Selling my kit due to security light

[kuro]

After spending a few months building up a nice little setup I find that I have not been using it recently.

This is mainly due to the fact that to coincide with the aquisition of a goto mount the neighbors installed a poxy security light on their detached garage.

The thing is now when I get the feeling that I want to set the scope up I am put off by the thought of having this menace coming on and off all the time.

Seriously thinking of giving up the hobby cos of this.

[bish]

It is very annoying. I've got terrible light pollution and security lights going off all over the place. I have thought about selling up but my interest will never go away so I've resigned myself to doing less observing but trying to get to dark sites more often. One really good all nighter under a dark sky is better than a month of clear skies in my back garden.

[darc]

can you talk to your neighbors and see if it would be possible for them to turn the sensor on there light because if it intrudes on you they can be told to remove it.

I t is the same with street lighting you can ask the council to put a shield around the street light to stop it going onto your property I think that is right.

Geoff

[Mansnake]

When they go out, snip the cable to the light .

Is there anyway you could come to a compromise with them ?

[pel]

Can you build a panel to block out the light.

I'm going to make one with weed matting which blocks out light.

[starnut]

I think I would drive to dark sites in your area, but the first plan of action would be talk to your neighbour.

[PortableAstronomer]

You didn't mention this but I'm assuming that 'security' light is motion-sensing one? Or does it just get switched on by the neighbour by a manual switch?

If it's motion sensing, can't you erect some kind of screen that blocks the sensor's IR view of you?

Presumably you are visual astronomy, not imaging?

[Kedvenc]

Talk to your neighbour surely is the first thing to do.

[E621Keith]

Talk to him nicely. He may adjust the security light angle. If he doesn't, put up a security light of your own and point it into their bedroom.

The last bit was a joke.

[Cornelius Varley]

Have a polite word with your neighbour informing them of the problem. Then point out that under Part III of the Envirnmental Protection Act 1990:

Part III of the Environmental Protection Act, 1990 requires councils to take reasonable steps to investigate and, if appropriate, take formal action on justified complaints of statutory nuisance.

Section 79 of the act states that the following matters constitute 'statutory nuisance':

• Any premises in a state that is prejudicial to health, or a nuisance
  
• Smoke emitted from premises that is prejudicial to health, or a nuisance
  
• Fumes or gases emitted from premises that is prejudicial to health, or a nuisance
  
• Any dust, steam, smell or waste matter arising on industrial, trade or business premises that is prejudicial to health, or a nuisance
  
• Any accumulation or deposit that is prejudicial to health, or a nuisance
  
• Any animal kept in a place or manner that is prejudicial to health, or a nuisance
  
• Noise emitted from premises that is prejudicial to health, or a nuisance
  
• Any other matter declared to be a statutory nuisance.
  

The last section is the relevant one.

Peter

[onesmallstep]

How do you get on with the offending neighbour, OK or is he/she an ASBO Posse member who think he/she can get away with anything?

If the former then have a polite word, if the latter then use the 1990 EPA clause set out in the previous post.

[sanmatt]

After spending a few months building up a nice little setup I find that I have not been using it recently.

This is mainly due to the fact that to coincide with the aquisition of a goto mount the neighbors installed a poxy security light on their detached garage.

The thing is now when I get the feeling that I want to set the scope up I am put off by the thought of having this menace coming on and off all the time.

Seriously thinking of giving up the hobby cos of this.

Are they reasonable? Colud you maybe ask them, when its a clear night, if they could leave it off for you? It's not as if it's going to be every ngiht.

[jeremy1]

This must be a real nuisance. As the others had said here you have nothing to lose by asking if they can turn down the sensitivity of the PIR. Astronomy is difficult as it is with street lighting amongst other sources of light pollution. If He/She is decent enough I'm sure they would oblige.

[Ponoobersie]

As everyone else has said, dont go selling up!! Put up a barier or have a word with them, I am thinking of doing the same as I have a similar problem where I am.

[661-pete]

I would say, unless you already have 'history' with this neighbour (hopefully not), have a chat but don't quote all the legal stuff at them (at least, not on the first meeting)!

