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What is it with traffic lights that don't realise you are there...  Anyone else have this problem?  You're waiting at the lights and then you realise after waiting around 10mins, my light isn't turning green!  Is there a trick to traffic lights sensing your presence or do you guys just run the lights?  It's not all traffic lights but I took a different route home from work tonight and came across one so I just had to run it.  I'm a pretty small guy so I'm not sure if it's weight or some sort of metal detector.

 There is a metal detector in the road to "trip" the lights,  complain to your local roads department as they can be adjusted if they cannot detect a scooter.

The other option is to buy a thing that you fit to your scooter that makes it easier for the traffic lights to sense your scooter is there.

If no cars are behind you, move back and forth a little, you may be just out of the detection spot

I think the sensors at the traffic lights rely on magnetic induction to induce a current in the loop you see in the road. (If I've written that incorrectly or badly then please correct me.) So a large metal object say a car or truck has no problems. A smaller vehicle like a scooter may have some problems at some intersections.

Keeper75:

I think the sensors at the traffic lights rely on magnetic induction to induce a current in the loop you see in the road. (If I've written that incorrectly or badly then please correct me.) So a large metal object say a car or truck has no problems. A smaller vehicle like a scooter may have some problems at some intersections.

 

Yeah, Keepers onto something here.

What you need to do is get yourself a utility belt, and fill it with strong magnets, this will assist in the sensors detecting you. The stronger the magnets, the more the sensors will see you coming, thus opening up all the green lights for a quick trip to work.

dozer:

What you need to do is get yourself a utility belt, and fill it with strong magnets, this will assist in the sensors detecting you. The stronger the magnets, the more the sensors will see you coming, thus opening up all the green lights for a quick trip to work.

Dozer's right. Just watch the credit cards. And your ***** for that matter... 

And do go thru any airport metal detectors

 When I had the 50cc Bolwel Gelati I had that problem and it really started to annoy me. So I took to towing a 6x4 trailer everywhere. Problem solved and I had more luggage space. The only problem then was that the neighbourhood started putting their lawn clippings into it. Grrr.

Unfortunately the road planners in their infinite wisdom put the detector right in the middle of the lane & oil slick. Some of the roads actually have a motorbike & dashed line painted on the road to indicate where the detector is located so that we two wheelers can position ourselves right in the middle of the oil slick.

ScootaNut:

Some of the roads actually have a motorbike & dashed line painted on the road to indicate where the detector is located so that we two wheelers can position ourselves right in the middle of the oil slick.

You're right ScootaNut. There is one of those on Main St just as you get near Anzac Rd. Even on the X8 it doesn't always register. Sometimes I've had to move to the left and point to the cage monkey behind me to move forward. They give you a really strange look. 

ScootaNut:

Unfortunately the road planners in their infinite wisdom put the detector right in the middle of the lane & oil slick.

This actually seems plausible, I'll try stopping more to the middle on lights I know don't detect.  Thanks for the tips guys! =]

You can buy a block that attaches under your scoot called a Light Changer. I have seen them advertised, can't remember how much though. Another alternative is if you have the problem at the same intersection, you can notify the traffic authority and they can change the sensitivity better suited to scooters or bikes.

But if you can't be bothered just make sure no one is around and go full throttle.

 Otherwise just hop off the scooter, put it up on the main stand then jump vigorously up and down on the sensor area. 

 It won't make any difference of course, but it will greatly amuse everyone else who is watching