I live at the edge of a small rural burg. It's quiet here, we have no red lights and they roll up the sidewalks at night. We do have a 24 hour quick mart... but it's actually across the tracks from town and even it close about dark

So I'm on the edge of town, it's a mile to the next house, it's pitch dark at night, closest street light is a quarter mile away towards town and I like it that way! If I have company I can light up as needed.

But now... NOW, the unoccupied for 6 or 8 years house across the street has been restored and sold to a Dr. lady from the big city. But before she even moves in she has had a kazillion watt security light, apparently with no reflector, erected on a pole in the middle of their front yard. I hate it with a passion. If you are scared of the dark and want to live in a city you should not have moved here!

Her right I guess but damn, she could have at least put it behind the house. The drive goes around back, where the garage, carport and a tiny guest house are. I hope it runs up her electric bill.

And yes, I do have an air rifle... .


I thought I'd feel better if I vented... I don't.

Some jurisdictions have rules/statutes about light pollution. And the rest should.

Got a friend with a bucket truck? Perhaps darken the side of the glass "shade" that faces your place?

I mention it because I've seen it done, with agreement by all. One couple had a dusk-dawn light put in and all was well. Except for that the house across the street was also higher in its elevation than the new-light house, so the new light shone into the higher house's bedroom.

A little bit of pleasant discussion between the households, plus a friend with a bucket truck and a can of spray paint, and all was well.

Any dusk-to-dawn sensors facing your side you could hit with a laser?

Have you tried talking to her about it? I would go that route and see if she can change it's angle or move it.

You could put a loud siren in your front yard that begins blaring when her light goes on. Tell her you are going with the Prison motif in the neighborhood.

The light is “a mile away” and it bothers you?

Not doubting you; I’m curious and somewhat confused. The house is “across the street” and “a mile away to the next house”? If it’s across a normal street the problem is easy to understand.

And, if she has pets (or may not) she may be trying to discourage predators (four or two legged).

She has a right to security; she may need a help choosing better security lights (like LED) that flood a smaller area and can be directed.

Since she hasn't moved in yet, maybe swap the bulb to one a third the wattage before she comes back, or even re-aim it. She probably won't even notice.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
You could put a loud siren in your front yard that begins blaring when her light goes on. Tell her you are going with the Prison motif in the neighborhood.

THAT is funny

Get your own bright light and point it horizontally toward the front of her house, preferably at the driveway so she can be sure to see it well as she exits.

Maybe she'll get the message.

Talk to her. Bring up the light pollution and the damage it does to the insect population. Fireflies, etc. if she’s moved to the country, perhaps she wants to embrace it and be educated. Then do the shade darkening thing.

Light pollution really is a thing.

I've got a neighbor that has a stupidly bright LED aimed directly at my house that flashes 3-4 times before becoming a giant spot light on my house. It's triggered by every car or person walking their dog. I want to smash it with a baseball bat.

quote:

Originally posted by dubya:
The light is “a mile away” and it bothers you?

Not doubting you; I’m curious and somewhat confused. The house is “across the street” and “a mile away to the next house”? If it’s across a normal street the problem is easy to understand.

And, if she has pets (or may not) she may be trying to discourage predators (four or two legged).

She has a right to security; she may need a help choosing better security lights (like LED) that flood a smaller area and can be directed.

YES, she does indeed have the right to the light.

I'll try to explain better...

I am on the edge of town... I am the last house on the LEFT as you leave town. When leaving town you must go a mile further out before you see any other houses.

There is a long time abandoned house across the street. It is the last house on the RIGHT leaving town. They put up the light... across the road in front of my house.

My point was the entire area is completely dark, even the street lights in town are far enough away that they aren't noticed here.

No idea about pets, She has 2 kids and 2 ex-husbands I hear.

In short...
It was dark, now it's not. I prefer dark. I'll survive.

Makes complete sense. As you like it dark, hopefully she will understand directed LED security lights (which wouldn’t shine in your yard) should do a better job for her around the entire house. Regrettably, there is unlikely anything that would make your neighborhood dark with a house that close. Even if you were on 100 of your own acres yo would be able to see lights in the distance most places. Good luck.

And, it sounds like she picked a piss-poor place to put the light (without knowing how large the lots are).

Well, as long as a Biden sign don't go up over there...

There is no telling what she paid for the place, it just came out of a 3 year long restoration done by a semi retired guy who specializes in saving old houses. It sat on 75 acres but they had to split off the house and 2 or 3 acres to get the original price down and sold, before the restoration. Before the restoration and land split they were asking 3/4 million.

I’m seeing this in my neighborhood. Used to, when people had some damn sense, you’d throw up a light, but it didn’t rival the fucking sun. One of my neighbors has installed those day light type flood lights. Shit it’s bright. Too bright and completely unnecessary unless you are trying to warn overhead aircraft.

I seem to remember Peter Fonda having a similar problem with new neighbors that moved in down the street from his ranch in Montana. His solution was to remove the lights with a .378 Weatherby Magnum.

Actually, no one has the “right” to interfere with other people’s lives and the use and enjoyment of their property by any unreasonable means. If what I’m doing on my property endangers others close by or creates a nuisance by the odors or noise it produces, it’s a well-established legal principle that they are justified in objecting. We can argue whether someone who moves into the area should be able to object to the smells produced by the pig farm that has been there for 20 years, but there can be no doubt that if I’m already there that I can object if someone wants to establish a new pig farm next door.

The issue of light pollution is probably not as well established yet for a variety of reasons, but there’s no reason why the principle isn’t the same. I agree that the best (initial) approach is to try to resolve the problem amicably, but no one has the right to annoy and inconvenience their neighbors for their own convenience, especially by unreasonable means such as a light that’s brighter than what is required for its intended purpose.

quote:

Originally posted by Nismo:
Since she hasn't moved in yet, maybe swap the bulb to one a third the wattage before she comes back, or even re-aim it. She probably won't even notice.

That would be my solution. Makes a lot more sense than "going to war" with competing lights aimed at her house etc. Why go straight to nuclear war when a special operation might do the job for you. That would retain her goal of providing additional security while at the same time at least partially meeting your goal of reducing light pollution. After all, it's her property and her desire to provide additional security for herself is not unreasonable. If you go the special operation route, I would make sure there are no security cameras installed.