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Traffic light troubles

4 Dec 2013
by Borbus
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There is a new set of traffic lights at a crossroads in Norwich which only allows right turns when a vehicle is actually waiting in the right hand lane.  Presumably this is to increase efficiency since right turns are made far less often on this crossroads.

A few times I have been waiting at a red light waiting to turn right and it has become clear that the light is never going to turn green for me, thus forcing me to jump the red light when it's safe.  I contacted Norfolk County Council (who do the traffic lights in Norwich) and got a very helpful reply.  These lights are fired by under road sensors and can detect bicycles but only if a) the bicycle is in the middle of the lane and b) the bicycle passed over both sensors, as a car normally would.

Knowing this it is now easy to get the signal to turn right every time at these lights.  And it's another good reason to practise "vehicular cycling" too.