Northern California - Insensitive Traffic Sensors

Someone's listening.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/top-stories/ci_18312322?nclick_check=1

For years, the state did not require lights to detect anything with fewer than four wheels. "That meant at many signals," said John Brazil, San Jose's bicycling coordinator, "bicyclists cannot receive a green unless a car happens to also be present."

But help may be coming.

San Jose has received a $1.5 million grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to test and identify the best bicycle-detection devices and install them at signals throughout the city. This may serve as a model throughout the nine Bay Area counties.

State legislation passed four years ago required that all new and modified signals include bike-friendly signal detectors and directed Caltrans to develop a standard. But the state provided no guidance on the best way to do this.

My favorite bit:

Travis, the Harley rider, was on his bike at a red light one day in Scotts Valley. After waiting for what seemed like forever, he finally ran the light -- and was pulled over by a city cop who did most of the talking.

"He just wanted to tell me he has had to go through the intersection against the red as well," Travis said, "and did not cite me."

Here's my favorite part:

Also intriguing is a pilot project in Pleasanton in which camera-like devices called microwave detectors are positioned on a traffic pole. These devices can tell the difference between a car, a motorcycle and a bicycle and will immediately add more green time if a bicycle is approaching.

I always hate crossing six or eight lanes when I know the light is going to turn red before I get halfway across, especially when the cars in the far lane have their view obstructed.

State legislation passed four years ago required that all new and modified signals include bike-friendly signal detectors and directed Caltrans to develop a standard. But the state provided no guidance on the best way to do this.[/I][/COLOR]

Um, duh. Does the CEO of Pfizer have to "provide guidance" to the chemists on how to mix and measure or should they already know that? Do TI's plant managers "provide guidance" to the engineers on how to route a circuit, or is working that out the engineers' job? Does the sergeant give helpful digging tips, or just tell you where the latrine should be? Caltrans has engineers to figure out how to do it; the legislature shouldn't need to do more than tell them to do it.

Um, duh. Does the CEO of Pfizer have to "provide guidance" to the chemists on how to mix and measure or should they already know that? Do TI's plant managers "provide guidance" to the engineers on how to route a circuit, or is working that out the engineers' job? Does the sergeant give helpful digging tips, or just tell you where the latrine should be? Caltrans has engineers to figure out how to do it; the legislature shouldn't need to do more than tell them to do it.

Obviously, you have never been privvy to the inner workings of CalTrans . . . . :twitchy:

And sergeants have been known to give helpful digging tips. They mostly concern useful hints about the digger's ancestry and/or species, said digger's future status in the armed forces, and what else the digger might do with the shovel. All in caring tones and in the spirit of bonhommie, of course.