too much damn light

[low_delta]

I used to be annoyed by the neighbor's sign. The accountant has a lighted sign in his front yard. I don't really appreciate my front yard being lit up. After a time, the gas station across the streeet started staying open all night, so the amount of light increased.

Today they installed the new streetlights on my street. They're supposed to be attractive fixtures, rather than the usual utilitarian things. They're kind of old fashioned looking. The old ones were tall poles, with arms raching out over the street and lights shining downwards. The new ones are shorter, and have glass all around. Why am I mad? Instead of shining the light downwards onto the street, they shine outwards. Into my windows. I can't sit on my couch when the fronmt door is open, without glaring orange light in my eyes. To make matters worse, the lenses focus light in certain directions. And there are two spot where the light is focused more than the rest. One is the corner of the building oacross the street, and the other is the front of my house.

The village is getting a letter about this. I know they won't replace the light, but I hope they can at least spin the lens.

Comments

[marswalker.livejournal.com]

That is so uncool.
Check out the International Dark-Sky Association's web pages. They might have some information you can forward on to the village, that might compell them to at least change thier choice of fixtures for the future, if not even revisit this thing they just stuck in front of your place.
Not to mention, if there's an observatory anywhere reasonably close (depends on how many of these things they install), the astronomers there will also appreciate it.
I hope it goes well.

[waning-estrogen.livejournal.com]

I hate trying to sleep with outside light sources.
daytime naps are an entirely different matter,
but when it's supposed to be dark, I want it dark, dammit.
I never sleep well in motel/hotel rooms.

[ravenfeather.livejournal.com]

I don't live close to gas stations or in a place zoned for work but, I have neighbors who choose to leave all of their outside security lights on, and the one that it at the back of their house across the street is pointed strait at my front door (I have little glass windows to either side)in order to shine on their side yard toward the front of their house. The street light at the front side of the street has been out for years, the street light at the back is still on, so I am bracketed with lights that leak in through the miniblinds. I had the probmlem with the neighbors out back leaving their back security light on by my next door neighbor put up a privacy fence, and it blocks their light from my bedroom window. I can't sleep with lights on at all. I wish there was some kind of law protecting from too much or too abusive outdoor lighting.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I wish there was such a law too. There are a few stores in the area that use really bright lights to light their parking lots, and they mount them on their buildings, pointed outwards, and they light up the countryside for miles. >:-(

[specificocean.livejournal.com]

I'd put a metal shroud around the light....

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of duct tape.

[specificocean.livejournal.com]

That's an even better idea!

[sunshyncat.livejournal.com]

Fling some mud on it. That will look less suspicious.

No officer, it wasn't me. It must have been from that mud storm the other day... or perhaps a shoveling accident.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Ha!

[roadskoller.livejournal.com]

Those new "quaint" light poles are such a waste of light. Write that letter!!

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Yeah, more light goes on the houses than the road. And it shines in your eyes, not only when you're trying to read a magazine in your living room, but when you drive.