Are your streetlights on?

[Northants Fox 3]

We had a similar situation not so long ago. Our power cupboard used to be unlocked so we used to reset things ourselves. They put a new lock on it when they put the security doors in so the lights were all out even with the power back on. Nasty walking down the stairs, luckily I had my blue fag lighter torch. Worst part of it was the power to the tv aerials had to be reset and we couldn't get to it so no freeview or freesat. They didn't come out till the next night to reset everything

Stupid thing is power went off at 4:30pm on that day didn't come back on till 10:30pm (6hours) i was sat here with no power for 2 hours before i went over to my families, i'm lucky as i get a lift home i was here 10 minutes when the power came back on, so i was in the dark for that period (had no candles or torch Got them now though. my neighbors upstairs make it a bit more dangerous as they leave their babies pushchairs at the bottom of the stairs.

I read in our local paper last week that in the North of the Town some streetlights have been replaced with low energy white lights, residents then complained about them saying they want them turned off again as they are too bright

[The Year Of The Fox]

Are they actually off or just on sensors? The ones in a village nearby come on when someone walks under them I think.

Typical shitty councils really. Why not cut costs by getting rid of pen pushers, think tanks, and the lesbian outreach workers? (the ones who don't actually do anything or have an impact on society, rather than putting others at risk?)

[Captain...]

Too suspicious? erm...Cant see them

Too dark? See my previous post

Burglary is not a violent crime the issue is a violent/street crime/public safety one not burglary which can be prevented with security measures.

Don't know why burglary suddenly came in to it

I was thinking of burgalries because someone else mentioned it and my parents were recently victims.

My point was that most don't happen in the middle of the night, they normally happen at dusk, noise and movement at stupid o'clock in the morning attracts more attention, and walking around with a torch flashing it at houses (in the case of street lights switched off) will raise a lot more suspicion.

If it is too dark you are more likely to walk into something, knock something over, make some noise by mistake unless you have a very high powered torch, which will raise more suspicion.

As for violent crimes, they are doing it in the middle of the night when most normal people are in bed, I also presume they are not doing it in town centres.

Of course dimming the lights would help, as would switching off alternate lights, or installing sensors, but switching them off completely would be more effective, it is hard to comment as I have not been out walking when the street lights are off, so I don't know how dark it is and how much light there is around, if it is pitch black then there is no way I would be walking round at those times, but if there is still visibility then it doesn't really make much difference.

[Leicester_Numan]

I was thinking of burgalries because someone else mentioned it and my parents were recently victims.

My point was that most don't happen in the middle of the night, they normally happen at dusk, noise and movement at stupid o'clock in the morning attracts more attention, and walking around with a torch flashing it at houses (in the case of street lights switched off) will raise a lot more suspicion.

If it is too dark you are more likely to walk into something, knock something over, make some noise by mistake unless you have a very high powered torch, which will raise more suspicion.

As for violent crimes, they are doing it in the middle of the night when most normal people are in bed, I also presume they are not doing it in town centres.

Of course dimming the lights would help, as would switching off alternate lights, or installing sensors, but switching them off completely would be more effective, it is hard to comment as I have not been out walking when the street lights are off, so I don't know how dark it is and how much light there is around, if it is pitch black then there is no way I would be walking round at those times, but if there is still visibility then it doesn't really make much difference.

We found out how dark it is when we recently had a power cut. Very. If you're having to walk home you'd have to pray for a clear night and a full moon. It's dangerous and not just from a crime point of view. Not so bad if you're walking down house lined streets unless inconsiderate people have parked their cars on the pavement, but what about roads with ditches at the sides that you can no longer see. There's any number of road and pavement hazards. Simply turning off all the lights is not the answer and once the councils start paying out compensation claims the lights will be back on. I really don't think they've thought things through again. They've just chosen an extreme measure as people never walk the streets at night, do they?

[Captain...]

We found out how dark it is when we recently had a power cut. Very. If you're having to walk home you'd have to pray for a clear night and a full moon. It's dangerous and not just from a crime point of view. Not so bad if you're walking down house lined streets unless inconsiderate people have parked their cars on the pavement, but what about roads with ditches at the sides that you can no longer see. There's any number of road and pavement hazards. Simply turning off all the lights is not the answer and once the councils start paying out compensation claims the lights will be back on. I really don't think they've thought things through again. They've just chosen an extreme measure as people never walk the streets at night, do they?

But we are not talking about a power cut type black out, there is more light in the street than just street lights, to be able to judge I would need to go out in that light. Of course having it pitch black would be dangerous to people walking in the street, but if it is at a time when nobody is walking in the streets then it wouldn't be an issue.

[Big Dave]

Typical shitty councils really. Why not cut costs by getting rid of pen pushers, think tanks, and the lesbian outreach workers? (the ones who don't actually do anything or have an impact on society, rather than putting others at risk?)

Because in reality most councils do not have roles like this. Most are under-staffed!

[Leicester_Numan]

But we are not talking about a power cut type black out, there is more light in the street than just street lights, to be able to judge I would need to go out in that light. Of course having it pitch black would be dangerous to people walking in the street, but if it is at a time when nobody is walking in the streets then it wouldn't be an issue.

