The street lights debate
Discussion
I heard the whinging on the BBC news this morning, how turning off street lights will lead to a new armageddon on our roads ( link).
I think having street lighting off by default after midnight is the right way to go. From the BBC link, those people actually in the know support it, but a member of a commons select committee is arguing against it.
Any views?
I think having street lighting off by default after midnight is the right way to go. From the BBC link, those people actually in the know support it, but a member of a commons select committee is arguing against it.
Any views?
aclivity said:
V88Dicky said:
If its going to combat climate change, then I'm all for it.
you make a good compelling argument, and I applaud you for that.I, on the other hand, don't really care about the environMENTAL aspects, but the money saving aspect appeals to me!
I have a street light outside my house and it is directly opposite my bedroom window, I had to buy and fit blackout linings to my curtains because it was like daylight in the room at night, seriously, you could read by the street light with the curtains closed before i put the liners in.
Recently the council replaced all the street lights in our road with new ones, these new ones seem to be just as effective but the light is less intrusive and seems to be whiter than the old predominantly yellow glare the old ones produced.
The net result is that its actually dark in the room at night. and we still have a street light to see the dogs
t on the pavements if we are walking home late from the pub.
I can see the use for street lights in towns but on roads and motorways I cannot, after all you have lamps in the machine you are driving.
I also think that traffic lights on crossings should turn themselves off unless they are being used, why display a green light all night when no-one is crossing, as soon as someone presses the button the light should come on green and then cycle to red and back again to green once the person has crossed, if no-one touches the crossing for ten mins the green switches off.
See, i am thinking of the children, and fluffy wuffy polar bears.
Recently the council replaced all the street lights in our road with new ones, these new ones seem to be just as effective but the light is less intrusive and seems to be whiter than the old predominantly yellow glare the old ones produced.
The net result is that its actually dark in the room at night. and we still have a street light to see the dogs
t on the pavements if we are walking home late from the pub.I can see the use for street lights in towns but on roads and motorways I cannot, after all you have lamps in the machine you are driving.
I also think that traffic lights on crossings should turn themselves off unless they are being used, why display a green light all night when no-one is crossing, as soon as someone presses the button the light should come on green and then cycle to red and back again to green once the person has crossed, if no-one touches the crossing for ten mins the green switches off.
See, i am thinking of the children, and fluffy wuffy polar bears.
Edited by Getragdogleg on Tuesday 7th September 15:21
Getragdogleg said:
fluffy wuffy polar bears.
but they aren't fluffy wuffy, they are sharp teeth and claws and all "roar" and people are all like "aaaaargggghhh" and "run away! run away" and the polar bears are like "ha! I can run faster than them" and "nom nom nom".Sod the polar bears, think of my council tax ... keeping these lights on is like STEALING money from the promising young footballers on benefits.
aclivity said:
Getragdogleg said:
fluffy wuffy polar bears.
but they aren't fluffy wuffy, they are sharp teeth and claws and all "roar" and people are all like "aaaaargggghhh" and "run away! run away" and the polar bears are like "ha! I can run faster than them" and "nom nom nom".aclivity said:
Sod the polar bears, think of my council tax ... keeping these lights on is like STEALING money from the promising young footballers on benefits.
Treadmills, giant treadmills. using promising young footballers as the motive power. colonel c said:
For all the poor unfortunate pople like myself whom live in villages, without such things as street lights. We have a simple solution.
Although most nights there is enough ambient light to see with anyway.
Back in the early 1980s the streetlights DID go off about 1 am. It was a nightmare if stranded down the far end of the road walking arms out zombie like to get home.Although most nights there is enough ambient light to see with anyway.
One main stretch of the village had ONE, yup one streetlight! That was a 100w domestic bulb.
More accidents? Has anyone working at the BBC or these organisations actually ventured out of town or off a main road?
People of today
. Just dont know how they survive.Morningside said:
colonel c said:
For all the poor unfortunate pople like myself whom live in villages, without such things as street lights. We have a simple solution.
Although most nights there is enough ambient light to see with anyway.
Back in the early 1980s the streetlights DID go off about 1 am. It was a nightmare if stranded down the far end of the road walking arms out zombie like to get home.Although most nights there is enough ambient light to see with anyway.
One main stretch of the village had ONE, yup one streetlight! That was a 100w domestic bulb.
More accidents? Has anyone working at the BBC or these organisations actually ventured out of town or off a main road?
People of today
. Just dont know how they survive.Even on dark nights its never that dark.
Our village has no street lights. Its not a problem at all. Its nice not to have the light polution, use a torch if you are worried about the dark.
Chris Type R said:
We experienced a power cut a few weeks ago - it was quite pleasant to be in darkness for a change.
I'm certainly in favour, but would also happily compromise on every 3rd or 4th light remaining on provided the rewiring costs were not too high.
Would need to re wire them it could be as simple as black spray paint over the light sensor on top. Or just disconnect them (take the bulb out lol), its not really re wiring.I'm certainly in favour, but would also happily compromise on every 3rd or 4th light remaining on provided the rewiring costs were not too high.
I think they should all be turned off, cars have head lights ffs, the only problem would be crime.
Odie said:
I think they should all be turned off, cars have head lights ffs, the only problem would be crime.
And do you genuinely think unlit roads are as safe as the equivalent lit roads?Oh and one more thing - would you really want your P&J to be left in dear blackness if it's parked on the street as a result of this?
Christ there's a load of bull being spouted on this thread.
The majority of roads in this country do not have street lights. They only exist in cities, towns and some (but by no means all) villages.
The level of human activity falls in the small hours. There is little case to be made for having the majority of streets lights on after, say 0100 until dawn (or perhaps a bit earlier in the depths of winter)
As I understand it, street lighting does not surpress crime - if somebody is going to get into your house, they'll usually do it from a point out of sight. If somebody wants to nick your car they're going to do it anyway, whether or not there are street lights.
As somebody else has already said, once upon a time it was commonplace for lights to be switched off overnight. When I were a lad, Keynsham (thats K-E-Y-N-S-H-A-M
) street lights went out at midnight.
The majority of roads in this country do not have street lights. They only exist in cities, towns and some (but by no means all) villages.
The level of human activity falls in the small hours. There is little case to be made for having the majority of streets lights on after, say 0100 until dawn (or perhaps a bit earlier in the depths of winter)
As I understand it, street lighting does not surpress crime - if somebody is going to get into your house, they'll usually do it from a point out of sight. If somebody wants to nick your car they're going to do it anyway, whether or not there are street lights.
As somebody else has already said, once upon a time it was commonplace for lights to be switched off overnight. When I were a lad, Keynsham (thats K-E-Y-N-S-H-A-M
) street lights went out at midnight.
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