| Author |
 Topic  |
|
Andy B
Moderator
New Zealand
3159 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Apr 2012 : 04:58:46
|
I raised the issue of light pollution on here before so it is interesting to find that a study has been done in the UK and 53% of those who took part failed to find more than 10 stars in the Orion Constellation.
Here in NZ there are far fewer street lights especially when outside of town and star gazing is really fantastic beside the monetary saving.
So is it finally time that Ware/Hertford/UK councils took a look at this and reduced the number of street lights and maybe after midnight turned them off altogether?
This would also be eco friendly and your taxes saved put to a better use!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17665397 |
|
|
ian.ball
WoLFer & Moderator
United Kingdom
2784 Posts |
Posted - 11 Apr 2012 : 09:16:08
|
| Yes, good idea. What about motion detectors on street lights so they only turn on when they detect movement? A lot of buildings have had these fitted, not sure if streetlights can startup fast enough for them to be useful though |
 |
|
|
Dusty
Senior Member
United Kingdom
685 Posts |
Posted - 11 Apr 2012 : 14:00:40
|
quote:
Originally posted by ian.ball
Yes, good idea. What about motion detectors on street lights so they only turn on when they detect movement? A lot of buildings have had these fitted, not sure if streetlights can startup fast enough for them to be useful though
I have a PIR (passive infra-red) detector on my landing and the lights come on as soon as I reach the top of the stairs or leave the bedroom and turn off ten seconds after I leave the landing. Something similar would be ideal on street lights just as long as they were set high enough not to detect cats and foxes.
|
|
|
|
Warewolf
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1452 Posts |
Posted - 11 Apr 2012 : 14:28:45
|
| Pretty sure Ian is right and they do not start up quickly enough, especially the older lights! |
|
|
|
Moulder
Senior Member
United Kingdom
783 Posts |
Posted - 11 Apr 2012 : 14:42:30
|
I believe there is a small 'warm up' period before the light is working at full strength so that wouldn't be a very good idea.
In any event, I certainly wouldn't want any street lights adjacent to where I live switching on and off every time bodies walked past - would soon get on my tits.
 |
Edited by - Moulder on 11 Apr 2012 14:43:18 |
|
|
|
Pat-H
WoLFer
United Kingdom
2404 Posts |
Posted - 11 Apr 2012 : 17:46:29
|
quote:
Originally posted by Moulder
I believe there is a small 'warm up' period before the light is working at full strength so that wouldn't be a very good idea.
In any event, I certainly wouldn't want any street lights adjacent to where I live switching on and off every time bodies walked past - would soon get on my tits.
Also if you have installed low energy lights the initial startup dimness makes motion detecting operation pretty hopeless.
The light comes on dim and just as it starts to get bright enough to be useful it goes off again.
Also some low energy lighting like fluorescent tubes use more power when they start so are cheaper to run if not cycled too quickly.
Street lights don't cope well with going on and off a lot so it would require replacing them with new versions and that's only cost effective if they are done at end of life.
Much as it makes no sense to scrap a good but uneconomical car to buy a new more efficient one. |
|
|
|
steve
Moderator
United Kingdom
1350 Posts |
Posted - 11 Apr 2012 : 18:35:14
|
quote:
Originally posted by Andy B
So is it finally time that Ware/Hertford/UK councils took a look at this and reduced the number of street lights and maybe after midnight turned them off altogether?
This would also be eco friendly and your taxes saved put to a better use!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17665397
Er ...
www.hertsdirect.org/services/transtreets/highways/streetlightenergy/changestlightatnight/
"On 29 November 2010, the council's cabinet approved plans for changes to street lighting. The decision was made to convert the majority of the county's street lights to part-night operation. This means some streetlights will only be switched on from dusk to around midnight and, during the winter, in the morning rush hour. While up to 80 per cent of the county's street lights will switch to part-night lighting, areas where there is significant pedestrian activity after midnight and busier road junctions will remain lit throughout the night. The changes will be implemented over 18 months and began in June-July 2011."
