Michael Murphy, of Riverside California, sometimes encounters a frustrating problem while riding his motorcycle.

“I have many times been stuck at a left turn light controlled, I assume, by the circle cut in the pavement, by a weight sensor, that my motorcycle is apparently not heavy enough to trigger.”

He has sat through three or four cycles of the lights changing in all directions without getting a green left-turn arrow for his lane until a car pulls up behind him.

That, he assumes, is “enough to trigger the light.”

He wonders whether there’s a rule allowing him to turn when traffic is clear after waiting so long.

The answer is No.

Turning left against a red light is illegal in the State of California under any circumstances, and Murphy would risk a ticket, an accident, or worse by doing this.

Light-triggering sensors are supposed to detect motorcycles, however, over time; the sensors can los sensitivity or stop working.

If a motorcyclist encounters this problem at an intersection along a California highway, they can call Caltrans at 1-800-383-4631 to reach a public information officer and report the problem.

Or they could visit http://www.caltrans8.info and report it online. Caltrans will adjust the sensor.

For intersections along local roads, motorcyclists and bikers must contact the appropriate city or county government. Intersections within city limits in most cases are maintained by the city’s government.

Not all sensors work according to a vehicle’s weight. In fact, most work with a wire that detects changes in a magnetic field triggered by the presence of metal, others may be optical, which function like a very sophisticated motion sensor.

Regardless of the type of sensor involved, which the rider can’t determine anyway, motorists can call the streets department with the details of which intersection appears to have a problem. Sometimes traffic signal patterns change when there’s construction at an intersection. If a detector loop is cut, the signals revert to a previously set program, and the city must eventually reset it.

To report similar problems on roads owned by Riverside County, call the county’s Transportation Department’s traffic signal department at 951-955-6894. For those in San Bernardino County, call 909-387-8186.

I myself have had this problem numerous times, not only on my motorcycle, but in my car. I have found that many times moving my motorcycle back and forth will be enough to trigger the sensor, the same has held true for my cars as well.

Let’s face facts, how many of us have been stuck at one of these signals at 2 or 3am, with no traffic, just sitting there like an idiot waiting for a signal that will never change? How many of us have just decided to blow the signal after first ensuring that the coast is clear.

I for one think that motorcycles should be exempted by law from not being able to turn or go on a left arrow or signal if they have waited for than 5 minutes, and the coast is clear. It is obvious that many magnetic sensors just flat out do not detect motorcycles.

Whatever you decide to do, at least now you know the law.

By California Motorcycle Accident Lawyer and Biker Attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © 2010