Security Light

[James]

Thanks for the replies guys I'll let you know how it goes.

Fingers crossed it goes well, looks good so far.

I have a neighbour who used to sit in a room reading with a light on that didn't have a lampshade and effectively shone straight down to where my pier/scope was setup about 20ft straight line of sight. I'm sure he heard me the first time he turned it on and I probably swore loud enough to be heard through his window  .  He now sits in the same room but uses his hall light instead which is a great help (he doesn't like curtains) .

He also has a tree that had grown over our fence over the top of the pier... and just last week he cut that back.

I'm no more polite (possibly less so) than anyone else but as it happens inviting him round to have a look through a scope and showing him a couple of the images I'd done as well worked miracles. I'm sure he still thinks us astronomers are bonkers but he's put some effort in to make things easier for me

James

[lensman57]

There is tons of proof that burglars rarely break into a house at night. Burglars keep regular hours, and strike while your average person is at work. I managed to catch one breaking into my neighbor's house - at gunpoint. I can only guess who is behind the campaign to lead us into thinking a brilliant light will dissaude a burglar.

There is nothing burglars are more concerned about than encountering the homeowner in the dark of night. So they work days.

Clear & DARK Skies,

Dave

I have had two incidents of break ins in the last few years. The first was the worst case and it happened when I was at work. A bunch of lads had thrown a concrete slab through the kitchen door and totally demolished the door, the wooden floor and the kitchen top where the concrete had landed they then broke everything in the living room just to take a TV that would  not have been worth £50.00 in a second hand shop. The second incident was when the truly lovely lady that used to help with our garden had left the garage door open and I lost a lot of expensive tools, not her fault really as she just got on with the job that she was paid to do. I live in a small cul de sac with 7 units including the dreaded Doctor's Surgery that is just next to my house. The Surgery has about 4 large flood / security lights and many security cameras scattered all over, my house is alarmed and none of these measures prevented the thieves from doing what they did. These so called security measures are more for our own piece of mind rather than a deterrence to the thieves so the OP has my sympathy  and I wish him success.

A.G

[cuivenion]

Well that went well. He's offered to switch it off if I give him a ring, as long as it's not every night. With UK weather thats no problem. Also he's going to try shielding the the sensor from the steam vent. About as much as I could reasonably expect really.

[lensman57]

Well that went well. He's offered to switch it off if I give him a ring, as long as it's not every night. With UK weather thats no problem. Also he's going to try shielding the the sensor from the steam vent. About as much as I could reasonably expect really.

Well done and kudos to your neighbour.

A.G

[nickb2513]

Thats a good result! 

I'm looking to move soon so I'll be scanning the area for security lights etc! 

[cuivenion]

Thanks for the replies, it's nice when a plan comes together!

[cotterless45]

Good result.

My neighbour gets up at 4.45am every morning to have his first cigarette outdoors under his aircraft landing light. Back to bed and up again an hour later for the second one. I'd hate to be chained to anything addictive, dark sky and no Moon is just right.

Nick.

[Kropster]

Good result.

My neighbour gets up at 4.45am every morning to have his first cigarette outdoors under his aircraft landing light. Back to bed and up again an hour later for the second one. I'd hate to be chained to anything addictive, dark sky and no Moon is just right.

Nick.

I don't understand why smokers need a floodlight to smoke by.

The end that glows in the dark is the one you don't put in your mouth.

Simple!

[Astro Imp]

Well that went well. He's offered to switch it off if I give him a ring, as long as it's not every night. With UK weather thats no problem. Also he's going to try shielding the the sensor from the steam vent. About as much as I could reasonably expect really.

Great result, well done to you for your approach and to your neighbour for his response.

[DazC]

If only all neighbours were so understanding and willing to cooperate.

D.C

[kirkster501]

I am not on speaking terms with my neighbour after an altercation 8 years ago.  He leaves an outside lantern type wall light left on 24x7.  There is no way he will change his behaviour so i put up four 8 feet fence panels on that section of fence as opposed to six feet ones.  Much better now and no direct line of site of the said light.

[lensman57]

I am not on speaking terms with my neighbour after an altercation 8 years ago.  He leaves an outside lantern type wall light left on 24x7.  There is no way he will change his behaviour so i put up four 8 feet fence panels on that section of fence as opposed to six feet ones.  Much better now and no direct line of site of the said light.

