Should I stay or should I roll?

• Position: TRENDS & TRANSITIONS - Laws on bicycles and motorcycles - Brief article

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Have you ever waited at a red light while on a motorcycle or bicycle wondering if the traffic signal will ever change or if it even knows you're there? This is a common problem for two and three-wheelers, since traffic signals need a fair amount of metal to detect the need to switch.

Since 2002, when Minnesota passed a law allowing bicycles and motorcycles to proceed through stoplights if the traffic control signal is not detecting their presence, grass-roots groups have championed legislation to clarify what can be an unsafe and confusing situation for riders.

Eight states--Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin--have followed Minnesota's lead and now have similar laws that allow a motorcycle, bicycle, scooter, moped or three-wheeled vehicle to go through a red light after a certain amount of time if the intersection is clear. Kansas and Virginia passed their laws this year. North Carolina's law covers only motorcycles...