# How to kill your lovely city street lights



## joshschaf (Jan 9, 2006)

So I am learning to light via Skull and Bones tutorial and realized that my 3 street lights (i live where 2 streets T) put alot of ambient light in my yard. I have 3 shadows when I stand on the sidewalk in front of my house .

Solution: thin styrofoam, black spray paint and a mid night climb on the ladder. I just put up the foam and it really subdues the light, now I only have 2 shadows left to kill.

Has anyone else had this issue? What was your solution?


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## Guest (Oct 11, 2006)

Did you just tape it to the light? I have this problem as well. I may try this.


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## Greencapt (Sep 13, 2005)

I'm working on something sort of like that myself. I hope to have some practical tests this week.


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## wilbret (Oct 8, 2004)

*safe?*

Don't those lights get pretty hot? I'd be concerned about the styrofoam melting to the light and then being responsible for buying it.

You can use laser pointed at the photo sensor to fool the light. It works, but is quite the tedious solution. Basically, you mount the laser on a board that is attached to a board with a bolt so you can turn a nut to adjust the angle. You need a good battery source to do this all night.


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## Hallowtheme (Jul 31, 2006)

*Steet lights*

Buy the neighborhood kid a BB gun and let nature take its course...Just kidding, that would not be responsible.


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## Hallowtheme (Jul 31, 2006)

*It's weird...*

I have this weird thing that when I walk my dogs at night, certain street lights will go out as I go past them, then come back on after I get a good distance away. It doesn't happen every single time, but often enough to be weird. There are no cars present that could be putting them out with their headlights or anything. They don't flicker light the bulb is going bad, it's immediately off, then immediately on. This used to happen in my old neighborhood as well. I have wondered if I have an alien implant or something.


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## dallenwood (Sep 18, 2006)

I remember when I was a kid, we used to get my dads spotlite and drive around and shine them on the streetlights. I cant remember how long they would stay out for though.


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## wilbret (Oct 8, 2004)

*lights going out when you walk past*

You must have a powerful aura!

Actually, lights go on and off all the time. You just don't notice the ones you can't see. Kinda like does a falling tree make noise if no one is there to hear it...

Sodium lights tend to shut down every now and then due to malfunctions or the photo cell being fooled somehow, or at least my buddy at the Southern Company tells me.


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## Dusza Beben (Sep 27, 2006)

*Your not alone!*



Hallowtheme said:


> I have this weird thing that when I walk my dogs at night, certain street lights will go out as I go past them, then come back on after I get a good distance away. It doesn't happen every single time, but often enough to be weird. There are no cars present that could be putting them out with their headlights or anything. They don't flicker light the bulb is going bad, it's immediately off, then immediately on. This used to happen in my old neighborhood as well. I have wondered if I have an alien implant or something.


The same thing happens to me all the time. I always thought it was just councidental until my wife pointed out that it always happens at the same distance from the light. Weird...

DB


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## SouthernBelle (Aug 30, 2004)

We only have one to contend with but it sure is a pain on Halloween night. I'd love to find a way to make it stay off.


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## MH110 (Jul 19, 2005)

The street light in front of my house burned out about a month ago. If I see a bucket truck pull up in front of my house I'm gonna throw rocks at it....


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## chaoscat (Nov 3, 2005)

Years ago, when I was active in Astronomy as a hobby, I used to set my telescope up in front of my apartment building. A major fly in the works was the bright orange halogen streetlight 15 feet off the ground, directly over my sidewalk. I couldn't reach the darn thing to do anything. Sooo, what I did was to get a good sized cardboard box, poked a hole in two opposing sides near the top edge and tied 40 feet of string to each hole. I then tied a practice weight to my fishing pole, cast it over the top of the light fixture, tied the fishing line to the strings from my box, reeled the strings up, over and down until I could grab them and then hoisted the box until it covered the light. My neighbors obviously thought me insane, but as least I could use my telescope.


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## Voodoo (Oct 15, 2004)

The light on our corner keeps turning on and off all night long. I think it is going bad. I was going to call the city because it is slightly annoying but I think I will wait until after Halloween.


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## Spectremaster (Oct 16, 2004)

i may have to try the laser pointer mounted to a tripod and aim it at the light in front of my house tonight and see if that works. I have even thought about calling the city and just asking them if they could turn it off for 4 or 5 hours on halloween. I'm thinking they wont.


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## Push Eject (Oct 11, 2005)

I tried the same thing Spectre and was totally blown off by the electric company

However, it is for safety's sake and if a kid got hurt in front of my house because I had mucked up the light I wouldn't forgive myself.

BTW, I hear you need a green laser not a red one.

Push Eject


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## Spectremaster (Oct 16, 2004)

Push Eject said:


> ..........BTW, I hear you need a green laser not a red one.
> 
> Push Eject


Got one of them.
Jumping to an answer to kill the light, forgot to think about the kids and trafic safety.


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## Shikkapow (Aug 23, 2005)

I heard as a teenager that the poles had an impact switch that would shut off the power in case they were hit by a car. Never tested the theory though. 
Legend has it, the access panel (2-3 feet off the ground) contained the resettable switch, if you hit that panel hard enough, it would turn it off until it was reset.
Again a rumor that I never tested.


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## woody (Aug 22, 2006)

I think that would shut off the whole block!!!!


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## Long_Tom (Oct 26, 2005)

woody said:


> I think that would shut off the whole block!!!!


You say that like it's a bad thing.... lol


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## Long_Tom (Oct 26, 2005)

By the way, for those of you contemplating the laser trick: better be sure your lasers are REALLY steady on their mountings, as well as properly aimed. Shooting a laser skyward basically unattended is asking to blind some passing pilot. I hear the FAA takes a mighty dim view of such occurrences.

