Switching off street lights overnight

[GB]

I don't agree with this policy of turning off street lights. OK so foot traffic is reduced after a certain time but there will still be some people about.

It seems as though its a money saving idea dressed up as saving the environment.

 

[flymo]

Some of your council tax goes towards providing such lighting, so if it goes off in your area, can you ask for a reduction in your council tax? Seems fair to me.

 

[strange6]

This is kind of counter to the latest campaining in the Bolton News to have streetlights installed on the M61 because of pepole being run over...

People being run over on the M61? But there shouldn't be any people on the M61in the first place apart from people who have broken down; and then they shouldn't be on the carriageway!

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Isn't the M61 the one that always has kids playing chicken across it at Bury?

 

[LE Greys]

I wish they'd turn off the ones in Graveley after midnight. Even if they only turned half of them off, it would help. They are horrendously bright, white lights. I have enough trouble sleeping as it is (hence me posting at four in the morning) without horribly bright lights outside the house. There is virtually no traffic, so no real need for the lights.

 

[HST Power]

I
It seems as though its a money saving idea dressed up as saving the environment.

Pretty much every environmental idea you here of is.

 

[LE Greys]

I also wish they would ban the floodlighting of buildings and bridges except on special occasions. If tourists want to see them, they can come in daylight. Aberdeen University had most of the old buildings floodlit, and it was a complete waste of power and money (that's where my tuition fees went).

 

[HST Power]

I also wish they would ban the floodlighting of buildings and bridges except on special occasions. If tourists want to see them, they can come in daylight. Aberdeen University had most of the old buildings floodlit, and it was a complete waste of power and money (that's where my tuition fees went).

Buildings and bridges can look quiet nice illuminated under the night sky.

 

[LE Greys]

Buildings and bridges can look quiet nice illuminated under the night sky.

If that's the only consideration, then there is clearly no need for it. If, say, they are being used by pilots to line up for final approach, then I might make an exception. Otherwise, aesthetic considerations are no reason to waste money. Besides, King's College or Tower Bridge look just as good during the day.

 

[HST Power]

If that's the only consideration, then there is clearly no need for it. If, say, they are being used by pilots to line up for final approach, then I might make an exception. Otherwise, aesthetic considerations are no reason to waste money. Besides, King's College or Tower Bridge look just as good during the day.

I can see what you mean, but maybe it's something to do with safety. Bridges might have to be lightened in case somebody drives over and forgets where the road is.

 

[flymo]

If, say, they are being used by pilots to line up for final approach, then I might make an exception.

I have to post this video as it is one of my favourites ever. It is the approach into LAX, (Los Angeles) airport as viewed from the cockpit at twilight/susnset and it, to me, just beggars belief that there is so much ambient light. The runway is almost invisible until it is only a few hundred yards away.
The video is a speeded up version of the arrival. For your info, the plane turns onto the final approach at 2:22, but I could not make out the runway until around 3:00. Thank heavens for avionics.

Just FYI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7bxPxTUK3Q

 

[LE Greys]

I have to post this video as it is one of my favourites ever. It is the approach into LAX, (Los Angeles) airport as viewed from the cockpit at twilight/susnset and it, to me, just beggars belief that there is so much ambient light. The runway is almost invisible until it is only a few hundred yards away.
The video is a speeded up version of the arrival. For your info, the plane turns onto the final approach at 2:22, but I could not make out the runway until around 3:00. Thank heavens for avionics.

Just FYI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7bxPxTUK3Q

Now that's astonishing.
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I can see what you mean, but maybe it's something to do with safety. Bridges might have to be lightened in case somebody drives over and forgets where the road is.

Bridges do have streetlights, white lines and parapets, so people might notice them. Mind you, one night on a country road, my dad failed to notice a hump-backed bridge and approached it at about 80 mph. Probably set the long-jump record for a Ford Orion. hock:

 

[HST Power]

Now that's astonishing.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Indeed, an excellent video. It's a real shame you can't go in the cockpits anymore.

Bridges do have streetlights, white lines and parapets, so people might notice them. Mind you, one night on a country road, my dad failed to notice a hump-backed bridge and approached it at about 80 mph. Probably set the long-jump record for a Ford Orion. hock:

In an Orion! I've got to have a go at that!

