Here is an extract out of a booklet on bicycling in Florida. I don't have anything about other states.
Terry
WHEN TRAFFIC LIGHTS DON'T TURN
Always stop and wait for red lights. You not only ensure your safety, but you also increase respect for cyclists as law-abiding road users.
But some traffic lights don't turn green until they receive a signal from a metal detector buried in the pavement. Some of these detectors do not respond to bicycles.
You can recognize the detector by a square or octagonal pattern of thin lines in the pavement, where slots were cut for the detecting wires. The detector is most sensitive if you ride along one of the wires. (Sometimes, the slots for the wires are not visible, as the street has been repaved since they were installed).
If your bicycle doesn't trip the detector, you have to wait for a car to do it, or else you have to go through the red light. Going through the red isn't against the law, because the light is defective. If you ever have a crash or get a traffic ticket because a traffic light won't turn green, it's the fault of whoever installed the detector.
Detectors that work for bicycles are available at little or no additional cost. Design guidelines exist for these detectors. If you want to promote better conditions for bicycling, alert your government officials about road conditions of any type that are unsafe for bicycling. Let them know that they are responsible to make the roadways as safe as possible for all types of vehicles, and that accommodation of bicycles is important to you. Getting involved at the local level can be very effective.
Terry
WHEN TRAFFIC LIGHTS DON'T TURN
Always stop and wait for red lights. You not only ensure your safety, but you also increase respect for cyclists as law-abiding road users.
But some traffic lights don't turn green until they receive a signal from a metal detector buried in the pavement. Some of these detectors do not respond to bicycles.
You can recognize the detector by a square or octagonal pattern of thin lines in the pavement, where slots were cut for the detecting wires. The detector is most sensitive if you ride along one of the wires. (Sometimes, the slots for the wires are not visible, as the street has been repaved since they were installed).
If your bicycle doesn't trip the detector, you have to wait for a car to do it, or else you have to go through the red light. Going through the red isn't against the law, because the light is defective. If you ever have a crash or get a traffic ticket because a traffic light won't turn green, it's the fault of whoever installed the detector.
Detectors that work for bicycles are available at little or no additional cost. Design guidelines exist for these detectors. If you want to promote better conditions for bicycling, alert your government officials about road conditions of any type that are unsafe for bicycling. Let them know that they are responsible to make the roadways as safe as possible for all types of vehicles, and that accommodation of bicycles is important to you. Getting involved at the local level can be very effective.
