Scott:
Getting a public works employee to adjust an inductive loop detector to sense an alloy rim is a political/legal challenge, not a technical problem. It is great that you took the initiative to write to your public works department and copy your elected officials. Unfortunately, few bicyclists know how effectively advocate for change.

The East Bay Bicycle Coalition assists such grassroots activism throughout 33 cities in two San Francisco Bay counties. East Bay bicyclists frustrated with unresponsive signals, or other hazards, fill out an on-line Hazard Report Form and the EBBC sends it to the correct jurisdiction along with a notice of legal liability. We retain records of such reports and follow-up to insure that they are responded to. This process is extremely effective because: 1) we contact the right people; 2) we remind them of your legal standing; and 3) united in a coalition of bicyclists, we have political clout.