Veloloop Triggers Inductive Road Sensors

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/natnat/veloloop-trigger-traffic-signals-from-your-bike

Somehow I don't think that this project is going to attract many
backers. Personally I rarely have a problem activating sensors with my
road bike or mountain bike and in the rare instances that happens there
is often a walk-signal button to press or a car comes along. Worst case,
I run the red light.

Maybe carbon fiber bicycles need this device.

what's the rush ?

http://goo.gl/BEUAG7

http://archive.wired.com/science/dis.../2005/08/68507

On 10/7/2014 9:35 AM, sms wrote:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/natnat/veloloop-trigger-traffic-signals-from-your-bike


Somehow I don't think that this project is going to attract many
backers. Personally I rarely have a problem activating sensors with my
road bike or mountain bike and in the rare instances that happens there
is often a walk-signal button to press or a car comes along. Worst case,
I run the red light.

Maybe carbon fiber bicycles need this device.


I don't know, I have the same experience that you do. It works or I
press the walk signal or I run the light when there's no traffic.

On 10/7/2014 7:37 AM, Duane wrote:
On 10/7/2014 9:35 AM, sms wrote:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/natnat/veloloop-trigger-traffic-signals-from-your-bike



Somehow I don't think that this project is going to attract many
backers. Personally I rarely have a problem activating sensors with my
road bike or mountain bike and in the rare instances that happens there
is often a walk-signal button to press or a car comes along. Worst case,
I run the red light.

Maybe carbon fiber bicycles need this device.


I don't know, I have the same experience that you do. It works or I
press the walk signal or I run the light when there's no traffic.

Someone suggested laying the bike down on the loop then lifting it up if
you don't trigger the sensor otherwise. You want a larger mass of metal
to trigger it.

On 10/7/2014 11:35 AM, sms wrote:
On 10/7/2014 7:37 AM, Duane wrote:
On 10/7/2014 9:35 AM, sms wrote:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/natnat/veloloop-trigger-traffic-signals-from-your-bike




Somehow I don't think that this project is going to attract many
backers. Personally I rarely have a problem activating sensors with my
road bike or mountain bike and in the rare instances that happens there
is often a walk-signal button to press or a car comes along. Worst case,
I run the red light.

Maybe carbon fiber bicycles need this device.


I don't know, I have the same experience that you do. It works or I
press the walk signal or I run the light when there's no traffic.

Someone suggested laying the bike down on the loop then lifting it up if
you don't trigger the sensor otherwise. You want a larger mass of metal
to trigger it.


I think the three choices I mentioned work fine most of the time.
Nearly every light here has a button for a pedestrian crossing. Unless
I'm queued up for a left turn there's no real problem pressing the
button. It's rare that the sensor doesn't work to begin with.

On 10/7/2014 11:50 AM, Duane wrote:
On 10/7/2014 11:35 AM, sms wrote:
On 10/7/2014 7:37 AM, Duane wrote:

I don't know, I have the same experience that you do. It works or I
press the walk signal or I run the light when there's no traffic.

Someone suggested laying the bike down on the loop then lifting it up if
you don't trigger the sensor otherwise. You want a larger mass of metal
to trigger it.


I think the three choices I mentioned work fine most of the time. Nearly
every light here has a button for a pedestrian crossing. Unless I'm
queued up for a left turn there's no real problem pressing the button.
It's rare that the sensor doesn't work to begin with.

That type of sensor (the buried inductive loop) works well most of the
time, provided you know to put your bike in the proper position, which
is generally right atop the wire (if it's a single rectangle or circular
cut) or atop the center wire (if it's a double rectangle, or other
double figure). When the bike doesn't trigger the signal in that
instance, I've had good luck making a phone call to get the sensitivity
increased.

I don't have any interest in hauling my bike over to press a pedestrian
button, then hauling it back into traffic position. My bike is legally
a vehicle, and vehicle detectors should be adjusted to detect it.


--
- Frank Krygowski

Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 10/7/2014 11:50 AM, Duane wrote:
On 10/7/2014 11:35 AM, sms wrote:
On 10/7/2014 7:37 AM, Duane wrote:

I don't know, I have the same experience that you do. It works or I
press the walk signal or I run the light when there's no traffic.