On the whole, I like the box-on-a-string cowling idea the best. You could even turn it into a giant halloween mask of some sort.


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## Vlad (Nov 2, 2003)

Actually this is a yearly topic, and should really be entitled, "How to involve yourself in lawsuits and get a police record". I do believe there's another recently buried thread already this year on the subject. You can try to block off the light, but any tampering with the light itself should be an obvious no-no.


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## Long_Tom (Oct 26, 2005)

Vlad said:


> Actually this is a yearly topic, and should really be entitled, "How to involve yourself in lawsuits and get a police record". I do believe there's another recently buried thread already this year on the subject. You can try to block off the light, but any tampering with the light itself should be an obvious no-no.


 I take it that by "block off the light" you mean "arrange shade at ground level on your own property".


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## nOrTHeRn TouCh (Feb 24, 2006)

I have the same problem all u need is a long latter and a role of good old DUCK TAPE....I just make a cover out of the tape and tape it into place i find it works great ive used the same cover for 3 years now i just take them down after halloween...Last year a crew came out to fix the light I told what it was for and they were perty understanding.....


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## Greencapt (Sep 13, 2005)

nOrTHeRn TouCh said:


> I have the same problem all u need is a long latter and a role of good old DUCK TAPE....I just make a cover out of the tape and tape it into place i find it works great ive used the same cover for 3 years now i just take them down after halloween...Last year a crew came out to fix the light I told what it was for and they were perty understanding.....


Do you have any pics of it NT? I'm curious!


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## nOrTHeRn TouCh (Feb 24, 2006)

I dont have any pics but its really easy! all u have to do is frist get the measerments of the light, next u cut strips of duck tape to the size u need and make flat sheet. then u cover the sticky side with duck tape (sticky/sticky) now u have sheet climb the ladder and place over the light u will need duck tape and a knive. After u put the seet in place tape, it up on the sides and use your knive to cut in from the conor u will then fold the sheet in untell u have a bowl shape add tape to your folds u may want to come down from the ldder and and the final touches and your good get back up ther and tape your cover into place...Hope this helps I just got my first digatl cam. and I havent took all my pics yet...lol well I did but they were huge i went to shrink them but that was just ****y....ah well I'm a comp.dumbass


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## Mahone68 (Oct 21, 2004)

I used to hang a dim trouble light near the electric eye of a street lamp, that shut it off all night long.... now my street has no lights


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## michigal (Oct 30, 2005)

Vlad said:


> Actually this is a yearly topic, and should really be entitled, "How to involve yourself in lawsuits and get a police record". I do believe there's another recently buried thread already this year on the subject. You can try to block off the light, but any tampering with the light itself should be an obvious no-no.


And not only what Vlad says (getting yourself in trouble with the law), how would any of you feel if your efforts to kill the lights resulted in the injury or death of a child? 
Please think about what you're doing. *NO* haunt is worth the harm to another.
Work around the light, don't be looking to get rid of it.


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## MH110 (Jul 19, 2005)

Guys, I'd be REAL carefully pointing a laser up into the sky at anything. Someone sees you with a laser and a tripod, they may think your trying to shoot down a place. Feds don't like lasers pointing at air planes. A guy here in New Jersey is doing time for pointing a laser pointer at a passing airplane.


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## Long_Tom (Oct 26, 2005)

Concern for safety is a good thing. However, let's not overdo it. There are streets in my city where the whole neighborhood has elected to remove the streetlighting completely, because they like the dark better. I can't blame them.

The city fathers, in their infinite wisdom, decided to put street lights on every single power pole in my neighborhood, apparently to reduce crime. I live at a corner lot, and there are two power poles in close proximity, rounding the corner. You guessed it: I have not one, but two streetlights to contend with. It's ridiculous. I could have told them not to bother; my car sat directly under the existing one, and got broken into twice. Apparently the extra light just helps the thieves see into the passenger compartment. They were after my car again this last Labor Day am, right in my brightly illuminated driveway.


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## SouthernBelle (Aug 30, 2004)

Long_Tom said:


> Concern for safety is a good thing. However, let's not overdo it. There are streets in my city where the whole neighborhood has elected to remove the streetlighting completely, because they like the dark better. I can't blame them.
> 
> The city fathers, in their infinite wisdom, decided to put street lights on every single power pole in my neighborhood, apparently to reduce crime. I live at a corner lot, and there are two power poles in close proximity, rounding the corner. You guessed it: I have not one, but two streetlights to contend with. It's ridiculous. I could have told them not to bother; my car sat directly under the existing one, and got broken into twice. Apparently the extra light just helps the thieves see into the passenger compartment. They were after my car again this last Labor Day am, right in my brightly illuminated driveway.



Yep, what he said.


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## Vlad (Nov 2, 2003)

"Concern for safety is a good thing. However, let's not overdo it."

I'll just assume that was meant as a joke.


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## joshschaf (Jan 9, 2006)

Well our lights are square and have a flourescent light bulb inside of them. The square box has a glass surround that exposes a lip that I rest the Styrofoam on. Since I am on my way home now, I will post the pics I took.

edited: here are pics

Before









After:


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## joshschaf (Jan 9, 2006)

So with these pics, I think the house/street/haunt are safe for all the kids and parents

-jds


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## SouthernBelle (Aug 30, 2004)

joshschaf said:


> So with these pics, I think the house/street/haunt are safe for all the kids and parents
> 
> -jds



Hey, can you run down here and cover mine???

LOL!


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## Long_Tom (Oct 26, 2005)

Vlad said:


> "Concern for safety is a good thing. However, let's not overdo it."
> 
> I'll just assume that was meant as a joke.


