In a bid to make cyclists feel safer, one US town has installed
motion sensor technology that can extend a green signal for a
cyclist if he/she is approaching an intersection at speed. The
motion sensor technology, which is called The Intersector, uses
microwave motion sensors on a mounted intersection pole to
recognise a bicycle and then sends signals back to the traffic
signal control box to prolong the green light so the cyclist can
pass safely through. Based on military technology, the town of
Pleasanton in California is the only place in the world to use
the system at the moment. The motion sensors distinguish between
bicycles and vehicles passing through street intersections by
measuring the length and speed of an object approaching the
intersection pole. Extension for cyclists When a traffic light
is already green, a cyclist typically receives an extension
pass-through time of about five seconds. For vehicles, the
extension time is two additional seconds. Bicycles stopped at a
red light receive 14 seco