Someone suggested laying the bike down on the loop then lifting it up if
you don't trigger the sensor otherwise. You want a larger mass of metal
to trigger it.


I think the three choices I mentioned work fine most of the time. Nearly
every light here has a button for a pedestrian crossing. Unless I'm
queued up for a left turn there's no real problem pressing the button.
It's rare that the sensor doesn't work to begin with.

That type of sensor (the buried inductive loop) works well most of the
time, provided you know to put your bike in the proper position, which
is generally right atop the wire (if it's a single rectangle or circular
cut) or atop the center wire (if it's a double rectangle, or other
double figure). When the bike doesn't trigger the signal in that
instance, I've had good luck making a phone call to get the sensitivity
increased.

I don't have any interest in hauling my bike over to press a pedestrian
button, then hauling it back into traffic position. My bike is legally
a vehicle, and vehicle detectors should be adjusted to detect it.


I have that problem constantly. There is one left-turn light which never
turns green but hardly any cars go there. So I ofetn cycle straight
across where more cars travel and trigger the light, then loop back
through a gas station. Then there are gates and that's worse, because
you simply cannot continue until the thing opens. Or heave the bicycle
over a fence and climb after it.

Some sensors can be triggered by scoping out the minor discolorations in
the road surface that indicate the loop and laying the bike. But I found
that only works well with the titanium frame bike of a friend. With my
aluminum frame it does not work.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On Tue, 07 Oct 2014 15:05:50 -0400, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

I don't have any interest in hauling my bike over to press a pedestrian
button, then hauling it back into traffic position.

Perhaps you're simply lacking the necessary technology. I have
several of these:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4334765
which I use mostly to grab and replace books from my bookshelves when
my step ladder is being misused for other purposes. It should work
with most forms of traffic push buttons. 3ft reach might be a bit
limiting. There are various telescoping poles available for window
washing and ceiling dusting that have a longer reach. Something like
this:
http://www.lsdinc.com/installation/7305/Grabbit---

My bike is legally a vehicle, and vehicle detectors should be
adjusted to detect it.

Good point. When not being used as a traffic button pusher extension,
the telescoping pole could also help you assert your rights as a lance
for jousting with the drivers of automobiles, trucks, buses, and
trains that might be misinterpreting the laws.

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Tuesday, October 7, 2014 9:35:59 AM UTC-4, sms wrote:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/natnat/veloloop-trigger-traffic-signals-from-your-bike



Somehow I don't think that this project is going to attract many

backers. Personally I rarely have a problem activating sensors with my

road bike or mountain bike and in the rare instances that happens there

is often a walk-signal button to press or a car comes along. Worst case,

I run the red light.



Maybe carbon fiber bicycles need this device.

I had a problem last year on my standard ride. There was a "T" intersection with poor sight lines and fast traffic. I would have to wait until a car came along behind me to trip the traffic sensor. I e-mailed the local Highway Department and they were on it the next day! They increased the sensitivity of the sensor and marked the spot to place my front wheel. It's been working fine ever since.

Art Harris

On 10/8/2014 12:50 PM, Art Harris wrote:
On Tuesday, October 7, 2014 9:35:59 AM UTC-4, sms wrote:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/natnat/veloloop-trigger-traffic-signals-from-your-bike



Somehow I don't think that this project is going to attract many

backers. Personally I rarely have a problem activating sensors with my

road bike or mountain bike and in the rare instances that happens there

is often a walk-signal button to press or a car comes along. Worst case,

I run the red light.



Maybe carbon fiber bicycles need this device.

I had a problem last year on my standard ride. There was a "T" intersection with poor sight lines and fast traffic. I would have to wait until a car came along behind me to trip the traffic sensor. I e-mailed the local Highway Department and they were on it the next day! They increased the sensitivity of the sensor and marked the spot to place my front wheel. It's been working fine ever since.

Art Harris

There may be some reason related to liability, but they always seem to
fix this issue pretty quickly, at least in my experience.