 

[43021HST]

The Councils are talking about turning off streetlamps to save money, but you know what would really save money? Turning off the lights in empty office blocks!

Maybe without streetlamps you never know you might be able to sleep better. Am I the only one who doesnt like the light emitted by energy saving bulbs and LEDs, it gives me some bad head-aches.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Isn't the M61 the one that always has kids playing chicken across it at Bury?

Not unless there has been a geographical overnight shift in the position of the M61, as Kearsley is the nearest place to Bury that the M61 goes.

I think that you may be referring to the M66 that goes northwards from the M62, which does pass through the eastern parts of Bury.

 

[Nym]

Isn't the M61 the one that always has kids playing chicken across it at Bury?

No, can I sudgest an atlas?

M61 runs from Worsley (A580) to Preston (M6)

Goes nowhere near Bury...

And yes, it was my point at hinting at the Special Roads act that no-one should be on the road in the first place.

Not to point out aswell that there is a road just next to it, with a 40 or 60mph limit and good footpaths, called the A6, yet idiots choose to walk on the M61 between J4 and 6 frequently.

The road I beleive you're refering to is the M66 and the old M66 that the M60 took over, the amount of times I've been on there with PEDESTRIANS IN ROAD flashing up on the VMS is rediculous.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

People being run over on the M61? But there shouldn't be any people on the M61in the first place apart from people who have broken down; and then they shouldn't be on the carriageway!

Yes, no-one should be on it anyway

 

[daza]

Someone I used to work with told us how he kept turning off a street light himself as it was shining into his room every night. I can't remember exactly what he said but I think he got a key somehow and managed to turn it off! Unfortunately for him, he said someone had come along a week or so later and put it back to normal.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Not unless there has been a geographical overnight shift in the position of the M61, as Kearsley is the nearest place to Bury that the M61 goes.

I think that you may be referring to the M66 that goes northwards from the M62, which does pass through the eastern parts of Bury.

Thanks for that, I did indeed mean the M66, I can get quite confused with motorways...

No, can I sudgest an atlas?

May I suggest a spellchecker? As above, apologies, I meant the M66.

 

[142094]

City of York Council have the same idea - they even tested the altered streetlights on some of the public and they couldn't tell the difference.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I was not on the forum last night, as I was attending our local Homewatch scheme and I had previously had the matter of this street-lighting forum query put down on the agenda.

We are fortunate, in our very small village community, to have street lighting and the community policeman said at the meeting that street lighting does have a crime-deterrant advantage.

He asked me after the meeting was over why I had put my item on the agenda and I told that it was a result of a posting on this forum. He has asked me to make a specific mention of the long dark nights in Winter, when it can become dark at 16:00. He is in charge of Road Safety in our area and visits schools to speak to the children, as part of his remit.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

About 3 or 4 years ago, on Hook Road in Epsom, the residents woke up one bin collection morning to discover that over a dozen wheely bins had been set on fire overnight.

All the bins in question were from houses with streetlamps outside.

Not one bin from a house without a streetlamp nearby had been touched.

Similarly, whenever a car is vandalised lovally - scratched or wing mirrors torn off - it is always the ones parked under or near the streetlamps; never any of the ones parked away from the lamps.

Graffitti occasionally appears on the pavements locally - always directly under streetlamps, never anywhere else.

Discuss.

 

[OxtedL]

Turning off street lights can discourage youths from lingering in an area, which could be an explanation for this.

It isn't a clear cut matter. Personally, I dislike the new streetlight that Surrey County Council right outside my bedroom window...

Antisocial groups like places with light, so there are some problems in Oxted and the surrounding area occasionally.

 

[LE Greys]

It could be that they, like most Humans, tend to be nervous when they cannot see. I'm lucky enough to have decent night vision, and actually feel safer when I know I can't be seen. Walking through an area with lots of streetlights makes me feel like a fly on a whitewashed wall, much easier to see and to follow. However, when stepping out of a house into a well-lit street, everybody would find it hard to see into the darker places before their eyes become accustomed (which they don't if there are lots of streetlights) so they would subconsciously avoid the darker bits.

