Traffic light not sensing my Insight?

[davidm]

This is kind of weird. They recently started using ramp meters to space the incoming traffic on a highway I use everyday to commute to work.

They're not in use all of the time and I've only had to enter with them in service three times so far.

How it works is that the ramp signal alternates between red and green and one car is allowed to go per green.

Each time I've sat in a line of cars and could see that the light was alternating so as to leave a few seconds between each car entering the highway. It always proceeds with a similar rhythm with only a short stop for each car. Until it's my turn. Then it just stays red.

The first time I sat there for 30 or 45 seconds thinking that it had decided to hold back traffic for some reason and I was unlucky enough to have it happen right when it was my turn. When others started to go around me i decided to just pull out. It figured that it must have malfunctioned right when it was my turn.

Then it happened in exactly the same way a second time. It spaced the cars ahead of me by a few seconds between each car, but stayed red when I got to it. This time I only waited may 10 or 15 seconds and then pulled onto the highway.

Then it happened again this morning.

Once is bad luck. Twice is suspicious. Three times says that it has a sensor that for some reason doesn't see my car.

Anyone else encounter this with traffic lights?

[Cobb]

I notice I cant pull up to or pass the line at stop lights or it wont detect my car. I have to stop 6 ft in front of the line. Many of the older ones that do not use leds have a light detector. If you flick your high beams it will signal it. Some stops with the sun to your back side cant see your car, so I go to another stop.

[davidm]

Someone suggested to me that I may not be stopping at the right place. Next time I'll watch the cars ahead of me and make sure I stop where they do.

[Willie Williford]

I though they used sensors in the asphalt.

Willie

[davidm]

Originally Posted by Willie Williford

I though they used sensors in the asphalt.

Willie

As far as I know that's what they do. The question is whether or not those sensors in the asphalt are sensing my Insight.

[AbCaRed00]

Originally Posted by davidm

...The question is whether or not those sensors in the asphalt are sensing my Insight.

Perhaps it's a marginal setup and needs reported to traffic maintenance. Document your occasions when it wasn't functional. The ones with the inlaid strips in the asphalt are supposed to even notice bicycles with alloy rims. Some are said to lay their bikes down to get the signal to work.
Perhaps try an old speaker magnet mounted low if magnetic field is the trick?

[Need4Speed]

Try hugging the left side one day, the right another day.

[Cobb]

Most of the newer ones sense a metal object has entered its field as it has a field generator and antenna side by side and when a car comes over it it moves the signal over. Parts of WV still use pressure units that senses the weight of a vehicle. Parts of Richmod use ones with an eye that sees a car. This is how the police and fire get the light, they have an IR imited that flashes a code to turn the light green.

Yeah, that was an old trick when they stwitched over to the field ones. Stick a magnet on the front under side that is low hanging if your horse and buggy, motorcycle, car, wheelchair, etc.

[jcbesq]

maybe it's not the car ... maybe it doesn't like you

[004]

I remember once reading that over here, you have to wait a (timed, not estimated) two minutes before going on the principle that you believe the light to be defective.

Except at a level crossing. Wait two minutes then use the emergency phone, in that case.

I'm hoping that one you encountered doesn't have a red light violation camera attached! If I tried it at a slip road over here, I would simply expect a fixed penalty notice to arrive in the post.