Light Pollution

[Kain]

Since we had the new lights put up outside our home, it's a blumming nightmare! There so damned bright!

Who do I write to at the council about it? and do you know if theres any draft letters on the internet or acts whatever I should mention?

It really is ridiculous.

Kain

[AstroTiger]

i think the best thing you can do is to write to Martin Taylor of De Montford University. He is legal adviser to the CfDS. I think he can also be contacted through the BAA.

He is your best bet

Al

[FLO]

Here y'go:

http://www.britastro.org/dark-skies/

[Carl]

Since we had the new lights put up outside our home, it's a blumming nightmare! There so damned bright!

Who do I write to at the council about it? and do you know if theres any draft letters on the internet or acts whatever I should mention?

It really is ridiculous.

Kain

I know how you feel mate.

I hate those crappy lights that go on when someone goes past.

And there so bright that they keep me awake and stop me form seeing the stars. :x

[FLO]

Let us not forget that light pollution is now covered by the same laws that cover noise. If someone else's light spills onto your property/garden, take the appropriate action.

There are some exceptions - light from prisons, airports and the like.

Usually, a polite request is all that is needed. Councils are particularly aware of the new legislation; if a streetlight shines onto your property, notify them and they will most likely send someone out to fix a shield to the light.

(A friend of mine slipped the man a tenner to 'improve' two other lights nearby )

[The Warthog]

I had lunch yesterday with the gentleman who I wrote a web page for, for his campaign for City Council. I brought up the subject of light pollution caused by unshielded outdoor lighting, and was pointing out that shielding the lights gets more light on the ground and less in the air, and that you can get the same amount of light with a smaller bulb, and he interrupted me with, "What a good idea!" He was quite enthusiastic about it. I hope he wins.

[daz]

Taking WH's last point, I would bet that if councils fitted shields AND lower wattage energy efficient bulbs, the reduction in energy costs would pay for the new bulbs and shields!

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

And if they turned the things down at night on a dimmer switch, or better yet off, they'd save loads of money, the whales would be happy and Dodos would swarm all over Mauritius Mauritious that island where they used to live.

Captain Chaos

[Caz]

And if they turned the things down at night on a dimmer switch

Nobody takes me seriously when I talk about street lights on a dimmer switch.... Makes sense though

[Ambermile]

Only if they're not mercury or sodium or other narrow band lights though...

Arthur

[The Warthog]

And if they turned the things down at night on a dimmer switch, or better yet off, they'd save loads of money, the whales would be happy and Dodos would swarm all over Mauritius Mauritious that island where they used to live.

Captain Chaos

You can't put mercury or sodium lights on a dimmer switch, but you can turn off every other one after 11:00 PM. Do you think it might bring back the frogs, too? I think we're too late for the Dodos, but your spelling was right the first time.

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

There was a thread about this a while ago. Surfing turned up the new way of doing it where each lamp is addresssable on a wireless network, they can each be controlled to do whatever and whenever.

Captain chaos

[geppetto]

This thread has set me off

Tried to find who was responsible for light pollution issues on a council web site

but it must be well hidden :?

Anyway sent an email as my oppening salvo

Hello

I would be grateful for any help that you could give me as to

which department to contact to raise an issue regarding light

pollution from a street light, affecting my property.

I am in Bolsover and am I correct in thinking that I should raise

this issue with yourselves rather than someone at Bolsover District

Council offices?

Thank you

Regards

Philip Thompson

In double quick time, I got a response :shock:

Dear Mr Thompson

Thank you for your email. To see if the street lamp concerned is

maintained by the Derbyshire County Council, there will be a number on

the lamps column. If you send us that number, then we can see if it is.

If it does not have a number it is possibly not maintained by us, but

still send in the exact address of the lamp as we can always double

check, but it will most probably be private.

With regards to the light pollution, if you send the exact problem, we

can report it and there are reflectors etc that can help.

Looked quite favourable for a start so replied with this...

Thank you for your response.

The street light in question has the number 5897.

It is situated outside our bungalow at the bottom of New Station Road in

Bolsover.

The original light was fairly low down but this one which replaced it a

fair while back

is much higher and towers over the bungalow.

The net effect of this is that the bungalow and two thirds of the garden and

land are bathed

in orange light which disturbs our sleep and invades our privacy and we are

never in darkness anymore.

I realise the need for correct lighting etc but it seemed to me that a

simple shield on

the rear of the lamp would stop wasted and annoying light reaching my

bungalow.

I hope that something can be done and thank you again for your rapid

response

Regards

Philip Thompson

Now we wait for a response to that.

Notice that I haven't mentioned astronomy yet..

I'll keep posting as things do or don't happen in case its of interest to anybody.

[GordonCopestake]

By law they have to do something about it, so you should get a good response. Heres to hopeing!

[Kaptain Klevtsov]

Best of luck Phil.

Captain Chaos

[FLO]

Well done Phil,

Let's hope others follow yours and Kains lead

[geppetto]

Yes, fingers crossed here guys...

Getting this sorted would make a huge difference to my enjoyment of the hobby...

Steve

I'm not doing all this just to get out of buying a filter

[Albireo380]

Good luck on this one Phil. If you get a positive response, I suspect you will spur many others to start contacting their local councils.

Let us know how it goes.

Tom

[The Warthog]

I live in a different jurisdiction, but I'd like to see you get some help with this. I'd like to ask our local council to do something about the lamp that shines into my back yard.

[GordonCopestake]

BB gun WH?

[geppetto]

Dont tempt him Gordon

[Albireo380]

A 12 bore shotgun would do a better job, but might land him in a spot of bother.

Phil Harrington's website gives details of his Masters thesis - all about reducing light pollution whilst increasing illumination on the ground AND saving money. It should be compulsory reading for Local Councils.

Greater Glasgow Health Board are going to start charging staff for parking their cars at work (at Hospitals) - they say they will make it non-profit making, by spending the income on more lighting, "to increase illumination". I don't want more illumination in Glasgow - it is already lit up like a fairground at night. Seems like more poor understanding and half baked ideas by my employers - so no surprise there then.

Tom

[geppetto]

This is my problem. (if the plan makes any sense )

Although I've got a huge garden which goes all around the bungalow

I'm squashed into a corner in the yard

This is the offending light, a tad huge for a quiet side street :?

[GordonCopestake]

Hell get them all screened! If you ask they have to.

[FLO]

Steve

I'm not doing all this just to get out of buying a filter

Perhaps I should sell air rifles