Reviews:
 ·Mediacom
| Illinois Motorcycle red light bill in effect! Bikers in Illinois got a nice present from the state, starting today:
»www.allaboutbikes.com/motorcyle-···d-lights
Illinois Bikers Get Ready to Run Red Lights
On January 1st, a new law will go into effect in Illinois that will allow motorcyclists to run red lights. Bikers will have to wait at a red light for a "reasonable amount of time" before proceeding through the intersection.
The law was created because motorcycles often aren't big enough to trigger the magnetic sensors that switch a traffic light from red to green. Bikers had to either break the law and proceed through the red light or wait for a car to come and trigger the light.
The law says that bikers will have to wait a reasonable amount of time before proceeding through the light, but what a reasonable amount of time is, was not defined.
State Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton, said that a reasonable amount of time equates to 120 seconds.
"A reasonable amount of time, which was not defined in the bill, will be 120 seconds. So two minutes, that's what we've come to agreement on and that was part of the governor's concern," Beiser said.
WJBC reports that the governor requested that the law be postponed until "a reasonable amount of time" was defined. Lawmakers overroade the governors request but assured him that a definition would be firmly set in 2012.
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Humanity - The greatest natural disaster of all time. |
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KearnstdElf WizardPremium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ | makes sense as it really takes something like a big ole Harley to have enough iron to trigger that sensor. a sport bike likely has zero steel at all in favor high strength alloys with minimal weight and carbon fiber.
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[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports |
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| Many other states have gone in this direction, it does only make sense. My Honda Rebel (a 250cc) at just over 300 pounds, certainly doesn't trip them.
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Humanity - The greatest natural disaster of all time. |
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| Try getting those things to work on an 18 pound carbon bicycle.
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When diet and exercise just aren't enough, there's Ipecac.
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| reply to lotusracer
said by lotusracer:"A reasonable amount of time, which was not defined in the bill, will be 120 seconds. "
So it is not defined but it is defined? That is going to be a nightmare for the legal system there. |
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Reviews:
·Mediacom
| reply to No_Strings
said by No_Strings:Try getting those things to work on an 18 pound carbon bicycle.
when available, I'll hop off of my bike and hit the button for a walk light, which triggers a light change... but they don't have them at all intersections.
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Humanity - The greatest natural disaster of all time. |
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 Lurch77Premium
join:2001-11-22
Oconto, WI
kudos:4 | reply to Kearnstd
said by Kearnstd:makes sense as it really takes something like a big ole Harley to have enough iron to trigger that sensor. Even then it doesn't work most of the time. The enacted a similar law here in WI in 2006. I have only used it twice. Once on my HD, and once on my Suzuki GSX-R. Luckily I live in a mostly rural area, and I ride for pleasure only, no commuting, since I drive a company vehicle for work. So I rarely run into stop lights. |
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 The PigBazinaPremium
join:2009-09-11 | reply to lotusracer
If you can, send me a bottle of biker blood!
I'm sure the stuff will be everywhere before long!
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The PigBazinaPremium
join:2009-09-11 | reply to lotusracer
said by lotusracer:when available, I'll hop off of my bike and hit the button for a walk light, which triggers a light change... but they don't have them at all intersections.
Cool!
Here pressing the light button only makes the light stay green longer so people have enough time to cross the street, it doesn't make the red turn green any faster!
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Lurch77Premium
join:2001-11-22
Oconto, WI
kudos:4 | reply to The Pig
said by The Pig:If you can, send me a bottle of biker blood!
I'm sure the stuff will be everywhere before long!
The few opponents to the bill in wi used the "it is unsafe" and "there will be accidents everywhere" reasoning. The reality is there has not been a single accident documented due to this in the 6 years it has been allowed in wi. |
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Reviews:
·Mediacom
| reply to The Pig
said by The Pig:said by lotusracer:when available, I'll hop off of my bike and hit the button for a walk light, which triggers a light change... but they don't have them at all intersections.
Cool! Here pressing the light button only makes the light stay green longer so people have enough time to cross the street, it doesn't make the red turn green any faster! Oh, but hitting the walk button WILL indeed trigger the light to change from red to green if you hit it for the walk signal crossing in the direction you want to go.
If I come up to the light on my street, that light will not ever change, unless a car comes up behind me, or unless I hit the button for the walk light.
