Have you ever sat at a traffic light on your bike waiting for your turn, and it never comes? Well it happens to me every time I pull up to the traffic light leading into my neighborhood. My neighbor hood has only one road leading into it so I do have two ways of getting home, I can approach from the west and make a Right turn which is my normal method (I will often go several miles out of my way in order to do this), or I can approach from the east and take my chances that a car is already sitting in the left turn lane at the light. The Left turn light will only activate if it senses a vehicle in the turn lane. If I get there first and a car comes up behind me the light still will not change as the sensors are rather short. I have no doubt that at some point in the future that the local Law enforcement will be present when I do my red light run. So what's a lazy guy to do? I really don't want to spend the Time, Energy or Money to prove my case to the Law enforcement officer or the traffic court Judge.
This Lazy guy purchased the Red Light Changer for $20. It comes in a small plastic box with a colorful cardboard inner box, just like every other item from china. First thing you will notice if there is more than one box on display is that they are lightly stuck together. If you pry one apart and take a moment to read the labeling you will find it's not safe to handle if you have a pacemaker (you have been forewarned). When you get the plastic open you will find a small metal can, open the can and there is a instruction sheet and 2 alcohol prep-pads. Remove a piece of Styrofoam and there sits a small brown unassuming lump. It turns out that the lump is quite comfortable in it's can and doesn't really want to come out. The forty pounds of magnetic
pull quickly grabs on to the side of the can when you try to remove it. The instruction state that you should not remove the magnet from its home until you are ready to install it, but I'm sure most everybody will want to play just a little. Do be careful as it is strong enough that it could negatively effect electronics, credit cards etc.
The instructions tell you that the magnet should be installed on the bottom of the motorcycle, towards the front, facing down and stuck to a ferromagnetic part of the frame or cross brace. It should NOT be installed on or to close to the engine, exhaust or electronics. If the magnet is exposed to temperatures greater than 175 degrees it will start to loos
e it's magnetic strength. This is a problem for me as the bottom of my motorcycle is all engine and exhaust. The only bits of frame on my bike are on top of the engine where the electronic brain is, and no where near the road. I thought the center stand would be the best location. After closer inspection I have to find a different location as my center stand is surrounded by the exhaust when in the up position and it actually touches it slightly on the left side. In the end I placed it on the torque arm, it is ferromagnetic, not to close to the hot parts and somewhat close to the ground. Only time will tell if that was the correct location.
Just so you know it doesn't Really change the light from red to green, instead it lets the traffic light know that you are there and that you would appreciate a green light in the near future. Unfortunately for me the magnet did not do it's job in the one and only occasion I have found myself at the traffic light.
0 for 1Judgment is reserved pending more testing.
See you on the road.
GAW
Way back in March I talked about installing a Red Light Changer magnet, and at the time it didn't seem to work very well at the one light I wanted it to work at. Since that time I have avoided that traffic light until today. After a short ride this afternoon I took my chances and pulled up to the traffic light in question. On the first cycle of the traffic light I got the Green light I wanted. To date the Red Light Changer is even, one success and one failure. It should also be noted that I called my State DOT, and they said they would check and adjust the traffic light giving me trouble. I don't know for sure if the DOT actually came out or not. So for the time being I will withhold judgment on the Red Light Changer.
Posts
