BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

I've never been stuck on Penn. Does that light even have a car trigger?  I don't remember seeing cuts in the asphalt that you typically see with them.

Sorry. I just read you mean being stuck on 34th .  Google Street view doesn't show telltale cuts in the pavement on 34th.

Yeah, I didn't see the metal detector grooves there in person either. Perhaps they're well hidden? I've stood there for two full cycles of the light with nothing but red, so it doesn't seem to be on a timer. I only take this route late at night (around 11:00pm) on weekdays. I'm not sure if its schedule varies.

Well. If the light sensor fails to recognize you, it's legal to proceed against the signal, right?

Yes, at least the bicycle driver's manual by PennDOT specifically says so:

If your bike doesn't trip the detector, you have to wait for a car to do it, or else you have to go through the red light. Going through the red isn't against the law, because the light is defective. If you ever have a crash or get a traffic ticket because a traffic light won't turn green, it's the fault of whoever installed the detector.

Still, I'd prefer not to have to run a red light if possible. I'm more concerned with safety than legality. Is there a place to report lights with defective sensors?

Looks like the new signal was outfitted with a radar detection system instead of loop sensors.  Check out the equipment on the third arm of the pole at the corner of Penn and 34th going up to Liberty.   Not so hot at detecting bikes, and yes, this is grounds for *safely* proceeding through red.  You'll sit there until a car comes otherwise.

you can try reporting the problem to 311,  be specific that it's not detecting cyclists.  I bet there are sensitivity adjustments regardless of whther it's a loop or radar.

Thanks. I filed a detailed request on their website. Does radar detection work based on the surface area facing the detector? I wonder if positioning my bicycle perpendicular to the street could help trip the sensor.

That's what those things are?  I always thought they were cameras that went unused in case they allowed red light cameras. Not sure why I came up with that idea.   You solved a mystery for me.

In Connelsville they have a light where the GAP crosses a busy street. You roll up to it and magically the light changes! I don't actually know how it's set up, but it's great. Let's assume that there's an embedded sensor that's tuned to bicycles (well, maybe not so much the crabons, but whatever). Why couldn't we have the same in the city? It can be off on the side, say in a designated green box. And it won't matter if a car stops on top of it. Besides, I hear that there's a whole lot of infrastructure spending coming up...

Date: 11/9/2016 12:35:00 PM User: michelle311 Comments: Service Request rerouted to Council_District_7, DPWAccess, DPWTrafficDivision Date: 11/9/2016 3:40:00 PM User: parksm Comments: Printed and given to supervisor/foreman. Date: 11/17/2016 3:06:00 PM User: parksm Comments: The City of Pittsburgh Public Works Department has completed your request. Thank you for contacting us! 11/10/16

It seems this should be fixed now. I'll give it another try next time I'm riding through there.

If a signal is not detecting the presence of a vehicle, and is supposed to, then you can legally proceed through that intersection as if you were at a corner equipped with a stop sign. The concept here is that the light is malfunctioning. It's supposed to do X -- see you on a bike -- and is not doing X, so go right ahead and proceed as soon as traffic is clear. The relevant statute is Title 75, Section 3112(c)(2).