You never know how it will turn out. My neighbour's (in UK) 500W job appears to have stopped working - possibly the bulb is blown and they haven't noticed or can't be bothered. Either way, matter resolved - for the moment! In fact it was more of a nuisance for shining into our bedroom, than for astronomy, since I do very little in the back garden.

I also wish the DIY stores did less to promote these things. E.g. stuff like this. I think I had a moan about this on an earlier thread. Have we any redress?

[Ganymede12]

Why should you give up a wonderful hobby because your neighbours installed a light bulb? Not really fair is it?

I agree with everyone else that you should talk to your neighbours about it.

Also, note that you have offered to sell all your gear but no one has taken you up on the offer. You know what that means?

Either every one wants you to continue the hobby or no one wants the kit your selling

[PortableAstronomer]

Could post lots of "customer reviews" that say (without mentioning anything about astronomy of course) how they annoy the neighbourhood, and how you cannot see anything in the contrasty shadows that they cast. Bit naughty maybe.

I thought the 500W things had been outlawed recently? Shocking to see them at that price though.

[kuro]

I don't do neighbours and anyway he is not the friendliest person I've met. Turning it off is not an option as their garage is completely separate from the house so it would inconvienice them.

The light is not set off by me but is by everyone and everything else.

I don't really want to sell but this has made me disillusioned with the hobby.

[Ganymede12]

Get some black card and put it over the light whilst your observing then take it off as you pack away!

What they don't know won't hurt them!

[jeremy1]

Ok if he is not the obliging sort them just give the council a call and quote the above legal statement and they will have to do something. After all if you dont get on with him anyway then you've not lost anything.

[661-pete]

I don't do neighbours and anyway he is not the friendliest person I've met. Turning it off is not an option as their garage is completely separate from the house so it would inconvienice them.

This is a sad but true reflection on the way we are becoming more and more isolated in our present-day insular 'society'.

Indeed we know more of our neighbours in France, despite only being at the house there for a few weeks each year.

Back in UK, despite being in a high density estate and completely surrounded by other houses, we only know two of our neighbours well enough to have a chat with - neither of them the owner of the security light I referred to. Indeed one of them is a lovely lady in her 90s who would never dream of doing anything to annoy us! But sadly not everyone is like that.

Why should not having a security light on a detached garage 'inconvenience' its owner? Surely all cars come with headlights these days?! Or if they want to light their way when walking to and from the garage, a simple low-wattage light with a manual switch. Or a torch.....?

[Naemeth]

Apparently, a few non-astronomers just seem to want the world to be permanently lit. Wouldn't Vegas suit them more? Carrying a torch in the dark used to be a necessity, it certainly isn't now, you hardly need one unless you're going camping.

I say, if you can't have a word with your neighbour, got to the council.

[lucjam]

Our freinds in Europe have helped us out here by outlawing the 500w halogen lamp and replacing it with...

...a 400w lamp. The planet is saved!!

You can actually buy halogen lamps to fit these fittings as low as 60w.

[Hypernova]

I would certainly try a having a friendly chat with your neighbour. Most people can be reasonable if approached in a non-arsey or demanding manner. Maybe a simple solution to limit to the amount of light spill from the light could be to ask him to point the light directly downwards. I did the same with our (very rarely-used) floodlight so that on the odd occasion that I use it it pretty much keeps light from going out sideways and upwards, I can still plainly see what is at the end of my garden 40ft away due to wide beam produced. It isn't perfect but it will do until I can afford on of these.

When a local housing association ignored my complaints about one of their floodlights shining into my bedroom a quick call round to the council offices in Crewe sorted it out. I had already made a request to H A which was ignored and the council took action to get the light fixed within a couple of days. A call to the council would be a last resort if speaking to your neighbour doesn't solve anything and you prove that the light is a nuisance in some way.

Whatever happens, good luck and I hope you don't give in because of this. There are so many things waiting to be seen remember

[Cath]

Get some black card and put it over the light whilst your observing then take it off as you pack away!

What they don't know won't hurt them!

As far as I know, with 1/2 a kilowatt of heat/light energy your card is more than likely to burst into flames