If you saw how ridiculoulsly brightly my street is lit up, you wouldn't say that. 

You can literally read a paperback walking the entire length of the block. We don't need THAT much light. The street would be adequately safe with half as many. (We certainly don't need TWO on the same corner, though we do need one, since it's an intersection, and one is pretty much enough to mess up my yard lighting, so I'm hosed either way.) 

Yes, it is possible to overdo a concern for safety. One example is parents who don't let their kids trick or treat at all for fear of razor blades in apples.

Other streets may not have the same situation as mine, and dousing lights may indeed be unsafe. I don't advocate it. But my street is way over-lit. I'm just grousing. It would be mighty nice if the city installed the kind that shine mostly down, instead of spreading into my yard.


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## JustMatt (Jan 31, 2006)

The sodium and mercury vaper street lights actually cycle on and off as a safety measure. There's a point at which things get too hot so they automatically shut down for a few minutes.


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## Spooky_BC (Sep 21, 2006)

The light sensor on these lights are located on the top of them. I have seen them in the small white cylinders you see on the topside of the lights. The cylinders face skyward, so they can best judge when their lights need to be turned on. Because they face skyward, I doubt a laser pointed at them from the ground will have any effect. Only if you get to a high location and point down at them will there be an effect to turn them off.

A paintball gun would work to give these lights a nice paint over that would be temporary. However, every shot you miss goes flying somewhere, and you can pepper some dudes car , house, or hit them several hundred feet away.

Maybe a spraypaint can on a long bamboo pole with a string trigger would work more safely?

What if you went to the dollar store, got some of those chemical lights that you bend to make light up, and then with some sort of fishing line-fishing pole contraption get it on top of the light to fool the sensor? No permanent damage is done, and the chemical light will wear off in one night, and the street light will be off during that night?

Or maybe something with the box idea can be done, where a cheap dollar store LED light is rigged to the fishing line/box. The LED light will get positioned by the box to be on top of the sensor, and will also fool the light into thinking it should turn off because it is daytime.

For the legally anal who are reading this and have posted - I do not advocate any of these methods, nor endorse them in any manner . It is a conundrum though that the light your tax bill is paying can be put up by the utility company you are supporting , can interfere with your life.


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## Stratusfear02 (Aug 5, 2004)

I wouldn't advise messing with the internals (in access panel) anyway . Depending where and what type of lights are used; the voltages for those lights can range from 120 to 480 volts. Good way to get killed. As for the photocell (light sensors) not all poles have them some are control from a lighting/ contactor cabinet. that could be up to a mile or more from that pole. Sorry if i sound like a killjoy, but I am a commerical/industrial electrican and have worked on street lighting a decent bit.


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## Joel (Aug 31, 2004)

I have seen this questin posted in many an astrology board. The general concesus is that messing with public lights is illegal. Don't know if is a misdemenur or a felony, but I'm sure Mr/Ms Officer may not be too understanding on the one night they are most concerned about child safety.

Personally, I will be placing a board in-between the light and my yard to cast a shadow over my display. I've contemplated the laser idea (tripod-mounted on my roof - Red does work), but don't want to run the legal risk.


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## Redneck220 (Dec 13, 2005)

I have the same problem in our mobile home park,,,the light is right in front of my house!. It goes on/off at odd times. Since the light only shed light onto part of the yard, the house making a shadow on most of the yard, I've learned to use the light/shadows to my adventage. The walk into the yard in light,,then step into darkness from the shadow,,,making it hard to see when they enter part of the yard. I don't know how this streetlight affects your yard entirely, but you may want to consider using it to your advantage. 

Mike


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## wilbret (Oct 8, 2004)

YMMV, but no police officer is going to put you in jail for pointing a laser at a light receptor. They may ask you to turn it off, if that. 

I tinkered with one of the THREE lights we have to no avail tonight. I pulled the panel off to reveal a connector that would be tempting if I didn't have a fear of 220 pulsing thru me. I couldn't get the light to turn off with a spotlight, either. Need to get the exact location of the receptor.

The laser trick works with a red laser. I did it in my old neighborhood. 

I may try hanging plastic between two trees to block some light, but I don't know if A: I can get it high enough B: avoid the plastic becoming a sail and tearing to shreds in our wind.


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## Grave Digger (Jul 21, 2006)

I got lucky. The street light on my corner was going to cause problems. I have a friend who works for the power company. Unsolicited he offered, "You want me to kill that light for you?" It is good to have friends in low places.


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## xoexpireu (Sep 26, 2005)

*this is what I do*

I get a black plastic contractors garbage bag from home depot and some string a case of beer a couple of the neighbors and there pick up truck put the ladder in the pick up truck drink a beer get the twenty foot pole from my pool skimmer tape a small portion of the bag the pole drink another beer then loop some of the string through the opening of the bag what were doing is making a giant butterfly net drink another beer get up on the ladder as high as you can get without chitting yourself from the crappy light post swaying back and forth now swing the pole with the bag back and forth getting some air into it to open it up and try and catch the light this takes a couple of people about 100 tries and a case of beer but we get it every year when you get the bag on the light pull the string tight to keep the bag on it and tie it off after halloween undo the string and the bag will fly off on its own this is what I do anyway good luck and have fun looping the light caution you will look like a jack azz drinking beer on a ladder in the middle of the night with a giant butterfly plastic bag net.


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## joshschaf (Jan 9, 2006)

So I seem to have some annoying neighbors or the city just happened to come by to "check" the lights this weekend. i was gone for 2 days this weekend and came back to a fully lit yard. I mean it wasnt like they were totally off, just filtered a bit! :-(

Guess I have to wait for Halloween weekend to do it again.