I agree with Lurch77  this law won't necessarily cause the spilling of more blood... unless the bikers in question are stupid and careless that is.
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Humanity - The greatest natural disaster of all time. |
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KearnstdElf WizardPremium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ | reply to lotusracer
as long as bikers treat it like a stop sign and look for traffic that does actually have the right of way no increase in accidents will happen.
id say most accidents where the bike is at fault are usually from the biker being an idiot(a good example is those idiots who split lanes, when I had my pickup I almost pushed a guy doing that between me and a Semi under the semi from a very strong cross wind... I never expected a motorcycle to be between my myself and a semi)
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[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports |
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Lurch77Premium
join:2001-11-22
Oconto, WI
kudos:4 | said by Kearnstd:as long as bikers treat it like a stop sign and look for traffic that does actually have the right of way no increase in accidents will happen. If they follow the law, it is a very safe one. At least the way it is written in WI. We must stop and wait, then if we choose to go, we must yield the right of way. Essentially treating like a stop sign, as you said.
quote:
346.37 Traffic−control signal legend. (1)
(c) red.
4. Notwithstanding subd. 1., a motorcycle, moped, motor
bicycle, or bicycle facing a red signal at an intersection may, after
stopping as required under subd. 1. for not less than 45 seconds,
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 of the motorcycle, moped, motor
bicycle, or bicycle reasonably believes the signal is vehicle actuated.
The operator of a motorcycle, moped, motor bicycle, or bicycle proceeding through a red signal under this subdivision
shall yield the right−of−way to any vehicular traffic, pedestrian,
bicyclist, or rider of an electric personal assistive mobility device
proceeding through a green signal at the intersection or lawfully
within a crosswalk or using the intersection.
(»legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/Stat0346.pdf)
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 thegeekPremium
join:2008-02-21
united state
kudos:1 | reply to lotusracer
Missouri has either passed or is in the process of passing a similar law. Not really sure which. Although I don't ride I think the law is a good idea. Now only if Missouri would repeal the helmet law I'd probably start riding again. |
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Reviews:
·Mediacom
| said by thegeek: Now only if Missouri would repeal the helmet law I'd probably start riding again.
yea, if Illinois ever passes a helmet law, I'll have to reconsider motorcycle ownership for sure
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Humanity - The greatest natural disaster of all time. |
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The PigBazinaPremium
join:2009-09-11
1 edit | reply to lotusracer
said by lotusracer:I agree with Lurch77 this law won't necessarily cause the spilling of more blood... unless the bikers in question are stupid and careless that is.
Out here I rarely see a biker who isn't stupid/careless!
Oh! and to be fair the people driving cars aren't much better! |
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KearnstdElf WizardPremium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ | reply to lotusracer
what is wrong with helmet laws? I thought it was simply smart to wear a helmet while riding..
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[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports |
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Reviews:
·Mediacom
| said by Kearnstd:what is wrong with helmet laws? I thought it was simply smart to wear a helmet while riding..
it's a personal decision, I know the risks but choose not to.
Not much different than eating food that you like, even knowing the risks... or people who smoke.
I don't need or want the government to be my nanny.
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Humanity - The greatest natural disaster of all time. |
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Lurch77Premium
join:2001-11-22
Oconto, WI
kudos:4 | They already make you wear a seat belt in your car. I wear a helmet almost every time I ride, even though I don't have to in WI. So I am indifferent to the law, really. I wouldn't care if it was a helmet enforced state or not, I still wear one.
Though this has reminded me of the dummy that died from a head injury while protesting helmet laws in NY earlier this year. »abcnews.go.com/US/york-rider-die···13993417 |
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thegeekPremium
join:2008-02-21
united state
kudos:1 Reviews:
·Suddenlink
·NPG Cable
| there was a guy who just died here a few days ago and he was wearing a helmet. they don't always save lives. poor guy was just trying to enjoy the unseasonably nice weather we are having.
as lotusracer said, it's a personal decision. when i had a bike, i lived in a state that didn't require a helmet. i almost never wore one in town. i liked the freedom of not having a helmet on when going stop light to stop light. plus i never had to worry about leaving my helmet on my bike or carrying it with me when i went into a store or whatever. i always wore one on the highway though. mainly to keep the bugs out of my face. |
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