With regret some people take the idiom, " an Englishman's home is his castle " quite literally without any considerations to the other people living around them. I have written on a few occasions about the my next door neighbour, the surgery and their security lights that shine right into my bedroom so there is no point in going on. I wish everyone good and understanding neighbours  and clear and dark skies.

A.G

[kirkster501]

With regret some people take the idiom, " an Englishman's home is his castle " quite literally without any considerations to the other people living around them. I have written on a few occasions about the my next door neighbour, the surgery and their security lights that shine right into my bedroom so there is no point in going on. I wish everyone good and understanding neighbours  and clear and dark skies.

A.G

I could not have said it better myself.  Without wanting to sound silly I am an affable chap who gets on with everyone.  Never known anyone I havn't got on with if i'm honest.  But my neighbour?  He  has nothing to do with anyone and resents everyone.  He is quiet enough (nowadays at any rate) so no trouble but his house was the first on the estate and he enjoyed great views of the countryside at one time.  And then the rest of the estate went up around him.  He resents everyone who lives here. Eight years ago I politely went to tell hm that his two Dobermans were making too much noise late at night waking up my children, a fact endorsed by the rest of the estate.  In response he order me off his property and told me he'd see me in court.  Which he did, and lost, and no longer has the Dobermans.  Against that context, there's little chance a 24x7 light is ever going to get turned off by a neighbourly chat across the fence in my case.

How sad the word has to be like this where people cannot see reason...

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Thanks for the replies, it's nice when a plan comes together!

I have this image of you smoking a big cigar now, I wonder why

[spaceboy]

I could not have said it better myself.  Without wanting to sound silly I am an affable chap who gets on with everyone.  Never known anyone I havn't got on with if i'm honest.  But my neighbour?  He  has nothing to do with anyone and resents everyone.  He is quiet enough (nowadays at any rate) so no trouble but his house was the first on the estate and he enjoyed great views of the countryside at one time.  And then the rest of the estate went up around him.  He resents everyone who lives here.

Wounder. I think if I were in his shoes I'd resent everyone also.

Just think.....there he is paying way over the odds for his house out in the country because he wants some solitude and beautiful views thinking I love my home and I want to grow old here with all the memories of the country side and how it nature changes over the years and then BOOM all his dreams are cut down like the country side around him so some developer can make thousands. Then to top it off he also goes and looses mans best friend in the deal. Sorry but you gotta feel for the guy! He clearly isn't the sociable type and bought his house with that in mind.

Just think how peeved you'd be if you bought a house because it has dark southerly views only to fin 2 years down the line you have a 24hr ASDA built at the end of your garden.

[kirkster501]

Wounder. I think if I were in his shoes I'd resent everyone also.

Just think.....there he is paying way over the odds for his house out in the country because he wants some solitude and beautiful views thinking I love my home and I want to grow old here with all the memories of the country side and how it nature changes over the years and then BOOM all his dreams are cut down like the country side around him so some developer can make thousands. Then to top it off he also goes and looses mans best friend in the deal. Sorry but you gotta feel for the guy! He clearly isn't the sociable type and bought his house with that in mind.

Just think how peeved you'd be if you bought a house because it has dark southerly views only to fin 2 years down the line you have a 24hr ASDA built at the end of your garden.

Agreed. But it's not my problem. I've tried to be sociable!

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[spaceboy]

Spaceboy........I understand your take, but the council wont/cant do much here as its a private estate, and the properties were built with security in mind. Therefore there isn't much that I can do/request from  my neighbours. The PIR sensors cover a wide area, so If I approach my fence-line, their sensors pick me up and vice versa. Not only that but I have  direct line of sight, street lighting, again, designed to illuminate wide areas. You feel like Michael Jackson when you walk past each door mounted PIR along my street, only its not the slabs illuminating!

The sensors can be adjusted to reduce the time of illumination, or switched off completely if required.

As for any security lighting, its difficult to illuminate your property without any overspill to neighbouring properties.