-jds


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## IshWitch (May 19, 2006)

wilbret said:


> You must have a powerful aura!
> 
> Actually, lights go on and off all the time. You just don't notice the ones you can't see. Kinda like does a falling tree make noise if no one is there to hear it...
> 
> Sodium lights tend to shut down every now and then due to malfunctions or the photo cell being fooled somehow, or at least my buddy at the Southern Company tells me.


They also shut off when they reach a certain temp and then turn back on once they've cooled.

At least THATS what I've been told


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## Ron R (Sep 26, 2006)

*streetlights*

Your friendly neighbor amateur astronomer will thank you for knocking out any of these lights!


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## Bucky (Oct 15, 2006)

Not sure it this has been mentioned, but in my youth I wasn't always a law obiding citizen.

1. Guaranteed to work! Use a pellet gun. They put a new light on a high wire that went along my parents back yard that lit up their bedroom. So when I came to visit, I took care of it for them. Oddly they had it replaced in 3 days. My parents got old and eventually thought it was a good security light.

2. If it's a metal pole just start pushing on it and rocking it back and forth. Sounds crazy but I've done it and once the momentum gets going it's pretty easy to do. if you get it hard enough it will either break the light and come crashing down or it will temporarily disable the light. Sometimes its permanent, but usually you get a free 10 minutes of darkness before it turns back on. 

Personally I like the pellet gun, that ensures darkness for several days.


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## Greencapt (Sep 13, 2005)

Vandalism aside (  ) here's what I came up with to dim the light in my yard. Keep in mind I live on a cul-de-sac of sorts with no street or through traffic. Also the 'flag' keeps the street lit in front of my house and just shields the yard itself.


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## Wolfman (Apr 15, 2004)

Reading all this, I'm gonna do something about our offending light this year. I can get close to it from a 20' ladder. I'll drop a cardboard box over it. After a good hard rain it will dissolve and fall off.


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## xoexpireu (Sep 26, 2005)

*Street Light Fix*

Read my last post above.>>>> Just bag the light in 25-30mph winds. No beer this time COFFEE to friggin cold check out our pic--------WORKS EVERY TIME you need three people. One Monkey on the ladder and one to catch the monkey if he falls and one jackazz laughin holding the string.
www.zoobster.com/lightpost.JPG


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## wilbret (Oct 8, 2004)

Use an LED spotlight. It's that easy. You just have to get the angle right. For me, it meant standing about 15 feet away from the pole. I say LED because the light I bought says it will go for about 60 hours.

This worked for me, but I ended up not doing it last night because I thought my guests needed the light for safety while parking. For trick or treating, we won't be parking cars.


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## whippetsfly (Jul 30, 2006)

Our power company was glad to turn off the street lights just for Halloween night. I think we paid an extra $5-6 to have the service done. We also do the same thing for Christmas. Good luck!!


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## HalloweenBob (Dec 5, 2006)

I did approach the police department to ask them if they could kill the one light that is on a pole litterally two feet from where I do my haunt.

I didn't mention that I had already been eliminating that light each year on my own....at first.

I explained that I only needed it off for two hours on Halloween night, and I was providing alternative lighting that would be safe, but better for my effects.

He told me it would be like an act of congress to get that done and that I should just deal with the light myself as long as I don't damage it.

Then I told him what I had been doing, and he gave it his blessing.

I made what looks like a large paddle out of a piece of plywood (Rectangular and large enough to cover the light) and a long inch and a half in diameter dowel. I attached an eyehook right where the dowel and the plywood meet and another at the far end of the dowel (Furthest from the plywood).

I tied clothesline to each of the eyehooks. I just cast the two lines over the top of the light and pull the paddle up into place. Then when it's over, I drop it back down.

These lights get pretty hot, so I didn't want to put tape, plastic or cardboard anywhere near the bulb area.

This works fine for me every year, and no one complains. The cops know about it and drive by several times on Halloween and have never said a word about it.

That was my solution, and I've been using it now for 6 years.


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## wilbret (Oct 8, 2004)

Cities worry a lot about safety due to litigation... but light pollution? Who cares?! Light up the night!

We have 3 street lights on our property. There are lights across the street. When houses build next to us, we'll get residual light from at least 2 more lights. My wife and I have actually thrown the baseball in the street at night, there is that much light.


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## dionicia (Nov 5, 2006)

I'm glad I don't have a bright light to contend with. It is a few doors down. I just noticed last night my house is going to be good to go for Halloween. I was even kinda scared to pull into my driveway it was so dark. But then I remembered I have motion sensors on the lights. I can't wait for Halloween.


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## erie_pa_halloween_guy (Mar 20, 2005)

All i have to say about that is this. Street lights are there for a reason. Safety Maybe when a car one night travels down your street and not being able to see a child crossing and the police ask why theres something hanging on the lamp post someone might just give thenm your name?


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## HalloweenBob (Dec 5, 2006)

I think we are all aware of the reasons for the lights.

In my situation, it is only one light that I block out and only for the two hours of Trick Or Treating. The street is crowded with people up and down making it impossible for a car to zoom down the street and hit someone. Traffic is at a crawl all night down our street. The police drive by regularly, and I have pleanty of other lighting set up at good angles so that they allow people to see without washing out the entire scene. I can be selective at where I want the light to shine.

I'm sure that people who manipulate the lighting for the trick or treat hours take precautions to be sure that kids are seen on the street. Every kid in our haunt also leaves with glow products to help them be seen better everywhere they go.

At least I hope that everyone who alters the lighting takes care to be safe at the same time. It doesn't have to be lit up like daylight out. It's also on the drivers to be on the lookout EVERYWHERE they go for kids on that one night during those times, so everyone is already looking for kids.

