ABATE of Kansas
District 8
Dedicated to Freedom of the Road
District 8
Dedicated to Freedom of the Road
Your Subtitle text
missouri
New law allows motorcycles, bikes to sometimes run red lights
By BRAD COOPER
The Kansas City Star
The red light will soon be streaked with shades of gray.
For most of us behind the wheel, red means stop. But if you're riding a
Motorcycle or a bicycle in Missouri, it will mean stop, but only sort
Of.
A new Missouri law that takes effect Aug. 28 allows motorcycle and bike
Riders to run red lights but only if they stop first and the signal
Remains red for an "unreasonable time."
Missouri will be one of eight states that have similar laws, which are
Intended to address occasions when motorcycles or bikes aren't detected
By traffic signal sensors in the road.
When that happens, the rider sits at an intersection when no cross
Traffic is coming.
"It's very annoying, especially at this time of year when it's getting
Hot and you're sitting and you're sitting there and you're sitting
There," said motorcycle rider Alan Greer of Johnson County, Mo. "One
Minute can feel like an eternity."
Some traffic signals are triggered by a magnetic reaction coupled with
Wires embedded in the pavement.
The wires are sized in such a way that they are more likely to be
Tripped by a car or truck, said Pete terHorst, spokesman for the
American Motorcycle Association.
Some motorcycles and bikes tend not to trip the signal because they have
Less mass and are made with parts that aren't attracted to a magnet.
"It's very common for a bike to come up to a traffic signal and it
Doesn't change," said Brent Hugh, executive director of the Missouri
Bicycle Federation.
Missouri is the eighth state to pass this kind of law since 2002, the
American Motorcycle Association said, and three other states considered
Legislation this year. The trend makes state and federal traffic safety
Experts uneasy because the onus is now on the riders to decide when it's
Safe to proceed.
"Anytime you have people making judgments.it might increase the
Opportunity for a crash," said Leanna Depue, director of highway safety
For the Missouri Department of Transportation.
Some riders, though, say the law simply sanctions what's practiced
Already.
"There's not a rider alive who hasn't at some point done exactly what
The law is designed to make legal," said motorcycle driver Bob Rippy of
The Village of Loch Lloyd.
Rippy said the law doesn't allow motorcyclists to "blast" through a red
Light. He compared it to the latitude drivers are given when they turn
Right on red.
Motorcyclists and bicyclists alike would be allowed to proceed through a
Red light only if:
.They come to a complete stop first.
.The signal continues to show a red light for an "unreasonable time."
.The signal is malfunctioning or failed to detect a cycle.
.Traffic on the cross street doesn't pose a hazard.
Engineers and traffic safety experts say the law should be applied
Mostly at intersections with detection sensors in the road. Detection
Should be less of a problem where signals are controlled by cameras.
"We're hoping with the technology that's out there, there's going to be
Fewer intersections that aren't going to recognize the motorcycle,"
Depue said.
Kansas City, for instance, has about 600 intersections controlled by
Traffic signals. Only about a fourth of them have sensors in the
Pavement.
Traffic engineers acknowledge that motorcycles and bikes might not be
Detected at times. This can occur when the cycle stops beyond the white
"stop bar" or when it's too close to either side of the lane.
"I think where we have detection in place, you're probably going to get
The vehicle 90 percent of the time," said John Miller, state traffic
Safety engineer for MoDOT.
Miller, however, expressed concern about impatient bikers at signals
That are timed to the traffic flow. He fears some riders might not
Understand the timing and run the light before it completes its cycle,
Which can take a minute or two.
Then there's the red-light camera issue in Kansas City.
A picture would be taken of the red-light runner, but police should be
Able to apply the law by looking at video of the possible violation,
Said Lowell Gard, a Kansas City prosecutor. If you do get a ticket, he
Said, the law will give you a defense.
"As a practical matter the police have always applied that," Gard said.
"If a stop light is obviously malfunctioning or hasn't detected (a
Vehicle), they're not going to write you a ticket for proceeding through
An empty intersection."
Hugh believes bikers can proceed safely if they make sure cross traffic
Has cleared, but said a better solution is for engineers to ensure that
Signals recognize bicycle riders.
The Federal Highway Administration doesn't have jurisdiction on the
Issue and says research is limited. But it sides with Hugh on the signal
issue.
"We would strongly urge states to look at traffic devices and to adjust
them and make sure they work before they implement such laws," said
spokeswoman Nancy Singer.
