Motorway Light Cut-off

[hunterknox]

Jabberwocky's comment was based on his personal experience as a professional driver. I think his point is totally valid...

True, but laser_jock's point is also valid.

We have a mix on this thread of people who prefer driving with and without lights. We need to look at the evidence and consider the effect in the whole population to figure out whether there is a net safety benefit.

It's a bit like the arguments around cycle safety - statistically you are more likely to die per mile cycled than per mile driven, however if you manage not to get killed you are more likely longer if you cycle everywhere because of the health benefits of exercise, so the net effect is positive.

[Ibbo!]

I would personally like to see more than a fag papers distance between some so called professional drivers with lights on or off especially when I'm in the sandwich

[Doshy]

Interesting piece on future hi tec roads on 'Material World' yesterday on R4. Smart lighting, reflective paint, using real cats for catseyes (made up that last one). Worth a listen though, 16mins in......

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01nxwn8/Material_World_22_11_2012/

Phil.

[whooshbang]

Interesting debate.

My own opinion is that I prefer driving on unlit roads at night, as my own lighting is directional and provides maximum contrast where I actually want to see.

As for professional drivers, I understand that driving long duration trips is tiring and in darkness doubly so - isn't that why a 12 hour stint without a break is illegal? I thought it was 9 hours daily max in 4.5 hour stints with long breaks? Breaking or even pushing the legal limits to maximise profit would seem to be criminally stupid. Not that that changes the fact that night driving is more tiring than day driving but it only adds to the fact that if you are driving at night its your duty of care to make sure you are alert to the local conditions.

Just my opinion.....

Quite true, professional drivers (truckers) are massively limited to the hours they can put in nowadays and everything is logged by tachograph.

Personally i prefer the unlit stretches of Motorway too as a little more concentration and a little less speed is required.

This is a great Astro topic by the way

[The Sailor]

This is a great Astro topic by the way

Silliest statement I have read so far.

Jim

[whooshbang]

Silliest statement I have read so far.

Jim

It's actually a sarcastic joke hence the smiley wink Jim

We are after all talking about driving on motorways in the Astro Lounge so maybe the topic has drifted a little. It's an interesting thread though.

[The Sailor]

Okay woosh will give you that, it's not so much the motorway driving that is the problem it's the pletora of LP threads that are on here, ought to have it's own forum . As I see it we will have these threads infinitum and LP will not change one iota .

Jim

[Si W]

You can add the M66 to that as well, been off for a while now from Simister Island Junction 18 (M60/M62) to Junction 1.

http://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/8945074.Who_turned_out_the_lights_/

Edit: I suspect the Astronomy Centre in Bacup will be well made up with that.

[whooshbang]

Okay woosh will give you that, it's not so much the motorway driving that is the problem it's the pletora of LP threads that are on here, ought to have it's own forum . As I see it we will have these threads infinitum and LP will not change one iota .

Jim

Light Pollution Section.... Now that's an idea

As you quite rightly mention, the subject of LP is not going away anytime soon and it does affect us all in some way or another. From new LED technologies that affect our filtering techniques to sticking a shield on an old 1970's street lamp. Not to mention directional street lamps and switching them on and off in different parts of the country and different council opinions and cost cutting and the environment and so on!

Agreed, its a broad subject and my comment was a bit fastidious.

[laser_jock99]

Okay woosh will give you that, it's not so much the motorway driving that is the problem it's the pletora of LP threads that are on here, ought to have it's own forum . As I see it we will have these threads infinitum and LP will not change one iota .

Jim

Light Pollution is the greatest problem facing many UK amatuer astronmers today. Urban populations have no idea of what the night sky could or should look like. Whilst I agree that there is a both place and time for good lighting fixtures, the proliferation of bad lighting is ahuge issue in astromony and needs discussion both here and elswhere. Apathy and inaction won't help the situation, that you can be certain of.

Warwickshire County Council's big 'Switch Off' begins in six days time. I shall be measuring the changes (if any) of the new 'Part Night Lighting' scheme and publicising the results locally.

It's a tired expression I know, but we should all 'think global & act local' with regards to Light Pollution.

[SteveNickolls]

Light Pollution is the greatest problem facing many UK amatuer astronmers today. Urban populations have no idea of what the night sky could or should look like. Whilst I agree that there is a both place and time for good lighting fixtures, the proliferation of bad lighting is ahuge issue in astromony and needs discussion both here and elswhere. Apathy and inaction won't help the situation, that you can be certain of.

Warwickshire County Council's big 'Switch Off' begins in six days time. I shall be measuring the changes (if any) of the new 'Part Night Lighting' scheme and publicising the results locally.

It's a tired expression I know, but we should all 'think global & act local' with regards to Light Pollution.

I for one would be very interesed laser_jock99 for any figures you get from the Warwickshire 'Switch Off'. I think you sum up the issue of light pollution and how we should tackle it succinctly ("Think global and act local").

Regards,

Steve