OFF THE WIRE
On January 1st, a new law will go into effect in Illinois that will allow motorcyclists to run red lights. Bikers will have to wait at a red light for a "reasonable amount of time" before proceeding through the intersection.
The law was created because motorcycles often aren't big enough to trigger the magnetic sensors that switch a traffic light from red to green. Bikers had to either break the law and proceed through the red light or wait for a car to come and trigger the light.
The law says that bikers will have to wait a reasonable amount of time before proceeding through the light, but what a reasonable amount of time is, was not defined.
State Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton, said that a reasonable amount of time equates to 120 seconds.
"A reasonable amount of time, which was not defined in the bill, will be 120 seconds. So two minutes, that's what we've come to agreement on and that was part of the governor's concern," Beiser said.
WJBC reports that the governor requested that the law be postponed until "a reasonable amount of time" was defined. Lawmakers overroade the governors request but assured him that a definition would be firmly set in 2012.
http://www.allaboutbikes.com/motorcyle-news/law-legislation/6565-illinois-bikers-get-ready-to-run-red-lights
http://dailycaller.com/2011/12/31/motorcycles-bicycles-can-run-red-lights-under-new-law/ Motorcycles, bicycles can run red lights under new law
CHICAGO (CBS) — Illinois motorcycles and bicycles will be allowed to run red lights starting in 2012, but only in certain instances.
Motorcycles and bicycles often aren’t big enough to trigger magnetic sensors that switch traffic lights from red to green, WBBM Newsradio’s Alex Degman reports.
That could mean the riders either break the law and run the red light, or wait until another vehicle comes along.
