Cyclists Warn Cities That Vehicle Sensors Miss Bikes

An organization representing more 2,500 local cyclists is rallying opposition to a type of street sensor that members say does not detect bikes at stop lights.

“Some detectors do not sense the presence of a bicycle at the stop light, and so a turn signal will never go on,” said Don Harvey, executive director of the Orange County Bicycle Coalition. “It means the bicyclist is stranded forever or else has to disobey the light in order to move on.”

The controversy is about a device with underground wires that detect the presence of a waiting vehicle at a stop light. The device then triggers the signal to allow left-hand turns.

In its current newsletter, the bicycle coalition said that some Orange County cities may be considering a change to a new type of detector that is not bicycle-sensitive. “From what we hear, a construction firm is aggressively marketing them as an item to lower maintenance costs,” the newsletter states.

Harvey said the new devices are called “round-loop detectors.” He said that so far the coalition knows of only one Orange County city--Huntington Beach--that has switched to the devices.

“We’re trying to get Huntington Beach to change,” he said. “I’m sure that changes by any city are inadvertent. They don’t do it to try to hurt bicycle riders.”

The coalition will provide information to any city about the detector problem if city staff members contact the coalition office, Harvey said. The bike group’s number is (714) 288-9130.