So you think it is OK for you to go out in to your own garden at night and trigger your next door neighbours security light if you stray to close to your fence?!?!!? If the St lighting is causing you a pain but not directly shining in to a bed room window and disrupting your sleep you do have the option of paying the council to come out and fitting a shield. Don't ask me how much that would cost but no matter what you have this option if you think the long term gain is worth the expense. There is also the option of planting a conifer tree so it blocks the St light. Conifer are ever green so will block the light all year long and are easy to maintain.

It is the responsibility of your neighbour to position their flood lighting in such away that it doesn't interferes with someone’s use of their property. Security lighting should be angled in such away that it only lights your garden and doesn't impose on the privacy of someone else using theirs. How do you feel knowing that every time you use your garden your neighbour knows and can see what your up to?? The amount of security lights I see angled at 45-55° so it lights up the end of their garden. I'd ask why do you have the light in the first place? is it to make sure no-one breaks into your property or pinch the pansies at the end of their garden?

If they cherish their pansies then they should blinker their PIR and flood light in such away they only light their garden with the minimum amount of spill in to your property.

As has been proven, a friendly chat is all that is often needed. Even if you offer to work with them and fund the cost of making the lighting more in both your favours it will be a win, win rather than you being the one who looses out.

[lensman57]

So you think it is OK for you to go out in to your own garden at night and trigger your next door neighbours security light if you stray to close to your fence?!?!!? If the St lighting is causing you a pain but not directly shining in to a bed room window and disrupting your sleep you do have the option of paying the council to come out and fitting a shield. Don't ask me how much that would cost but no matter what you have this option if you think the long term gain is worth the expense. There is also the option of planting a conifer tree so it blocks the St light. Conifer are ever green so will block the light all year long and are easy to maintain.

It is the responsibility of your neighbour to position their flood lighting in such away that it doesn't interferes with someone’s use of their property. Security lighting should be angled in such away that it only lights your garden and doesn't impose on the privacy of someone else using theirs. How do you feel knowing that every time you use your garden your neighbour knows and can see what your up to?? The amount of security lights I see angled at 45-55° so it lights up the end of their garden. I'd ask why do you have the light in the first place? is it to make sure no-one breaks into your property or pinch the pansies at the end of their garden?

If they cherish their pansies then they should blinker their PIR and flood light in such away they only light their garden with the minimum amount of spill in to your property.

As has been proven, a friendly chat is all that is often needed. Even if you offer to work with them and fund the cost of making the lighting more in both your favours it will be a win, win rather than you being the one who looses out.

You seem to be a first class chap. Reasonable and respectful to others. I wish that everyone would be like you but that is asking too much. My dear next door neighbour ( the surgery ) was a small practice working from a nice little house at the front of the Cul De Sac. It was a residential premises with a nice lawn  garden, nice trees that blossomed in the spring and well groomed flower beds and loads of bluebells that grew wild. There was even a little seed dispenser for the birds to amuse themselves with it was a really beautiful little place to live in. This was nearly twenty years ago when I moved in to my house next to them. Since then they have got rid of the garden, the trees and the flower beds and made it into a car park, then about 3 years ago they bought the adjacent house next to them and some how got planning permission to combine the two properties and make a very large practice. The new house had a very lovely garden backing off to the end of my garden, guess what the garden was gone, the entire area asphalted and turned into a large car park. they told us that they would advise their clients to use the large car park so the little cul de sac does not become a battle ground between people wanting to drive in and those whom want to drive out. Guess what the entire car park is now taken up by the staff and the extra doctors that now practice there. The clients still insist on parking in the little cul de sac, at times I can not back my car out of my drive way. We have told them about this a few times but so far no listening ears. They don't have to live here they just need to park and do their job and leave the flood lights on when they leave. Not everyone is reasonable I am afraid and regrettably people are becoming more and more selfish and self centred.