As for graffiti, there's not much point in putting it where it cannot be seen, and where the "artist" cannot see what he is doing.

 

[142094]

As for graffiti, there's not much point in putting it where it cannot be seen, and where the "artist" cannot see what he is doing.

Exactly - most if not all graffiti is done where it can be seen. Look at the NYC SUbway problem in the 70s/80s.

 

[90019]

About 3 or 4 years ago, on Hook Road in Epsom, the residents woke up one bin collection morning to discover that over a dozen wheely bins had been set on fire overnight.

All the bins in question were from houses with streetlamps outside.

Not one bin from a house without a streetlamp nearby had been touched.

Similarly, whenever a car is vandalised lovally - scratched or wing mirrors torn off - it is always the ones parked under or near the streetlamps; never any of the ones parked away from the lamps.

Graffitti occasionally appears on the pavements locally - always directly under streetlamps, never anywhere else.

Discuss.

On the other hand;
The streetlight across from my house was broken recently - in the time it was broken, the tyre on my dad's car was slashed and our neighbours car broken into.
We have a garage in an unlit courtyard set back from the road and behind some houses. A couple of months back, most of the garages were broken into. Thankfully nothing stolen, but quite a lot of damage caused to the doors.

 

[LE Greys]

On the other hand;
The streetlight across from my house was broken recently - in the time it was broken, the tyre on my dad's car was slashed and our neighbours car broken into.
We have a garage in an unlit courtyard set back from the road and behind some houses. A couple of months back, most of the garages were broken into. Thankfully nothing stolen, but quite a lot of damage caused to the doors.

Well, here you are talking about actual thieving, so you would imagine that if someone went in for this, then they would be far more likely to welcome the darkness. Not that security lights seem to work very well either. Since they come on all the time anyway (Hedgehogs and so on) people never take any notice of them. This means that a burglar can see what he is doing.

The only really effective deterrent is the sound of a large dog barking like crazy (even if it's only a tape recorder).

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Turning off street lights can discourage youths from lingering in an area.......

....and is seen by many as a window of opportunity to wreak havoc unseen. I do not think that any of the anti-social types are afraid of the dark...of the residents...of the police... etc.

It needs a sub-human being to evolve into a normal human being to have humanity as part of their nature.

 

[jon0844]

Yes, there is a difference between damage to property and people.

Take all the horrid 50s and 60s inner-city developments, with narrow alleys and bridges, or areas with subways and other hidden places and you'll see there were big improvements by improving lighting (then later, the lighting aided CCTV).

Okay, so these places aren't going to have the lights turned off, but they need to be careful. Start with major roads (motorways, rural A-roads etc) and invest in improved signs (either highly reflective, or lit by LEDs and solar power) and then keep lights for tricky interchanges (which shouldn't have been allowed by previous highways departments!) and the like.

 

[Soupdragon]

Back in the early to mid eighties i was living in the Goosewell area of Plymouth. Street lights were selectiveley turned off at around 1am i believe. (ie every 3rd or 4th light would remain on overnight while the rest shut down). A sensible solution to the problem of reducing Co2 emissions without plunging the whole area into darkness i think.

 

[michael769]

Not that security lights seem to work very well either. Since they come on all the time anyway (Hedgehogs and so on) people never take any notice of them. This means that a burglar can see what he is doing.

The problem with security lights is that they are usually aligned so that they shine straight out into the street and also into the eyes of passers by meaning that they will unconsiously avert their eyes and even if don't and they can see a shadowy figure near the house they will be unable to see what they are doing much less provide the police with a description.

The company that advised my work on security lighting emphasised to us the importance of aligning the lighting so that it shines straight down and not outwards, as humans see much better when they are in darkness looking into a lit area. They also advised that lower levels of light that reduce glare also helps visibility. Ironically this means the more efficient lighting approaches are potentially more secure that the vast majority of so called security lights.

At night the best security measure is to ensure that a light is left on inside the house, as housebreakers are looking to target empty properties.

But unfortunately many people do not realise that house brake-ins are much more common in daylight hours as homes are more likely to be empty whilst people are away at work. At those time of days the best deterrent is a car parked in a driveway - yet another reason to take the train to work...