The work is being carried out district by district, with East Herts due to start conversion in the Summer. |
|
|
|
WickenMan
Average Member
United Kingdom
409 Posts |
Posted - 11 Apr 2012 : 19:20:33
|
| We had four perfectly functioning streetlights 'repaired' recently and then none of them worked. After a few visits paid for out of your council tax, they're now working properly again. Thanks, guys. |
|
|
|
skippy
Advanced Member
1019 Posts |
Posted - 11 Apr 2012 : 19:35:23
|
Turn them off after midnight is a good idea
Those who want to complain that it will make it dangerous for drivers seeing pedesrtrians should consider how pedestrians are seen in country villages that have no lights...wear some high-vis
Those who say what about seeing where you are going, i again use the same answer of think how distant country villages with no street lights do it...use a torch
In other words if the pedestrians dressed and used torches, there is no safety issues and besides, street lights and their shadoes etc actually help hide pedestrians from the driver's sight |
|
|
|
Andy B
Moderator
New Zealand
3159 Posts |
Posted - 11 Apr 2012 : 20:44:57
|
It will be interesting to know to what extent the council are to use the part night operation of lighting?
Does anyone know? |
|
|
|
steve
Moderator
United Kingdom
1350 Posts |
Posted - 12 Apr 2012 : 00:14:47
|
quote:
Originally posted by Andy B
It will be interesting to know to what extent the council are to use the part night operation of lighting?
Does anyone know?
The information you're looking for may be in the link I posted |
|
|
|
Andy B
Moderator
New Zealand
3159 Posts |
Posted - 12 Apr 2012 : 07:46:57
|
quote:
Originally posted by steve
quote:
Originally posted by Andy B
It will be interesting to know to what extent the council are to use the part night operation of lighting?
Does anyone know?
The information you're looking for may be in the link I posted
And it was.
80% of the counties lights are due to be converted with East Herts being completed by the summer 2012 with a saving of £1.3 million. This work should be in progress now so if lights near you go out at midnight let us know on here.
80% should be quite noticable. |
|
|
|
Warewolf
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1452 Posts |
Posted - 12 Apr 2012 : 07:47:55
|
| The other side of this debate is the risk of rising crime due to the dark conditions. This is already in operation in Hatfield but I don't know if there have been any adverse effects? |
|
|
|
Andy B
Moderator
New Zealand
3159 Posts |
Posted - 12 Apr 2012 : 10:09:14
|
quote:
Originally posted by Warewolf
The other side of this debate is the risk of rising crime due to the dark conditions. This is already in operation in Hatfield but I don't know if there have been any adverse effects?
The darkness works both ways, the bad guys cannot see in the dark any better than you and me so they too would need torches which would make them stand out.
Anyway in this day of elf an safety should all bad guys not wear high viz?  |
|
|
|
TrapstyleResident
Junior Member
34 Posts |
Posted - 12 Apr 2012 : 17:04:03
|
This is great news
There's a street light right outside my daughters bedroom window which I was planning on asking for a deflector shield to be fitted
I think I'll wait now |
|
|
|
Bolo
Junior Member
47 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2012 : 21:46:13
|
quote:
Originally posted by Andy B
quote:
Originally posted by Warewolf
The other side of this debate is the risk of rising crime due to the dark conditions. This is already in operation in Hatfield but I don't know if there have been any adverse effects?
The darkness works both ways, the bad guys cannot see in the dark any better than you and me so they too would need torches which would make them stand out.
Anyway in this day of elf an safety should all bad guys not wear high viz?
if you hang around long enough (40mins) in the dark you night vision gets significantly better. Not that I'm a bad guy or any kind of lurker. |
|
|
|
ian.ball
WoLFer & Moderator
United Kingdom
2784 Posts |
Posted - 13 Apr 2012 : 22:30:56
|
I lived in a village that had no streetlight for many years and the crime rate was very low. As Bolo says, your night vision also develops nicely and all the years I spent there only one night was dark enough to not see anything. Having no street lighting really isn't as bad as some folk seem to think
As to the startup time for energy efficient lights, it is much better now than it used to be and most are pretty much instantly bright working at 90% efficiency, so perhaps the way forward is to replace existing lights with new motion detecting ones on a say 15 min timer. |
|
|
|
Moulder
Senior Member
United Kingdom
783 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2012 : 11:22:47
|
| Perhaps not - I still would not want nearby street lights switching on and off - even if the 'on time' was for a regulated 15 minutes. |
|
|
|
Andy B
Moderator
New Zealand
3159 Posts |
Posted - 14 Apr 2012 : 21:32:13
|
quote:
Originally posted by Moulder
Perhaps not - I still would not want nearby street lights switching on and off - even if the 'on time' was for a regulated 15 minutes.
I agree turn them off and keep them off. |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
Turn them off