Regards,

A.G

[kirkster501]

You seem to be a first class chap. Reasonable and respectful to others. I wish that everyone would be like you but that is asking too much. My dear next door neighbour ( the surgery ) was a small practice working from a nice little house at the front of the Cul De Sac. It was a residential premises with a nice lawn  garden, nice trees that blossomed in the spring and well groomed flower beds and loads of bluebells that grew wild. There was even a little seed dispenser for the birds to amuse themselves with it was a really beautiful little place to live in. This was nearly twenty years ago when I moved in to my house next to them. Since then they have got rid of the garden, the trees and the flower beds and made it into a car park, then about 3 years ago they bought the adjacent house next to them and some how got planning permission to combine the two properties and make a very large practice. The new house had a very lovely garden backing off to the end of my garden, guess what the garden was gone, the entire area asphalted and turned into a large car park. they told us that they would advise their clients to use the large car park so the little cul de sac does not become a battle ground between people wanting to drive in and those whom want to drive out. Guess what the entire car park is now taken up by the staff and the extra doctors that now practice there. The clients still insist on parking in the little cul de sac, at times I can not back my car out of my drive way. We have told them about this a few times but so far no listening ears. They don't have to live here they just need to park and do their job and leave the flood lights on when they leave. Not everyone is reasonable I am afraid and regrettably people are becoming more and more selfish and self centred.

Regards,

A.G

Without going off topic how was a residential property ever allowed to become what is essentially a business? Planning permission forbids that sort of thing I thought?

[lensman57]

Without going off topic how was a residential property ever allowed to become what is essentially a business? Planning permission forbids that sort of thing I thought?

I was told by one of the neighbours, there are only seven of us BTW, that the initial planning permission was only granted on the condition that the house be kept as a resident for the first doctor that set up the practice and I believe that it was so for the first few years as they used to live there but as these practices get money, grant or whatever it is they get depending on the number of patients that they go through the more the better so the need for larger premises. I am sure that every one of us objected to their last planning application and we were 100% sure that it would not be granted as it would have  altered the nature of the cul de sac that is residential but some how they got planning. Somehow I believe that it is a matter of who you know in these matters. Perhaps the architect had a lot of useful contacts.

A.G

[spaceboy]

OMG That really takes the Micky. This is one of the reasons why I am happy to rent. I get all my repairs done for free, my boiler is serviced each year, home improvements are often carried out and I can up and move with in 3 months notice. I don't see it as dead money as it puts a roof over my head but that's just MHO.

I really feel for you AG and  kikster501's neighbour (no offence to you kikster501) as you go to work to pay a mortgage only to have a "business" or other development pop up next door to you. I would be very interested to know what you before and after house value is.

Sorry for taking the subject away from poor security lighting cuivenion

[philhas]

Its called a bung, lobbed in the right direction it can get you pretty much anything you want. I have to laugh when I am in Spain and the local Brits moan about corruption, I assure them its alive and well over here.

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[cuivenion]

OMG That really takes the Micky. This is one of the reasons why I am happy to rent. I get all my repairs done for free, my boiler is serviced each year, home improvements are often carried out and I can up and move with in 3 months notice. I don't see it as dead money as it puts a roof over my head but that's just MHO.

I really feel for you AG and  kikster501's neighbour (no offence to you kikster501) as you go to work to pay a mortgage only to have a "business" or other development pop up next door to you. I would be very interested to know what you before and after house value is.

Sorry for taking the subject away from poor security lighting cuivenion

No problem, hopefully my issue seems resolved, you guys chat away!

[Carina Lass]

If the house is on an estate, he HAS to expect other houses to go up? Surely....?

My neighbour said I'm a dog breeder do you mind if I keep a breeding pair?

No I said.

They're Bull mastiffs and very noisy and a breeding pair has become about 9 ..... solitude when I'm stargazing....not much.

Can't really say much, his day job is a police dog handler. I'd get a ticket every time I left the driveway.

The guy on the other side is a car enthusiast, so much so he has 13 cars in various states of deterioration. Not where he can see them - but right in front of my place. Which is behind his shed.......

[lensman57]

Its called a bung, lobbed in the right direction it can get you pretty much anything you want. I have to laugh when I am in Spain and the local Brits moan about corruption, I assure them its alive and well over here.

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If they think corruption is only confined to the third world and some part of Europe then they need to stand by me when I do my normal job, I run the corporate functions for a large eating establishment. The amount of " entertaining " that gets done for various factions of our  " professional " sector has to be seen . It is not as lavish as  few years ago as they can not be officially seen to be doing it but it is still a case of I scratch your back and you scratch mine. I can accept it with no problems when this involves private sector but more and more I see it being levelled at public sector, not to the same extent but it is happening. I guess that it is in anticipation of the eventual dismantling of the public sector so they had better get into the practice.

A.G