you only need to do that if you have a bike that doesn't have enough metal to set off the sensor, cars have no problem with it.

 

ya, on a bike it's a bitch. we either have to put our weight on the kickstand so it can pick is up, or wait for another car to pull up behind or across. if not, just take the damn light or find some other way

 

Try going through the intersection a few times doing everything else the same but NOT flashing your headlights.

 

are those cited laws about the MIRT for FL only? One of the websites say California is illegal unless profession applies(law,EMT) and it also says all other states check your laws. I was just wondering if this happens to be legal in any state for civilians to use? I could see it not being legal for obvious reasons in all states. Either way it seems pretty easy to obtain one, as long as you dont ship to California.

 

actually that was michigans law, it was easy to find. Outside that in 2005 they passed the safe intersections act which outlawed them in all states, but state laws are way tougher than the federal ones on this.

 

actually the iron in your car affects the electric circuit in the ground, via EMF effects. that's why motorcycles can sit at traffic lights and the sensors won't detect them. they don't have enough iron for the circuit to detect a change in current. that's also why they sell "pieces of iron" at the bike shops and market them as light changers. there are transponders that only a few traffic lights recognize that are able to change the light. other than that, the flash your high beam is a myth.
just pure coincidence.

 

I thought it was the EMF generated by all the spinning/electrical bits in the engine

 

that might have a possible effect too but from what i learned, the idea of the traffic light sensor is based on the inductor(loop of wire). the current in the inductor changes when there's iron in the middle of it.

ninja edit: here u go Howstuffworks "How does a traffic light detect that a car has pulled up and is"