i have about 75% success with lights which don't pick up
the bike without doing this trick.
also, be careful if you're riding two up - leaning the bike is trickier,
of course.

tom love
computer consoles inc - office systems group
reston, va

*my* safety tip of the week:  don't ride over razor blades.  the resulting
slash is very difficult to plug, and the rapid decompression when the slash
occurs can be very disconcerting.
my request of the week:  if you see anyone installing razor blades in the
road in your neighborhood, please distribute a little frontier justice.
(i just lost a nearly new conti supertwin the other day to either incredibly
bad luck or vandalism of the sickest sort.  oh well, i really didn't need
those 80 or so bucks).