I'm sure there are other threads but I can't seem to find it in the search option.

Where I'm riding I often find myself waiting for the traffic light to change even if my place my bike where the sensors are.

There is always traffic going east and west. My light won't change unless there is a car behind me or there are cars waiting on the other side. and some times cars never show up or they do but they are turning right.
Late at night when I'm riding and there are no cars I will roll up to the light and it will change. What's up with that?

What do I do?

MOST states have a law or ordinance that will allow you to pass the red light if you wait for a sufficient amount of time, most are 5 minutes. Of course you should only go if there is no traffic on the other road. Alternately, dismount the bike and use the crosswalk with the pedestrian signal if it exists and if not cross corner to corner, remount and reenter traffic.

Many cities use timer sequenced lights if the road is major enough. It took a little bit of understanding and trial to find out that even though my city's speed limit is 25mph, the lights are all green at 19-22mph. If you get off pattern and have to sit there are no sensors and delay is around 2-3 minutes each. There is one where it is off pattern no matter what, and it works out to be a jump or a long wait. If there are cars in line with me I will usually wait with them, but if the road is empty I will look and then go. In legaleese it is called a "defective" light because the modern design sensors are required to sense metalic bikes.

How long are you waiting at the light during the day? Check with the city transportation department what the maximum time should be for the light to change and report how long you've had to wait. The sensors are adjustable for sensitivity and they should be able to pick up your bike (and appear to do so at night). If they consistently detect you at night they should also do so during the day. But of course there will be a longer delay during the day for the light to change if there's lots of traffic on the cross street.

Where are you stopping? I place my wheels directly over the cut and never have problems triggering lights.

didn't time it but the traffic going east and west and turning lights changed at least 3 or 4 times. The thing is that when I'm riding at night I don't even have to stop before it turns green. So maybe it's timed?

and yes I place directly over the strip if I am stopped.

The various directions of travel could have different priority levels based upon the time of day. There is one light in my town that stays green twice as long during the day for north/south and then there is more parity like from 2200 to 0600.

loop detectors are typically calibrated with heavy hybrid/mtb wheels. one of the advantages of being a weight weenie is that it gives you a good excuse to idaho stop traffic lights.

Report it to whatever agency is responsible for the intersection. They really do fix things like that for you.

This is the law in Wisconsin regarding stop lights;

Red Traffic Signal: [346.37(1)(c)4] allows a bicyclist facing a red signal at an intersection, after stopping as required, for not less than 45 seconds, to proceed cautiously through the intersection before the signal turns green if no other vehicles are present at the intersection to actuate the signal and the operator believes the signal is vehicle actuated. The bicyclist shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicular traffic when proceeding through the green signal at the intersection.

Many traffic lights used to not be sensitive enough for motorcycles, let alone bicycles. I haven't ridden a motorcycle in years, but I've found many many lights that are on sensors that bicycles do not trip.

I'm very fortunate - the only traffic light that could be an issue (crossing a major state highway) has decent, working sensors. They work IF I am careful to ride perfectly over the first sensor and park correctly on the second.

Hey I know I've got the same problem with my early AM commute

the sensor in the dedicated bike lane always senses my bike.

no problems here.

Along with 3 feet passing, a "dead red" law was enacted in Kansas in 2011. We need to wait for a "reasonable period" at a red light. For me, that's the amount of time for me to get a drink of water. As a bicyclist and motorcyclist, I was happy to see this happen.

https://www.kansascyclist.com/news/20...d-by-governor/

Red light = yeild on a bike .proceed when its safe

I'm not too proud to use the Pedestrian crossing button.

I stop for red lights make sure its safe to proceed; and if it is safe; I go ahead and go through the intersection. I think getting through the intersection (danger zone) is safer than waiting there for some motorist to come through, lose control and roll over me while I'm there like a sitting duck. I guess I subscribe to the idea that a moving target is harder to hit when it comes to this situation.

teachme, i agree 100%. the more time you spend in an intersection the greater your chance of being flattened by a motorist who is yabbering, diddling, sipping, or eating. if i have a chance to clear an intersection with no motorists nearby i will almost always take it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sj-mNB6dLkk

I've got a few traffic lights on my route that will not change no matter how long I wait or how I position my bike unless a car comes along to trip it. I either avoid those lights by taking different routes, or come to a full stop and then run the light as soon as the traffic is clear. I have reported the lights to the city but they did nothing to change the sensors. So I take my chances.

I live in a city where bicycling is not as "politicized" as other cities and the authorities always look the other way if I go through a red light safely. There isn't a big "bike vs car" mentality here so I don't get ticketed for some of the carp I pull lol. As stated in some other responses to OP, most states give allowance at intersections where the vehicle is too small to trip the signals.

One thing to think about is you can push the "walk" button to activate the light. I've done that at super busy intersections before.

Since you are in Portland, read this:

Changing Signal Timing — How It Can Make a Difference

Contact Carl Larson at carl@btaoregon.org

Yes.. but it can be dangerous. Hit the button, light turns and you are tempted to ride across the crosswalk....
Sometimes not a good idea.

As I've learned the hard way.

If there is no traffic behind you (common on my early morning commutes), try a gentle circling motion - it sometimes changes the light for me even when the straight approach didn't - and it has the advantage that I don't have to unclip, given I haven't learned to track-stand yet!