As I mentioned, I went to the cops and told them what I was doing and they (having seen my setup in previous years) had no problem with my lighting solution.

This year with DST being moved, it may not make much difference for a lot of people as it will still be daylight for half the TOT time.


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## Mortissanguine (Aug 13, 2007)

*My pain also*

I have a problem with my street light as well. I really like the idea of using the paddle and tying it to the light as a temporary fix. I don't really undertsand the directions of how it works (I am a picture guy) but am concerned about tape and heat of the lamp. Fire bad...okay, amusing... but not something I want to explain to local cops and fire marshall.

I am actually going to get a permit this year to block off my portion of the street so cars don't come through. That will solve the kids as mobile speed bumps issue for me.


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## skrew2nite (Feb 2, 2006)

My solution to the street light right above my front yard is simple....use the shadows to your advantage. The different angles the tombstones are place cast different shadows and actually looks good. Take a few of your tombstones/props out at night when the light is on and place it at different angles and you will probably be surprised to find it adds to the effect.


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## DIY Guy (Aug 8, 2007)

Funny how different municipalities have different priorities.

Out here they have the "Dark Sky" law. Light cannot project beyond your property. No fancy lights pointing up into your trees. You can have an unshielded bulb at exterior doors-- no more than 40w.

And as was hope for above, the street lights illuminate down, not out.

Bob had the perfect situation. Get the enforcement on your side. The city would never reduce lighting for fear of litigation. However, if somebody complains, enforcement is the people you want on your side. No police officer wants to deal with petty issues like this.

Worst case they stop by and tell you to undo whatever you did. No paperwork, everybody is happy.

Tim


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## Wolfman (Apr 15, 2004)

I ended up dowsing TWO lights at our place last year, using cardboard boxes as shrouds. A few days after Hallowe'en I was out there with a ladder to remove them. But, NO, the neighbors asked me to leave the boxes alone, they liked the effect! Instead of heavy Streetlights, we had two narrow bands of light. It all depends on where you live. The boxes came off, affected by sun and rain, on their own, about a month after Hallowe'en.


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## HalloweenBob (Dec 5, 2006)

OK, I took some pictures. First off, here is the offensive light:










In my case, it is directly over the area that I haunt and washes out every effect I have. Since it is directly overhead, I get no long shadows, and it renders my lightning storm useless even with four 1000 watt strobes.

Here's another shot of the light:










So I made a paddle shaped piece that I lift up to the light to block out most of the offending light. It looks like this:










And the bottom side:









It's just a piece of plywood about 3 feet long and wide enough to cover the light screwed to a dowel with eyelets screwed in it. One right next to where the plywood is attached, and the other further down near the end of the handle.










I tied clothesline rope to both eyelets. When I want to use it, I toss the two ropes over the top of the streetlight. The rope closest to the paddle goes over the shaft of the streetlight right next to where the bulb fixture is attached. The other one, I toss over the shaft closer to the telephone pole.

I simply pull the ropes and raise the paddle. The way it is weighted, it stays in the right position. I pull the ropes tight and tie them off to a nial on the telephone pole.

That's it.

I have one of those super bright sodium lights. It is very hot, but it has never caused a problem with burning the paddle, and I have used it now for 6 years. It doesn't even discolor it, and it is touching the glass cover over the light bulb.

It is only up there for a couple hours during trick or treat, but I think that would be enough time if anything were going to burn.


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## Wolfman (Apr 15, 2004)

My goodness, that's a lot of work, Dude. Two words - Cardboard Box.


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## wilbret (Oct 8, 2004)

Cardboard boxes on sodium vapor lights sounds like you'd have a flaming torch in your yard. How hot does streetlights get, on average?


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## Wolfman (Apr 15, 2004)

Actually, Wil, that's what I was afraid WOULD happen, "POOF" and flaming cardboard falling to the ground. No problems though, at least, not here.


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## HalloweenBob (Dec 5, 2006)

It's actually very little work, except for the first year when I made it.

Now it's a 10 min job just to lob the ropes over the light and pull up the paddle. No tools, no ladder and it's already made.


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## DeadTed (Aug 12, 2007)

How to I get rid of the light from the gas station 50ft away? I've got like, 5 cardboard boxes and need 20 or 30 more.......

Seriously. Right across the street.


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## rodneypig (Aug 13, 2006)

I guess I'm quite lucky in the Uk, we have sensors on top of our street lights which are really easy to disconnect. The local kids are more than happy to climb up the pole and unscrew the sensor on Halloween afternoon and nine times out of ten they come back the next day to screw it back in and say thank you for the display!


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## Gothic Nightmare (Mar 7, 2007)

Shikkapow said:


> I heard as a teenager that the poles had an impact switch that would shut off the power in case they were hit by a car. Never tested the theory though.
> Legend has it, the access panel (2-3 feet off the ground) contained the resettable switch, if you hit that panel hard enough, it would turn it off until it was reset.
> Again a rumor that I never tested.



As a teen (too many years ago) we would kick the pole of whatever streetlight we were hanging out under, and it would would usually shut off. Some lights were easy, others were impossible, but I know it worked because I did it myself many times.


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## Tavaruas (Jul 1, 2007)

Oh my gosh, the City came out and replaced the very dull amber bulb in the street light across the street with a new bulb that has approximately the power of the Sun! The timing couldn't be worse. I think you could get a sunburn walking under that light now, which is about 35 feet off the ground on a concrete pole.

Has anyone been successful in extinguishing a new style street light by just shining a very bright light at it? It's probably too high up to try to rig up something to cover it up with, and I'm concerned about shining any type of laser light at it.


