Do you turn off your exterior lights? Neighbors giving us grief about ours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in a rural town of 400 in Wash. State. No one here keeps their porch lights on at night. No one. And there is little street lighting. We have zero crime -- documented at state records online -- in all categories. We have one half-time police officer. About a month ago, a home on my street was purchased by an outsider and lo and behold, porch lights were on. After reading this forum, I now get it. This new family was from So. California and lo and behold, I read here that people in So. Calif keep their lights on at night. Another lesson to be added to the "considering relocating here?" booklet.... sigh..

This is a forum for DC-area residents.

[Anonymous]

Our next door neighbors not only leave their front porch light on all night but the overhead light in every common area of the house. All night long, every single night. It's a new construction (actually they torn down their old house to put up the new one) so we are debating whether they do it because they are so proud of their new house that they 1) want everyone to see it, 2) are afraid of the dark, or 3) are just a pair of idiots. I'm going with number 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in a rural town of 400 in Wash. State. No one here keeps their porch lights on at night. No one. And there is little street lighting. We have zero crime -- documented at state records online -- in all categories. We have one half-time police officer. About a month ago, a home on my street was purchased by an outsider and lo and behold, porch lights were on. After reading this forum, I now get it. This new family was from So. California and lo and behold, I read here that people in So. Calif keep their lights on at night. Another lesson to be added to the "considering relocating here?" booklet.... sigh..

Cool story. Here in the other Washington we have people rifling through cars, stealing copper gutters and even stealing tires off cars. And I live in a wealthy suburb. Our HOA has asked people to leave front lights on as it is a deterrent to these kinds of petty crimes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Front lights are on. Others are on motion sensors. Neighbors keep their back light off at night usually. It is rude to have bright lights facing peoples houses if you are close by. Motion sensors are the way to go. However, they should use some kind of curtain or shade too.

I know this is an old thread, but I can't believe this is us now. I'm sure I chimed in before. Who knows what I said.

Our neighbors keep brightish floodlights on 2 on one side of the back, and 2 sets of 2 on the other side. Not motion, on all night. I do appreciate the extra visibility in our back yards, but wow it is bright in our bedroom. There is actually a square of light on the wall at night. I think that we will just get some heavier curtains though and not say anything

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Front lights are on. Others are on motion sensors. Neighbors keep their back light off at night usually. It is rude to have bright lights facing peoples houses if you are close by. Motion sensors are the way to go. However, they should use some kind of curtain or shade too.

I know this is an old thread, but I can't believe this is us now. I'm sure I chimed in before. Who knows what I said.

Our neighbors keep brightish floodlights on 2 on one side of the back, and 2 sets of 2 on the other side. Not motion, on all night. I do appreciate the extra visibility in our back yards, but wow it is bright in our bedroom. There is actually a square of light on the wall at night. I think that we will just get some heavier curtains though and not say anything

This is old thread but worth talking about now that the sun is setting earlier and crime picks up more towards the holidays. I live in the city and keep front porch light on at night. Backyard has motion detection light but alley cats coming and going keep it going on and off all night. I have lived on blocks where people didn't keep porchlights on and they were perplexed why so much crime was going on. When they all started keeping porch lights on it 1) pissed off the criminals and drug dealers 2)crime went down.

Moral of the story....If your in the city turn on your porch light, if neighbors light is bothering you...get heavier curtains cause the other solutions is darkness and giving criminals a place to hide.

[Anonymous]

There is an amazing amount of wrong information in the comments listed below. Lights left on all night attract burglars, if not to your property then to others'. Lights left on all night destroy the natural nighttime environment. Lights left on all night create light pollution and light trespass onto other peoples property and prevent people from sleeping and enjoying their property at night. And folks, if you're going to be ignorant enough to listen to the police, who of course tell everyone to keep lights on all night, then read the Department of Justice report (which is required reading for the police) that say leaving lights on all night do nothing to deter crime. ...but it does make things easier for them by providing the light necessary to gain access to your home, and/or your neighbors home. Lights on in the inside of your home, on timers, and lights on the outside of your house on motion detectors is the only legitimate way to light your property at night. Give your neighbors a break, pollute your own property with light if you are so insecure and trusting of everything you are told by the police....but do some research and learn about light pollution and light trespass and what works and what doesn't work with regard to outdoor lighting. I suggest you all visit International Dark Sky organization and read their articles on Residential Outdoor lighting.

[Anonymous]

Anyone who complains about "light pollution" is a wanker and should be ignored.

[Anonymous]

If the neighbors have had multiple car break-ins, isn't it better to keep the exterior lit at night?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is an amazing amount of wrong information in the comments listed below. Lights left on all night attract burglars, if not to your property then to others'. Lights left on all night destroy the natural nighttime environment. Lights left on all night create light pollution and light trespass onto other peoples property and prevent people from sleeping and enjoying their property at night. And folks, if you're going to be ignorant enough to listen to the police, who of course tell everyone to keep lights on all night, then read the Department of Justice report (which is required reading for the police) that say leaving lights on all night do nothing to deter crime. ...but it does make things easier for them by providing the light necessary to gain access to your home, and/or your neighbors home. Lights on in the inside of your home, on timers, and lights on the outside of your house on motion detectors is the only legitimate way to light your property at night. Give your neighbors a break, pollute your own property with light if you are so insecure and trusting of everything you are told by the police....but do some research and learn about light pollution and light trespass and what works and what doesn't work with regard to outdoor lighting. I suggest you all visit International Dark Sky organization and read their articles on Residential Outdoor lighting.

Excellent posting. Love the motion sensor lights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who complains about "light pollution" is a wanker and should be ignored.

+1,000

Actually, +2,000 for using the word wanker

[Anonymous]

I really wish my across-the-street neighbors would turn off their (REALLY BRIGHT) christmas lights before they go to bed or put them on a timer to go off at 11. I don't really see the point of leaving them on all night, and i really don't want to have to buy blackout shades for one month of the year. (I like leaving the blinds open on that one window to get light in the morning to help me wake up.) I like my neighbors a lot, but the worst they could say is no, right? It's just an awkward question to ask and makes me feel a little scrooge-y for asking.

[Anonymous]

Our next door neighbors do this and it drives us crazy. We live in one of the safest neighborhoods in Bethesda. Nothing ever happens. Show some respect for the people around you.

[Anonymous]

We leave our front and back lights on all night. I'm not sure about back lights but it seems most every keeps their front porch light on. We used to have motion sensor lights but they seem to malfunction sometimes so I don't 00% trust them.

[Anonymous]

I'm a first time home buyer, let alone first time being out on my own. My neighbor came up to me and asked if I could reposition my flood light cause it was blinding them on their porch. Ok, too keep the piece I had adjusted it, and asked if that was helpful. He said many thanks.

Few months roll by and he approaches me again, this time complaining the light is lighting up his patio and yard. It won't end, this time it appears he just won't be satisfied. So I nailed a board to the tree next to the light in a way to block it from him. Again I received many thanks. He went on to complain that mist people attach the lights to the house and not on the back if the garage. It was the easiest and must concur by place to have it.

Well, now the tree needs to be cut down, recent snow cut 1/2 of it down and is hanging. There goes the shield come the removal of the tree. Is there any law that can protect me from how I have my security light.

10 min motion sensor light, used for the wife to monitor the dogs while I'm away from home.

[Anonymous]

Leave the light on.

Tell him to lump it.