This is getting too complicated for me. Personally, I know that vehicle-actuation technology for traffic signals has its limits, and I'm willing to accommodate them. If there's a place I should put my bike so the magnetic coils can find it, I'll put my bike there. If there's a button I can push without leaving the street, I'll push it.
But very few buttons are placed where they are accessible to bikers (Jenifer/Williamson is one of the few), and I have never seen a marking on a Madison pavement telling me where to place my bike to activate the signal. If such buttons or markings existed, I'd probably run fewer red lights. Michael Rewey wrote: > Arthur, please re-read the statute. Vehicle Actuation does not include > having to push a > button or pedestrian push button. Until I see a motor vehicle driver push > a button having a > biker push a button is not accepatble. Also the statue does not give > exceptions to > pedestrians being present. Nor does it give exceptions to having a biker > position him/herself > on a particlaur spot. > > Mike > > > 346.37(1) 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. [emphasis added] 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. > This subdivision does > not affect any authorization for a bicyclist under subd. 2. > > > *************************************************************** > On 11 Apr 2007 at 14:04, Ross, Arthur wrote: > > Here is my response to Matt's comments and questions. > > Unfortunately, laws are rarely written so they are not subject to > different interpretations. I guess that's why we have a court system. > Until there is case law on this, or at least until police start issuing > citations for violations, my understanding and interpretation of the > intent and language of this law is not to prevent motorcyclists, > bicyclists, et al from ever having to wait more than 45 seconds for red > signal to turn green. Rather, it is to ensure that they do not have to > wait longer than other traffic has to wait. Signal cycles are rarely as > short as 45 seconds. 60 - 90 is more normal, and 120's can exist. For a > motor/bi-cyclist to legally take advantage of this law, in my opinion, the > cyclist needs to believe that the intersection is vehicle actuated (as > opposed to fixed time) and that there has been no detection by any means > to give the signal control unit the message to bring up the green for the > side street. If you see a pedestrian push the walk button, th > at is > detection and you know the signal will change next time around and you > cannot proceed on the red. If there is a pavement marking indicating > where bicyclists should ride or position themselves to be detected, there > is the expectation that you will be detected and you have to wait for the > green. If there is a push button specifically for bicyclists, as at > Jenifer at Williamson, you have to push the button and wait for the green. > Etc. This is my interpretation and recommendation for behavior. If you > want to hold a different interpretation, that's up to you to discuss with > a police officer, judge, city attorney, or jury if you get a ticket. > > In terms of the cars being behind bicyclists at an intersection, detection > usually occurs (at least in Madison) on the approach to the intersection, > not at the intersection. > > Arthur > > Arthur Ross, Pedestrian-Bicycle Coordinator > City of Madison Traffic Engineering Division > 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Suite 100 > PO Box 2986 > Madison, WI 53701-2986 > 608/266-6225 > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies > _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
