disabling streetlights

[Jezza94 (Jeremy)]

hi all, have a problem with a streetlight right outside my bedroom window. it lights my room up like a Christmas tree, not to mention my stargazing ability.

I did the right thing and contacted the council over a month ago albeit no reply.

So I decided to take it into my own hands, if i knew how too!

It is one of the lights that is on top of a wooden powerpole. I can't find a panel anywhere that would house a fuse or breaker switch. does anyone know where i can find a panel of some sort on them?

Jeremy

[LewisM]

OK, most newer town lighting has power junction boxes somewhere along the street. In QLD, they are a grass-green colour, roughly rectangular and about half a metre tall. Ours is right over the road.

I sold a Maksutov to an Energex worker once. He told me he had the skeleton key to the box and COULD turn the major protagonist off. Shame he didn't.

Also, some streetlights work on a photoelectric sensor - when dark enough, they switch on the lights.I know of people who have made up a LONG pole with a coffee can on the end with an LED light inside. Cover the sensor with the can, which is illuminated inside, and VOILA - it thinks it is day.

My big problem, beside the incandescent street light directly opposite my viewing area is 6 mercury vapour street lights. THEY cast a bloody awful gradient in pictures.

[Jezza94 (Jeremy)]

Hi Lewis,

Yeah this is a Mercury vapour light. extremely annoying and awfully bright. I'll have a look around for the box tomorrow. I'll also give the power company a call and if they don't fix it within 2 weeks, bye bye light.

I hate being destructive but I have had to put up with the light shining through my bedroom window for the past 3 years.

[LewisM]

Destructive... careful there, seeing you are the one who has made requests to disable it, you will be the prime suspect

Find less destructive ways. IF you can see the sensor, I have heard of people arranging tripods with lasers strategically aimed at the sensor too. Reminds me to grab binos and see if I can see any sensor on the one across the street...

[Astro_Bot]

I've heard from an Energex guy I know that (in Queensland at least) they might put a shield around part of the light if it is adjacent a property and causes a problem. What criteria they apply, if any, I don't know, but I imagine the street would have to remain illuminated. I guess you'll never know for sure unless you ask.

I'd ask the utility company directly, though they may direct you back to the council.

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Originally Posted by Jezza94

...I have had to put up with the light shining through my bedroom window for the past 3 years.

I tried the same thing some years ago.
Even telling them I had a serious sleep disorder that this was affecting.
(on advise I did not mention astronomy pursuits).

Their caring reply - buy thicker curtains

Good luck with that.

[FlashDrive (Poppy)]

Originally Posted by LewisM

arranging tripods with lasers strategically aimed at the sensor

oooooooh....007 style ...secret agent stuff ...

Flash ..!!

[Barrykgerdes]

I had no bother with street lights 60 years ago. I always had a 22 in the car.

Barry

[Jen]

I have the same problem I'm thinking of walking under it with long stick with a thick paint brush hehe

[mithrandir (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by Jezza94

Yeah this is a Mercury vapour light. extremely annoying and awfully bright.

I have three of those indescribable in polite company mercury lights polluting my back yard and illuminating the trees. Plus a white light one coming from the other street.

The house is a battleaxe with no frontage on either of those streets.

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by Allan_L

I tried the same thing some years ago.
Even telling them I had a serious sleep disorder that this was affecting.
(on advise I did not mention astronomy pursuits).

Their caring reply - buy thicker curtains

Good luck with that.

well they cant quite do that - 95% streetlighting is paid for by your local Council. You can make a formal complaint to your council and on your behalf they make the request to the electrical provider. in your request you can quote the requirements of the Australian standard outdoor lighting code AS 4282 .

putting the cutoff on the light - they have to do that because you requested it - the downside is that if they wish to keep to code the streetlighting they may install a second light - that could be a downside.

if you dont get satisfaction there then you can make a complaint through your state ombudsman and follow that channel.


failing that, sinker and a sling shot

[LewisM]

Originally Posted by Barrykgerdes

I had no bother with street lights 60 years ago. I always had a 22 in the car.