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## Hallow33n (Oct 18, 2006)

> Maybe when a car one night travels down your street and not being able to see a child crossing



Hmm, maybe, just maybe, the car's bright headlights (which are to be used during dark times) would help illuminate the kids waking in the street? (just a guess)

Besides, who in their *right mind *would drive down a street really fast knowing full well there are kids out on halloween night. Seriously. ??

Anyway, I only have one street light that's around 100ft from my home that I would consider a "problem", but it's not that bad because of how far away it is from my home. The city I live in doesn't like to have too many bright street lights on the side streets where homes are located (but on the main busy streets... yes), so I guess I'm lucky in that respect. The overall darkness factor is just about right in front of my house... but I wouldn't complain one bit if it was a bit darker for halloween night (my props, strobes, spots, ect, would look alot better if the street light was darker/blacked out. I'd be able to light the front graveyard the way *I* want it to be lit). But I'm ok with it overall.


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## Cassie7 (Sep 5, 2007)

I hate to be the buzz-kill of the thread but the children's safety outweighs anyone's haunt inconvenience. We can do imaginative workarounds with counter lighting but the kids need to be able to see and be seen while walking the streets at night.

Trust me, I'd love to take a bb gun to our street lights too but I have to lean towards the safety issue because year after year it amazes me how young some of the kids are that are ToTing alone. Plus, the light helps our lookouts spot the really little ones and warn our haunters.


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## HowardC (Sep 21, 2007)

Cassie7 said:


> I hate to be the buzz-kill of the thread but the children's safety outweighs anyone's haunt inconvenience. We can do imaginative workarounds with counter lighting but the kids need to be able to see and be seen while walking the streets at night.
> 
> Trust me, I'd love to take a bb gun to our street lights too but I have to lean towards the safety issue because year after year it amazes me how young some of the kids are that are ToTing alone. Plus, the light helps our lookouts spot the really little ones and warn our haunters.


This is my first post, so I really hate for it to be a negative one, but it's people like you with your over-protection of children that are the cause for the rest of us to be able to frikkin read in our back yards at night!

Here's the rundown of it. Children should:

Be wearing costumes or bags with reflective tape. 
Should be accompanied by an adult if they are young. 
Should be frkkin aware of the traffic around them!

Drivers should:

Be driving slow on halloween night.
Should have their headlights on, which tend to allow you to see in the dark.
Should be aware of pedestrian traffic around them!

Haunters should:

Give enough light so that visitors can walk safely through their yard without falling.
Have their yard free from obstructions that might cause injury.
Have props that are safe and out of the way of visitors.

Street Lights are ONLY designed to:

Deter crime (not an issue on halloween as their are too many people around)
Light the sidewalk/side of the road so pedestrians don't trip.


If you've somehow got it in your mind that street lights are there to illuminate pedestrians for the drivers benefit then you are dead wrong. I'm sorry but that's just not true. There are there for crime and too keep people on foot from tripping because, unlike cars, they do not have bright lights to light the 
way.

If you have taken care of the things I have listed that haunters are responsible for and someone near your house gets hurt, it's either the fault of the kids, their parents, or a driver. Now you might feel bad about it anyway, but it still wouldn't be your fault. I live in the country, we have stretchs for miles that don't have lights, and although we are heavily populated we still manage to keep from running over pedestrains, so trust me, this is a NON issue, aside for any legal matters.

I don't reccommend breaking your light though, that's just dumb, (not to mention illegal). I also need to point out the obvious, in that, unless you make a solid wooden cover, covering your light doesn't keep it from lighting the ground, it just dims it a little. Usually there's still more than enough to light the way.


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## Cassie7 (Sep 5, 2007)

HowardC said:


> This is my first post, so I really hate for it to be a negative one,


That's ok Howard, I didn't expect my view to be a popular one.



> but it's people like you with your over-protection of children that are the cause for the rest of us to be able to frikkin read in our back yards at night!


Woah...slow down there. I'm not advocating putting a street light on every power pole. I was simply stating that this one night of the year millions of children will be wondering the streets and we, as adults are responsible for their safety when we run a haunt which clearly invites them.



> Here's the rundown of it. Children should:


Yeah, they should, but they often dont.



> Drivers should:


Yeah, they should, but they often don't.



> Haunters should:


I agree %100



> Street Lights are ONLY designed to:
> 
> Deter crime (not an issue on halloween as their are too many people around)
> *Light the sidewalk/side of the road so pedestrians don't trip.*


Your own statement agrees with me that the lighting is a safety issue.




> If you have taken care of the things I have listed that haunters are responsible for and someone near your house gets hurt, it's either the fault of the kids, their parents, or a driver... this is a NON issue, aside for any legal matters.


If a person gets hurt because you intentionally break or block the lights then you *can be* held legally responsible.

EDITED TO ADD: I am an ametuar astronomer so trust me when I say that light pollution is my worst personal enemy.


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## HalloweenBob (Dec 5, 2006)

Each year I eliminate the light which is directly over my haunt area with (Yes) a solid wooden cover.

That is not to say that it is dark at my haunt. I provide plenty of lighting. The difference is that I am able to control it, and aim it where it needs to go so it does not overwhelm areas of my haunt that do need to be somewhat dark.

By doing this, I provide plenty of light for the safety of the TOTers and other pedestrians. Car traffic is at a crwal and infrequent on this street anyway.

I also give out a large glow necklace to each TOTer who comes in, so that each of them are more visible when they leave my haunt than when they arrived.

In some situations the streetlight is just in an impossible place and it needs to be darkened that one night and replaced with other better thought out and planned lighting for the event.

No one is advocating making TOTers stumble around in total darkness.


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## Greencapt (Sep 13, 2005)

Just to chime in as I was an active light blocker last year...

