HARLINGEN -- Riding a gas-guzzling truck these days could take a major toll on your wallet.
That's why Richard Brotzman opted to purchase a motorcycle to save money on gas.
But instead of riding care free, Brotzman has developed a major headache.
He claims that on certain traffic lights in Harlingen, like the one 1st and 77 Sunshine Strip, he waits for a green light for up to 15 minutes.
The bike rider who lives just a block away from that light said he has to go thru this daily and has had to find alternate routes to get by.
Action 4 News learned that traffic light sensors underneath the road don’t detect motorcycles because of their light weight.
Traffic Signal Supervisor Eliazar Cruz said he understands the issue.
“It’s not enough mass that the motorcycle puts out, so that it could get picked up by the inductions of the loop,” Cruz told Action 4 News. “So they can just sit there pretty much until another vehicle comes that will give them the green light.”
But Brotzman has already taken matters to several city leaders and claims this inconvenience shouldn’t even be problem.
“There is a state law that mandates that these things are suppose to be able to detect the presence of a motorcycle,” Brotzman said.
Traffic signal supervisor Eliazar Cruz told Action 4 that he's also tried addressing the issue.
The only possible solution would be installing new camera equipment that would spot a vehicle on the road and prompt a light.
But that’s something Cruz said would cost major tax dollars.
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