Kansas Passes Bill Allowing Motorcycles to Run Red Lights

I’ve lost track of how many times I have thought about this subject.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/02/23/kansas-house-approves-allowing-bikers-run-red-lights/?test=latestnews

Hey Ron,

We have had that law in effect since November of last year hear in OK. I have not heard a thing since then, about how it's working for bike riders.

They made that legal here last year as well, but i have never known a rider to sit like an idiot for very long at a deserted red light anyway. Everyone i know does it , as long as its prudent, treating it like a stop sign. Theres nothing funnier than seeing someone put there kickstand down, walk over to the side of the road and push the walk button to get it to change. Seriously, the universe doesnt care if you go through a deserted red light, once youve stopped and figured out theres no one there to t-bone you if you go about your merry way.

Missouri has had this law for a while now. It is a great help for one local light that does not always change. John in KC

WOW! A quick search shows Minnesota started with legislation back in 2002 with almost a dozen states to follow. The Kansas article was the first I have heard of this “new to me” law.

Another search on the subject revealed the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is still in the dark ages.

Looks like I’m still a scofflaw at home.

trouble1100 wrote:

WOW! A quick search shows Minnesota started with legislation back in 2002 with almost a dozen states to follow.

What search terms did you use to find this out? I'd like to know all the states that have this?

Dan

Dan, I did a google for "states that allow motorcycles to run red lights" I found this site among the results.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110223154149AAfvI63

I used "Motorcycle Red Light Law" in a Google search and gave a quick look thru a few pages.
I couldn’t find an up to date list from any one site BUT….. This will bug me until I find one

Add Washington and Idaho to the states that allow going through the red light after the light cycles without giving the rider a green. I believe Oregon also allows the same.

Thanks Gary.
I think the drivers in south florida are so bad my state will never get this.

Red lights are just a suggestion in south Florida anyway, right? North Florida ain't much better...

And you're right, it's never gonna happen here. It's like free money for local law enforcement.

That said, anyone have any experience with an electrnoic gadget called a "green light trigger?"

roadrunner wrote:

That said, anyone have any experience with an electrnoic gadget called a "green light trigger?"

Motorcycle Consumer News rated its effectiveness to be fairly equivalent with "wishing really, really hard" for the light to change.

There are a couple of signals that don't change for me if I am the only vehicle in the left turn lane. Apparently the sensors in the pavement do not detect me. I have made the decision to proceed when the intersection is clear rather than sit there and waste gas on the off chance that another vehicle might eventually come along. A law like that only makes sense and should be in effect in all states.

RE: Green light Trigger

I've just cut and pasted the below from you know where.
Haven't searched all the links to see if they still work.
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http://greenlightstuff.com/trigger.html
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http://www.signalsorcerer.com/
There is a review on it here:
http://www.carbibles.com/productreviews_signalsorcerer.html
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Here is a bit on how they work:
http://www.wikihow.com/Trigger-Green-Traffic-Lights
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Here are other explanatory links:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question234.htm
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This is good too: (notice that the SPEED of the vehicle is mentioned)
http://www.splatco.com/tips/loops.htm
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Another fantastic link: (also notice that it need not be metal, just something CONDUCTIVE)
http://www.labreform.org/education/loops.html

I think you are supposed wait a little before running the red here and you can't do it where there are red light cameras