WEBVTT - If a Stop Light Is Stuck on Red, What Can You Do?

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Brainstuff, a production of iHeartRadio. Hey brain Stuff,

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<v Speaker 1>Loren Vogel bumb Here. You pull up to a four

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<v Speaker 1>way stop and the light is read no big deal.

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<v Speaker 1>You take the opportunity to change the radio station, pick

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<v Speaker 1>a poppy seat out of your teeth from your morning bagel,

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<v Speaker 1>and wait and wait and wait. You've been here through

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<v Speaker 1>half a song already. Oh no, you realize the light

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<v Speaker 1>is stuck on red? Can you just go through it?

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<v Speaker 1>Should you turn right? Even though left is really the

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<v Speaker 1>way that you need to go? There are cars behind you.

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<v Speaker 1>Can they rat you out? Or will they go along

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<v Speaker 1>with your law breaking ways? Most importantly, what is the

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<v Speaker 1>safe move and is it the same as the legal move? Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>if the traffic lights at the intersection are working properly

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<v Speaker 1>in the other direction and cross traffic is still flowing

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<v Speaker 1>in front of you, then the electromagnetic sensor is embedded

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<v Speaker 1>in the pavement. Most likely haven't recogniz your car at

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<v Speaker 1>the light. Those sensors often extend back a bit to

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<v Speaker 1>detect when multiple cars are waiting, so if you're the

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<v Speaker 1>only car the light, that could be the issue. Usually

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<v Speaker 1>you can see the lines in the pavement where the

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<v Speaker 1>sensors are located, maybe you'd need to pull forward a

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<v Speaker 1>bit to hit them, or if they're underneath your car

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<v Speaker 1>and you have the space to do so, try backing

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<v Speaker 1>up and then drive forward over the sensors again. Engineers

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<v Speaker 1>say it's worth a try at least. If that doesn't work,

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<v Speaker 1>and you decide you've waited long enough and you're sure

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<v Speaker 1>there aren't any oncoming vehicles, you can chance it and

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<v Speaker 1>run the red light. But be aware. If you decide

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<v Speaker 1>to do this, you can be pulled over and cited

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<v Speaker 1>by an officer. If that happens, your best chance is

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<v Speaker 1>to explain what happened. The officer may check out the

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<v Speaker 1>light themselves and see that you're correct, or they may

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<v Speaker 1>deem you impatient and write up that ticket anyway. However,

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<v Speaker 1>if cross traffic isn't flowing either, both lights are probably malfunk.

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<v Speaker 1>In this case, it's more likely that the lights would

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<v Speaker 1>be flashing or completely dark, not just stuck on red

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<v Speaker 1>at any rate. If all traffic is stopped, you should

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<v Speaker 1>treat the light as a four way stop sign. But

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<v Speaker 1>what if you're on a two wheeled vehicle. Motorcycles and

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<v Speaker 1>mope heads run across this problem far more often, as

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<v Speaker 1>sensors are usually set to detect four wheeled vehicles that

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<v Speaker 1>weigh at least two tons. You've got a couple of

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<v Speaker 1>choices here. You can look for the loops embedded in

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<v Speaker 1>the road and roll back and forth over them to

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<v Speaker 1>try to trigger the light's sensor. Or you can sit

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<v Speaker 1>in hope that a heavier, easier to detect car comes

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<v Speaker 1>up behind you and does it. Those loops are electromagnetic,

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<v Speaker 1>so strapping a powerful magnet to the underside of your

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<v Speaker 1>motorcycle might help trip those sensors. Maybe. Of course, if

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<v Speaker 1>you find it's the same light that's getting you stuck

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<v Speaker 1>every time you ride to work, it might be best

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<v Speaker 1>to find another route with stop lights that are less persnicity.

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<v Speaker 1>In any case, keep your eyes peeled and be careful

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<v Speaker 1>out there. Today's episode is based on the article if

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<v Speaker 1>the light is stuck on red are you stuck to?

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<v Speaker 1>On how Stuffworks dot com, written by Kristen Hall Geisler.

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<v Speaker 1>Brain Stuff is production of iHeartRadio in partnership with how

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<v Speaker 1>stuffworks dot Com and is produced by Tyler Klang. For

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