Safety truly was never an issue at my house because as you can see by the skull on the map my house is buried way back in the butt-end of a hard to find, hard to reach, hardly ever any traffic, you have to absolutely know where you're going or you'll never find it and you still may never find it subdivision.










Had there been any safety concerns I would have never attempted anything. As it was I wasn't all that please with the results so next year when the haunt is back up and running I don't plan on wasting the effort.


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## wilbret (Oct 8, 2004)

Let's refocus the thread. The topic was how to reduce or eliminate light in your yard from street light. NOT on safety. 

I'm going to make a flag this year as an above poster made. I'll block it from one side, so the street is light. However, there are SO MANY FRAKKING lights on our street, it will still feel like noon. We don't have sidewalks. No kids will be walking, they will pull up into the driveway in a mini van.


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## Cassie7 (Sep 5, 2007)

I'm sorry, didn't mean to derail this thread. 

And I admit that I took his "it's people like you" blanket statement toward me as demeaning and insulting while I was just pointing out the down side of blocking or destroying street lights.


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## Scary Jerry (Feb 24, 2006)

Out here there is a little access panel at the bottom of the light poles. We opened it and disconnected the wires. Also - the neighbor's automated porch lights and driveway lights cause problems and we just offer them free blue light bulbs for temporary replacement.

Scary Jerry


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## michigal (Oct 30, 2005)

The resurrection of this thread always makes me mad. Yes, it *is* a safety issue. The kids need to be able to see to walk safely. ANd if it's a crime issue, as one poster suggested, that we have street lights, then what better reason to leave them alone on Halloween. Every year there's someone on here whose props get trashed. 
I find it very selfish and disturbing that people want to kill the streetlights for their haunt.
Work around the lights, use them to your advantage, but please don't be killing them. 
Build a covered haunt walkthrough if the lights bother you so much.
Cassie7, your view may not be popular, but it's a safe one, and the correct one. And rest assured a lot of us agree with you.


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## wilbret (Oct 8, 2004)

a>You cannot generalize everyone's situation from your seat at the computer. I could turn off 3 street lights by my house and not cause an unsafe situation.

b>Not every proposal here is about turning the lights off, some advocate shielding it.

c>This topic is covered in astronomy forums all the time. There is no "correct" answer, or all cities everywhere would agree on street lights. (some don't have any!)

d>no kids here walk by themselves. No kids here walk at all, they ride up to the house.

e>relax

f>see E


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## Sweetlogo (Sep 24, 2007)

Well when I was younger I would shoot them out with a BB gun I DON"T RECOMMEND THIS.......Today I have the cable guy next door to me nail a peice of plywood in front of it (thanks Tom) I've called the power company like 10 years in a row and they won't turn it off. or you cam move, plant a big tree. One year we hooked a big spider to it. Have fun. S.


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## wilbret (Oct 8, 2004)

I think the blocking method is the best. I was able to turn mine off with a light last year, but chickened out and didn't do it on HW night. 

-pulling the panel is a bad idea with the voltage flowing thru there
-shooting them is a bad idea
-kicking the post is a bad idea, and as demonstrated by neighbor kids, only temporary

I'm planting some trees for long term blockage. Who needs street light from more than one light? I have 3 in my yard, and I get some light from the ones in other people's yards too.


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## deveds2 (Nov 3, 2006)

We got lucky - no street lights here - and it's pitch black at night.

Of course, because of that though, a lot of white trash has put those big mercury vapor lights on their garages so some houses look like a WalMart parking lot.

Why can't everyone like it dark and spooky?

Oh well, nothing a bb gun couldn't take care of. Just kidding...maybe.


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## LukeSkiewalker (Sep 21, 2007)

Originally I thought I was going to be lucky as the one of only 3 lights on my block (the 25 ft tall sodium vapor type) was on it's way out and would be on only about 5 minutes out of 30. But sometime in the last week it got fixed. The sensor on our lights are on the top and I have direct line of sight from my roof. messing with that is tempting, but doing a box is probably safer. You can't see the top of the of the pole, but this gives you an idea of what I am dealing with:









(And yes that is fog...I was doing a test with it last year). Any advice on how to do this [safely]?


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## holidayfreak (Oct 4, 2007)

It is possible that as you walk by the amount of ambient light being recieved changes thus causing the light to cycle. Most photocells use a normally closed relay to energize the light. Thus your own reflection from the light itself can cause it to momentarily cycle.


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## LukeSkiewalker (Sep 21, 2007)

holidayfreak said:


> It is possible that as you walk by the amount of ambient light being recieved changes thus causing the light to cycle. Most photocells use a normally closed relay to energize the light. Thus your own reflection from the light itself can cause it to momentarily cycle.


I doubt that has anything to do with how the light was working previously. It would cycle while no one was around and when it was at it's peak intensity it was half as bright as it is now. I also haven't seen it cycle in almost two weeks. Additionally the sensor is on the top of the light so I doubt someone walking by would cause it to cycle. I was likely at the end of its life.


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## xoexpireu (Sep 26, 2005)

*Here is our version of getting rid of the light two movie clips*

Here is our version of getting rid of the street light two movie clips for your review hehehe.


http://www.testechnology.com/100_0869.MOV
http://www.testechnology.com/100_0872.MOV


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## Mr. Halloween (Oct 7, 2007)

Yeh i have this same promblem...so i just kick it and it goes out for about two minutes and then comes back on!


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## SouthernBelle (Aug 30, 2004)

The one in front of our house went out about 2 months ago and never came back on. I told all of my neighbors to please not call the city about it until AFTER Halloween. So far they have complied.


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## woody (Aug 22, 2006)

If your going to put something up there to block it, why dont you just unscrew the sensor?


