street light out side my house.

[andrew65]

i contacted the council today and asked about getting a shield to cover the light thats right in my view i explained that i used a scope in the garden and the light was causing a problem and i added that i worked shifts and the light was near the bedroom window but to be honest thats not a problem and i was told yes they will put a shade on but because its a long standing light and not new it will cost £50 if it was a new light it wouldnt cost anything so just wondering what would other people do cant say i,m happy with £50

[crashtestdummy]

well ive just emailed my local council about shielding 2 lights and I know both have been there a long time and tbh rather than pay £100 for them shielding I would climb up and paint one side black and risk the £80 fine

[Russe]

Which council department did you mail to? I want to do the same...

I built a shade from tarpaulin and bamboo sticks to sit in the dark a bit better...

[crashtestdummy]

I've emailed mine to customer service to be passed on to highways and lighting.I considered constructing my own shield but I don't get on with my neighbour so he would likely object to it being on our shared border

[gazza63]

Not only do you have to fight your local council, you have a neighbour to contend with. That's what i call bad odds

[Stu]

Are your lights due for replacement soon? I asked a similar question with our old light and was given the same answer, but was also told that the lights were being replaced and I could request it was done one they were fitted. They were very quick to act when I did request it with the new light.

Stu

[crashtestdummy]

I believe mine are due replacing but with the lack of money available to local councils I doubt it's top of the agenda

[andrew65]

Russe i phoned and they noted my problem then passed it on to the highways and lighting department who phoned me the next day bigmakstutov i will check on the light replacment i did,nt think to ask about that i did think of maybe putting up some sort of shield in the garden or even getting the ladder out and putting a shield on the lamp myself but i got nosey neighbours .

[DeepThought]

I feel rather fortunate, I just emailed Portsmouth city council help desk about two lights and they were both shielded within a fortnight, no questions asked.

I did make a point of saying they were shining through my upstairs windows (which they were to be fair).

I suppose it's more of a problem here in the city where most of us live in terraces without front gardens and the lamps sit literally a few feet from our bedroom windows in some cases. Even the most miserly council couldn't argue that those don't need screening so it's probably easier to just honour every reasonable request.

[crashtestdummy]

Yeah the lights don't actually shine through my windows just across into the gardens.I've been told I need to contact geo Andy who are contracted to do the lighting so don't hold much hope there

[Bungielad]

I asked Birmingham city council if they would consider shielding or turning out the lamp outside my home due to my hobby and light coming into my room, the answer I got was...." there are no problems with the Street lamps and no further action will be taken"....cheers!

Bungielad.

[m sutton]

^{The streetlight outside our house has been out for a while now. Don't tell the council - they might fix it!}

[vlebo]

We have just had our new LED street lights turned on this week and while they give off a lot of downward directed white light ( 4 lghts cover a 100 meter street with no dark areas ) there is no noticeable light dissipating above the level of the lamps . Yippee !!

[crashtestdummy]

That's what I'm hoping they will fit to my street but I can't see it happening any time soon.I think I'm going to try and collude with the owner of the house that's next to the street lamp and see if a combined approach will help

[vlebo]

We had the old concrete post type that were 58 years old and according to the surveyor " surprised that they have not collapsed ". I think thats the point when the council decides to change them !!

[kirkster501]

Well, seeing as Nottingham are turning the lights back ON after local protest that they areoff between midnight to 06:00 they need to retrofit the streetlights. I will make this ask of them.

What do these shields look like? Do they totally reflect the light away or just some of it?

I will need to see if my "good" neighbour agrees. My "Bad" neighbour is an obnoxious A-hole.....

[sungazer]

I asked my council here in the Cotswolds, and they came and painted inside the bulb, which means no light in the bedroom, but also reduced the light in front of the garage where I use my scopes which faces south. A small victory.!!!

[SniffTheGlove]

I did read that on some of the older type street lights that had a sensor on the top of the light you could point a laser at the sensor and it would turn the light off. Don't know it that is true or not.

http://www.wikihow.com/Turn-off-a-Street-Light

[Gilez]

I'm not too sure about the sensor trick

The sensor is likely to be a photocell that senses ambient light to switch on and off the light, and usually have a short time delay. As such, if someone did manage to shine a Laser at it to turn it off it would probably switch back on in 3p seconds.

[andrew65]

Well I went out earlier they've changed all the street lights on my estate from orange to white I cant believe how bright they are gonna phone the council again and get my neighbour to do the same and say the same as last time we both work shifts and the lights shinning through the front window last time they wanted £50 for a shade and said because the lights had been there for years theres nothing they could do well now they changed the bulbs its round 2.

[Monty]

Use the light pollution laws...