A new law has passed in Illinois which allows motorcyclists and bicyclists to proceed through a red light after waiting a “reasonable” amount of time after the light fails to change to green. The legislation was prompted by the frequent occurrence in which a motorcycle (or bicycle) is not heavy (or wide) enough to trigger the road sensor, causing the light to stay red until another car comes along to trip it.
The “reasonable amount of time” they are saying is 2 minutes. The law would not apply to Chicago given that it is limited to localities less than 2 million people.
I’ve had this happen to me late at night in my hometown. My motorcycle fails to trip the road sensor and I’m left waiting. I usually make a right on red which is legal in Pennsylvania (to avoid a ticket); but at intersections prohibiting a right turn on red I’m taking a chance either way. It’s a law that makes sense but has a certain scary element. If I were in that situation I’d try to take the path of least resistance through the intersection, if I can’t see far enough left or right there’s no way I’d go straight through the intersection. Better to creep up slowly and make a right turn than risk being hit by someone who wasn’t expecting you and has a green light.
Ride safe.
At most intersections I can see where the sensor is and I try to line up right on top of the sensor cut. This seems to work most of the time. However, for years I have been running on the assumption Pa. already had this law or that I could argue the point in front of a judge. For myself, I define "reasonable time" as one cycle of the lights. If the light skips me then cycle around and skips me a second time I feel justified in proceeding when it is safe to do so.