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## LukeSkiewalker (Sep 21, 2007)

xoexpireu said:


> Here is our version of getting rid of the street light two movie clips for your review hehehe.
> 
> 
> http://www.testechnology.com/100_0869.MOV
> http://www.testechnology.com/100_0872.MOV



Since the street light kind of blinded the view of how you did that do you mind explaining how you were able to cinch the bag? I'm kind of surprised that a trash bag dimmed it that much. In my in-laws neighborhood people have tried that with the smaller 12 foot lamps and it didn't seem to do much good.


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## wilbret (Oct 8, 2004)

I am still amazed that plastic bags or cardboard don't melt or combust on those lights. What is the operating temperature outside of that globe?


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## Long_Tom (Oct 26, 2005)

michigal said:


> The resurrection of this thread always makes me mad. Yes, it *is* a safety issue. The kids need to be able to see to walk safely. ANd if it's a crime issue, as one poster suggested, that we have street lights, then what better reason to leave them alone on Halloween. Every year there's someone on here whose props get trashed.
> I find it very selfish and disturbing that people want to kill the streetlights for their haunt.
> Work around the lights, use them to your advantage, but please don't be killing them.
> Build a covered haunt walkthrough if the lights bother you so much.
> Cassie7, your view may not be popular, but it's a safe one, and the correct one. And rest assured a lot of us agree with you.


It's not necessarily quite that simple. On my street the city planners, in their infinite wisdom, put lights on every single pole. There are actually two streetlights on a single corner of the intersection. You can literally read a paperback while walking the entire length of the street. It is *excessive*. It also has done nothing to reduce crime. My car sits directly under the aforementioned two street lamps at the corner, and it has been broken into three times. About all the lights have done is make it easier to see into the car.

That said, however, my response is to move my haunt into my back yard, where the street lights don't reach. I don't want to get tangled up with any trouble if blockage of the streetlights goes wrong somehow. The neighbors seem to think it's cooler that way, too. Somehow, when everything is out in front, it's just another yard display. Move the exact same props into the back yard and make everybody walk fifty feet to see them, and it becomes a dark ride!


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## xoexpireu (Sep 26, 2005)

*we used a light weight string*

we used a light weight string you thread it through the outer edges of the bag tie a loopt hrough one end of the string and pull the other end through the loop when you get the bag on the light you pull the string tugg enough but not too much and tie it off. The trash bag is a contractors trash bag from home depot the light does not get hot and melt at all. we have been doing this for a few years now with no problems. Although this year we have a new neighbor that has complained and had it removed this morning by the electric company. the electric company guy asked me if I had black spray paint and said he would spray the inside of the lense on the back and sides so the light only projects toward the street and not towards the haunt this worked and is now perm awsome deal. the electric guy said he does this all the time people complain everyday the lights are too bright towards there houses and have to do something about it. win win situation except for the new neighbor who knows what he is going to complain about next. sound like a job for mischif night.


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## Nighttrain (Oct 7, 2007)

*Light post Sensor*

WOODY
If we unscrewed the sensor trust me our neighbor would call the cops within seconds. FYI I am the neighbor who preformed the light pole task. I am Jackazz 2 in the video. 

Last year the guy across the street put speakers in his windows and played techno music to drown out our props. I can only imagine what he will do this year. Our only benefit is XOEXPIREU and I have built a haunt between our two houses. Look for pics and the video when we finish it.


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## OMGDan (Sep 28, 2006)

xoexpireu said:


> we used a light weight string you thread it through the outer edges of the bag tie a loopt hrough one end of the string and pull the other end through the loop when you get the bag on the light you pull the string tugg enough but not too much and tie it off. The trash bag is a contractors trash bag from home depot the light does not get hot and melt at all. we have been doing this for a few years now with no problems. Although this year we have a new neighbor that has complained and had it removed this morning by the electric company. the electric company guy asked me if I had black spray paint and said he would spray the inside of the lense on the back and sides so the light only projects toward the street and not towards the haunt this worked and is now perm awsome deal. the electric guy said he does this all the time people complain everyday the lights are too bright towards there houses and have to do something about it. win win situation except for the new neighbor who knows what he is going to complain about next. sound like a job for mischif night.


That's pretty sweet that the guy did that for you, he could have been a complete ass and just rambled about how you can't do that etc etc.

It does look a whole lot better in darkness though. I have one of those tall streetlights literally right outside my house. Just like your case but even more directly in front. Have never thought about cutting the light source off but i am interested now i've seen the results.

I'm all for safety but i think the overboard approach that everyone takes today is one of the things slowly killing the fun of this holiday. When we were kids things were much less safety-aware and we all ended up fine.

Sounds like a cool setup too looking forward to the pics & vids.


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## Madame X (Oct 15, 2007)

Wow what a nice electric Guy to do that for you, you sure were Lucky!!


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## xoexpireu (Sep 26, 2005)

*yeah hes a pretty cool guy he called me todayand asked*

yeah hes a pretty cool guy he called me today and asked if it was dark enough for us I told him no he came back and sprayed it again I will take some pictures on Thursday when I get a chance and post them. Like I said in previous post he says he gets complaints all the time about the lights being too bright and shining in peoples windows so the company gives authorization to paint parts of the light to reflect to the street only. It did help that our houses are done up and look crazy he said he will bring the kids on H_Day. pretty cool.


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## wilbret (Oct 8, 2004)

I once lived on the second floor of a new apartment complex, and in their infinite wisdom they placed street lights close to the buildings. 

Which, um, happen to be the same height as the 2nd floor. People were blacking out their bedroom windows so they could sleep and finally enough complaints happened and they got light covers that cast only 180 degree light.


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