I am taking the liberty of quoting our new member, Barbara's "greeting" message to me, because I don't know the answer. (In the many years I've lived in Toronto, I've never encountered the car activated lights she describes.)

"My rush hr is in the suburbs on Bloor and Burnhamthorpe at border of Mississauga. Sorry to be a bother but - Question-what do I do at red lights crossing Bloor that don't change to green until a car arrives. My bike is not heavy enough to trigger the light. Should I go onto the sidewalk to hit the pedestrian button?"

puzzled cheers

Most intersection signalling systems work on a electromagnetic induction coil system buried in the pavement at the intersection. It can be tuned by road work crews to detect down to regular bicycles. But when installed most are tuned to detect the average automobile. Unfortunately that means it will not detect most bicycles, small motorcycles, gas scooters and E-Bikes. The only recoarse you have is complain to your local political representative (good luck with that!) or do as you said and press the pedestrian crosswalk button.

Ken Finch

Most intersection signalling systems work on a electromagnetic induction coil system buried in the pavement at the intersection. It can be tuned by road work crews to detect down to regular bicycles. But when installed most are tuned to detect the average automobile. Unfortunately that means it will not detect most bicycles, small motorcycles, gas scooters and E-Bikes. The only recoarse you have is complain to your local political representative (good luck with that!) or do as you said and press the pedestrian crosswalk button.

Ken Finch

Thanks Ken, I did not know that. Downtown Toronto seems to be entirely free of such contraptions . . simple timers we have, perhaps? I don't know what I'd do if the light refused to change . . run it when completely safe and clear?

change already! cheers

I have encountered the same problem, usually off of a side street of a busier street. I have gotten off my ebike and pushed the pededtrian button 'cause parking the bike on the coil burried under the pavement dosen't always ttrigger the change.
Just be aware of the cars around you, most have a hard time seeing you ON your ebike let alone whan you are off of it.

I have the exact same issue, I either go press the pedestrian button or just ride on the crosswalk on the opposite side. This is at Spadina Ave and Bremner Ave.

This works but ya need to install it on a metal frame, not a plastic body part...
http://www.amazon.com...


I also had an ex-Toronto firefighter tell me that the lights are actually activated by bright lights from emergency vehicles... Haven't had a chance to try this w/a high-power flashlight yet.

Very bad karma to be riding in crosswalks...
Lock

Here is an interesting article of the subject matter:

http://www.usatoday.c...

Just so everyone's aware, getting off your bike to go press the pedestrian crosswalk button IS illegal - you can't legally abandon your vehicle in the roadway, even for a minute to go press the button.

If you're going to do this, it's probably best to take your bike onto the sidewalk (possibly walking, not riding, it over the crosswalk to get there) with you, don't leave it in the road.

Thanks to all of you who posted your replies to my question. THis morning, I walked my bike onto the sidewalk and pressed the pedestrian button. That worked fine. //Barbara

This works but ya need to install it on a metal frame, not a plastic body part...
http://www.amazon.com...


I also had an ex-Toronto firefighter tell me that the lights are actually activated by bright lights from emergency vehicles... Haven't had a chance to try this w/a high-power flashlight yet.

Very bad karma to be riding in crosswalks...
Lock

Yesh - do not ride in crosswalk - i did this last year (as a newbie), leaving the CNE late one night . . got a brief lecture from a nearby cop, but no ticket -he could've charged me.) BTW - here is a learned paper on the subject of - "Detection of Bicycles by Quadrupole Loops at Demand-Actuated Traffic Signals" http://www.humantrans...

The short explanation runs like this:

"Magnets do not work, I have tried powerful rare earth magnets. I also tried pieces of high permiability metal (Mu metal), which also didn't work. The link below explains how most sensors work. Putting your wheel on the road cut for the wire loop, especially the middle cut, is the best technique. A loop of copper wire is more likely to work than a magnet, but not easy to add to a bike. I used a 2 foot diameter loop of 12 Ga copper wire to trigger a gate that wouldn't open for a bike. Some people have tried a piece of wire around the perimeter of the sole of their boot."


If you buy one of those magnets you can always use it on your gasoline line to increase gas mileage, or your water line to magically soften your water.

source - http://www.advrider.c...

back to the drawing board - cheers