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From: fred@varian.UUCP (Fred Klink)
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
Subject: Re: left turns
Message-ID: <331@varian.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Jun-85 12:47:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: varian.331
Posted: Thu Jun 27 12:47:03 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Jul-85 04:28:53 EDT
References: <605@intelca.UUCP> <1636@reed.UUCP> <328@varian.UUCP> <2@uw-june>
Organization: Varian, Walnut Creek, CA
Lines: 20

> In fact, these sensors are adjustable, but if the sensitivity is made
> too high, a really massive piece of metal (like a truck)
> can activate the one in the adjacent lane.  This can cause problems
> like a left-turn signal going on when no one is waiting to make a left
> turn!  So you see, it's not quite as simple as it seems at first.
> 
	Obviously, any device of this type can be misadjusted.  My point
	is that if the device cannot be adjusted to accomadate the opera-
	tion of all vehicles-- trucks, cars, motorcycles and bicycles--
	that legally use the road then the device is inadequate and a
	more reasonable system should be adopted.  Also, I can't quite
	believe that the sensitivity required to sense a bicycle directly
	over the loop is even close to that required to sense a truck in
	the adjacent lane.  Even if it is, to occasionally set off a left
	turn arrow when no one is there seems more desirable than not
	setting it off at all for motorcycles and bicycles.

							Fred Klink
							Varian
							Walnut Creek, CA