Barry

SHHHHHHHHHHHH! Don't give anyone ideas!


Of course, holes in the street light may cause a few problems from boys in blue.

Try triangulated lasers first before resorting to crimes against light bulbs

[pgc hunter]

Get a paintball gun with black paint balls. Clowncils are dogs 99.99% of the time so to hell with them...

No bullet holes, no loud gunshots..... Problem solved!

[Stardrifter_WA]

Originally Posted by Jezza94

hi all, have a problem with a streetlight right outside my bedroom window. it lights my room up like a Christmas tree, not to mention my stargazing ability.

I did the right thing and contacted the council over a month ago albeit no reply.

So I decided to take it into my own hands, if i knew how too!

It is one of the lights that is on top of a wooden powerpole. I can't find a panel anywhere that would house a fuse or breaker switch. does anyone know where i can find a panel of some sort on them?

Jeremy

Hi Jeremy,

I had a problem with a street light that shone back onto my property and the council wouldn't do anything about it. After a battle with the council, I approached my local member of parliament and he eventually had it shaded.

If it is causing a serious problem for sleeping, maybe you could get a letter from your doctor and contact your local member of parliament? Putting heavy drapes on your window wouldn't solve the problem, particularly if you can't sleep with the window closed , for example.

Taking matters into your own hands could potentially be extremely risky from a liability point of view. If someone was injured because the light was disabled and you were discovered as the culprit, you could find yourself liable for any damages and you wouldn't be covered by any insurance, which could be catastrophic to your finances. Let alone, other criminal damage consequences.

So, I would strongly suggest that you contact your local member of parliament, after all, that is what he is there for. I did and he resolved the issue to my complete satisfaction.

Cheers Peter

[Stardrifter_WA]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

well they cant quite do that - 95% streetlighting is paid for by your local Council. You can make a formal complaint to your council and on your behalf they make the request to the electrical provider. in your request you can quote the requirements of the Australian standard outdoor lighting code AS 4282 .

Hi David,

I contacted my electricity provider and was advised that I had to get permission from the council, who subsequently rejected it. Not satisfied, I then contacted my local member of parliament and he resolved the issue. Light shaded, me happy Me 1, Council 0

Councils appear to be a law unto themselves. After having the light issue resolved, over the strong objections of the council, I applied for a building licence to build my observatory. Having beaten them over the light, they made my life difficult over the building of my observatory. In the end they granted the licence but stipulated that the pad had to be made with reinforced concrete Unbelievable, but true. I then had to argue that a 2.5m x 2.5m pad with a fibreglass dome does not require reinforced concrete, as it was not a high load bearing surface. In the end they approved it without the need for reinforced concrete. Me 2, Council 0

The council don't like me and and the feelin' is completely mutual.

Cheers Peter

[JB80 (Jarrod)]

Shouldn't the "Right to enjoy your own property" laws cover this?
Upon a quick google of it I can't see much mention of light pollution but if it is obtrusive the surely it would infringe your rights.
Seems like a lot of catching up is required on LP laws. I agree with talking to your local member if you can't get a sane response from council.

At least you can communicate with your council ours are under instruction to speak only flemish even though it's a dual language country.

[Ric]

What's a street light.

My nearest street light is probably around 25km away.

[Tandum (Robin)]

Originally Posted by Jezza94

So I decided to take it into my own hands, if i knew how too!
Jeremy

A friend of mine attached a paint brush to a long pole and painted his annoying light with black paint. The paint was still there when they moved out

[Tandum (Robin)]

Originally Posted by Ric

What's a street light.

My nearest street light is probably around 25km away.

Nice one Ric. They just doubled the size of the bus shelter outside my place and put 6 fluros in it. It's now 3:30am, busses stopped hours ago but the fluros are still blazing away.

As a side note, who's paying for that wasted juice ? Me

[Saturn%5 (Graeme)]

Originally Posted by Ric

What's a street light.

My nearest street light is probably around 25km away.

Im with Ric

But so is everything else