Intersection of 16/U/NH NW?

[Just161]

There’s a great little “bikes only” signal thing here for southbounders on NH, but I couldn’t get it to work the other day. I stood on the little painted bike symbol but it didn’t impact the light cycle, and the bike-only light stayed red. Was I doing something wrong?

Has anyone else used this signal thing? Location below, although Google streetview doesn’t show the new bike stuff yet.

http://tinyurl.com/3azy2xy

Topic

[Dirt]

I used it a few weeks back and it worked. I didn’t have a problem. It is a super cool idea if they keep working.

[Just161]

Did you have to do anything special to make the thing go? Stand over a certain area? Stomp your feet? Do a bike dance?

[Dirt]

I sacrificed a live chicken and paid a small sum of money to the Ukrainian mafia.

[frenchita23]

I also have trouble with this intersection, on the southbound side. I can’t figure out how to activate it – it never works when I stand where the road tells me to stand, but I see it work for others. I usually don’t wait for the signal because it never works for me. Is there a trick? Someone told me that the type of bike you have will trigger the sensor and some bikes don’t do it. If anyone has any information they can share, that would be helpful!

[Just161]

Yes – I was having trouble on the southbound (i.e., north side heading south) side. Haven’t tried it yet the other way.

[Katie Sihler]

For directions and a nice graphic on how to use the signals, click here to go to DDOT’s webpage: http://ddot.dc.gov/DC/DDOT/About+DDOT/News+Room/Press+Releases/DDOT+Activates+Districts+First+Bicycle+Traffic+Signals

Apparently, there is no special trick to getting the signals to work. DDOT says that there is a problem, however, with the sensitivity of the signals: they are not picking up all bicycles. Their traffic engineers are aware of the problem and may supplement the loop detectors with some sort of video or infrared detection.

[Author]

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