Q: What should motorcyclists do when stuck at red lights?

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A: Our KION Question came from Kevin in Salinas.

He wrote in saying, "As a motorcyclist, I often encounter traffic light signals that do not detect me as I approach a red light. As a result, I have to wait several traffic light rotations until a car pulls up behind me and triggers the in-ground sensors. This can be frustrating, especially at night or during the early morning when there aren't many cars around. In these cases, I often look both ways and proceed through the intersection when safe. Is this permissible? If not, what should a motorcyclist do when they are forced to wait several minutes and no cars are around?"

Here's the answer from the California Highway Patrol:

Most of the sensor's that are in the ground do not detect weight, but metal (there are still some that are "tripped" by pressure).

Since most motorcycle's are made of various steel and aluminum alloys as the main components, it's not usually detected, and depending on the weight of the bike, pressure sensitive may not be tripped either.

It is advised that if motorcyclists are aware of intersections that may be problematic, alter their routes to avoid that light. If it is impossible to do such, the municipality that maintains that particular signal devise should be notified for possible corrective action.

Q: What should motorcyclists do when stuck at red lights? - Central Coast News KION/KCBA

Q: What should motorcyclists do when stuck at red lights?