I'm actually SO frustrated at the moment. I have just spent THIRTEEN! (yes thirteen exactly because I have a clock on my scooter) Minutes stuck at the Robin Hood roundabout coming from Shaw Rd because of these stupid sensored traffic lights.
I can understand why councils use them but why can they not adjust them to make them accept motorbikes and scooters? Even bicycles!? I had the choice of either going through a red or reversing up a road you really shouldn't be reversing up! If a car had not come when it had I don't know what I would have done.
Anybody know what you are supposed to do if you get stuck at these sensors? I positioned my scooter over where it looked like the wires were to no avail.

I am so annoyed by this because there are a few roads I cannot use around the Newbury area already because of these lights and as this is one I take regularly I do not wish to be stuck waiting until a car comes!

What am I to do?
Has anyone else had this problem?

Bug*ered if I'd wait 13 mins. at traffic lights which are obviously faulty!

(By the way, bicycles don't take any notice of traffic lights.)

Send a formal letter of complaint to West Berks. Highways Department and keep on until the problem is put right.

You beat me to it.... and the original post is a good reason why we don't. They were designed for cars... not bikes.

So a very good reason for changing the design. There are other ways of 'sensing' traffic - which doesn't involve weight! We are supposed to be promoting cycling! Like many things, poor design right from the start, ripe for standard excuses 1 and 2 'we've always done it this way' or 'how dare you question us experts'

Nor do modern traffic sensors, as far as I know. Perhaps the scooter rider should carry a large electromagnet with him, or more simply, just get off and push it through the lights.

Hmm I don't think getting off my Scooter and pushing it through the lights at the Robin Hood would be in anyway safer than if I just drove through them, other than to preserve my points should I be caught running a red.

I went a different way today and found that the lights, again at the Robin Hood, from Thatcham way are also sensored! Thankfully a car came after a few minutes but it was long enough for me to realsie my scoot doesn't trigger these ones either.

I will certainly write to the council about this and keep on, possibly ask for a road tax refund as these kind of things are what it is used for Maybe I'll get them to provide me with a magnet to trigger the sensors.


Honestly still annoyed about this. I am a road user, I pay my taxes and should be able to use a public road such as this one with no hassle.

How much is Vehicle Excise Duty on a scooter?

Hmm by VED I assume you mean tax? It is only £16 for a year but that will cover my use of the roads in relation to the size of my vehicle.

Read the Highway Code lately then?

Modern traffic lights have metal wire loop sensors in the road surface that detect any thing metal waiting at the light - lorries, cars, motorcycles, scooters, push bikes etc.
That is, unless they are faulty!

Ah so they are more than likely faulty?
They just need to be a bit more sensitive I think. You can get magnets all over the net to help you get over these lights but I seriously don't think I should need to get one!
More on principle than anything else because they aren't expensive.

No I don't mean tax, I mean Vehicle Excise Duty.

That's a tenth of how much I pay for my vehicle. Do you use traffic lights ten times less than a car?

As you already know, VED is also know colloquially as Road Tax. We are not charged on usage and I see your argument as meaningless. He has allegedly paid his dues, he should be entitled to use the road as anyone else who has paid.

Hold on a second Mr Aggresive. I pay tax in relation to my vehicle, traffic lights are part of what the tax is used for
(I assume, it could actually be under council tax and if this is so then that is in relation to where you live rather than how much you use the things council tax pays for...such as people pay the highest council tax if they live in the centre of town but if some goes on things like roundabouts and traffic lights these people surely should pay less if they walkthe five minutes to the shops instead of taking their cars around the corner as this lazy society will so easily do.)
But for things like damage to roads from cars, congestion, pollution and I'm sure many others, you SHOULD pay more than scooters!


P.S. just to set the record straight everyone; I am a lady, not a fella.

All I'm saying is they will have contribute around a tenth of what a car user did to the installation and upkeep of those traffic lights.

I pay my car tax as well that is why I wait at the lights.... bike I pay no tax so I don't bother.


I

VED/Vehicle Tax is just tax, it is not ringfenced to be spent on the highways.

That's not his fault and shouldn't deny him access in my view.

Yes. When I'm on a bike: screw the lights; they don't exist.

HER fault fellas! HER

:-)