There is never a time when nobody is walking the streets. There's always someone out and about. Going to and from work, walking the dog, walking because they can't sleep, walking home from a very late night at the pub or party. The streets are never totally free of people. Sensors may be a sensible idea but expensive so that's a non starter really. The only real common sense alternative is dimming

[Big Dave]

To be able to dim street lights though, you need to fit dimmer technology to each and every streetlight. I believe is is much easier and cheaper to simply turn them off.

Have a look at the County Council web-site for a bit more info:

http://www.leics.gov.uk/index/highways/road_pathway_maintenance/street_lighting/lighting_faqs.htm#dimlightsinstead

[Daggers]

Go back to gas lights.

[Leicester_Numan]

To be able to dim street lights though, you need to fit dimmer technology to each and every streetlight. I believe is is much easier and cheaper to simply turn them off.

Not necessarily, the lights would be on their own power circuit so one dimmer on each circuit should do the trick. If you ever had to walk up the old Gorse Hill before they built the ring road to Anstey, you'd know why you should never turn off street lights. I had 3 lights on my bike specifically for that road and it was still pitch black and really dangerous. You're proposing to make every road in the country like that. No thanks

[Captain...]

Not necessarily, the lights would be on their own power circuit so one dimmer on each circuit should do the trick. If you ever had to walk up the old Gorse Hill before they built the ring road to Anstey, you'd know why you should never turn off street lights. I had 3 lights on my bike specifically for that road and it was still pitch black and really dangerous. You're proposing to make every road in the country like that. No thanks

Is this not part of the whole problem, we are now so reliant on things which we should see as a luxury and not a neccessity to live, there are plenty of remote areas with very little or no street lighting, they survive without killing themselves, probably as you did, by being prepared. People accuse us of being run by a nanny state, but is it any wonder when we act like such babies.

Your point about crime is valid and I would not support this if it was proven to increase crime and dangerous attacks, but when we are at a point in our evolution where we are unable to walk down a street unless it is light up like it was day time, then we are in a sorry state.

[Big Dave]

Not necessarily, the lights would be on their own power circuit so one dimmer on each circuit should do the trick. If you ever had to walk up the old Gorse Hill before they built the ring road to Anstey, you'd know why you should never turn off street lights. I had 3 lights on my bike specifically for that road and it was still pitch black and really dangerous. You're proposing to make every road in the country like that. No thanks

I think the dimmers are generally fitted to the lights, and not the main circuits.

The streetlights will generally be switched off from 1am until 5:30am. Hardly anyone will be on the streets at this time anyway. Can't really see what the issue is.

[Big Dave]

Is this not part of the whole problem, we are now so reliant on things which we should see as a luxury and not a neccessity to live, there are plenty of remote areas with very little or no street lighting, they survive without killing themselves, probably as you did, by being prepared. People accuse us of being run by a nanny state, but is it any wonder when we act like such babies.

Your point about crime is valid and I would not support this if it was proven to increase crime and dangerous attacks, but when we are at a point in our evolution where we are unable to walk down a street unless it is light up like it was day time, then we are in a sorry state.

I have family who live in a small village in deepest, darkest Kent. They have no street lighting at all. If they walk the dog at night, they take a torch with them. No issues!

Evidence suggests that switching off the selected street lights has no impact on crime or accidents. No issues!

[Leicester_Numan]

I have family who live in a small village in deepest, darkest Kent. They have no street lighting at all. If they walk the dog at night, they take a torch with them. No issues!

Evidence suggests that switching off the selected street lights has no impact on crime or accidents. No issues!

Street Lights are not a luxury, they were put there for a good reason and that hasn't changed because the council have told you they need to cut back. I am not proposing that streets are lit up like daytime, that's just unnecessary. I'm proposing the perfectly sensible compromise that we have in our area

[AoWW]

Is this not part of the whole problem, we are now so reliant on things which we should see as a luxury and not a neccessity to live, there are plenty of remote areas with very little or no street lighting, they survive without killing themselves, probably as you did, by being prepared. People accuse us of being run by a nanny state, but is it any wonder when we act like such babies.

[Leicester_Numan]

Typical polarised views of typical Leicester fans really. It's always one or the other, never anything in between, never a compromise, never common sense. It's good or bad, keep him or sack him, get behind the team or boo them, on or off in this case. If you want to wander around in the dark like a third world country, feel free. And feel free to apply for a job on the council, your views will fit in nicely with some of theirs. Why don't you all save money by stopping paying for your police as well, some of you think you've solved the issue of crime by turning the lights off so you don't need them anymore. How about stopping paying for street repairs as well, apparently no one walks the streets at night so they don't need to be in a good state of repair. Turn the traffic lights off at night as well. Any other ridiculous suggestions for putting saving money before safety? You'd all be quick enough to complain if your boss compromised your safety at work to save money wouldn't you?

[Leicester_Numan]

Street lights a luxury? Unbelievable! Why don't you turn off your tv, that's a luxury and you don't need it. Turn off all the lights in your home, apparently they're a luxury and you don't need those. Don't use your heating, your washing machine, your pc, your dvd, blue ray player and so on, they're all luxuries. In fact, turn everything off and go back to living in caves. We'll save Billions, aren't we clever? Erm...........No!

[Leicester_Numan]

This is all totally irrelevant really because the more we cut power usage to save money, there more the power companies will put their prices up to cover the drop in profits. We'll never save a penny. Might as well just keep the lights on and be done with it

[Jaspa]

Its abit third world I guess

Does make you think we are being rammed up the a**e everyday for everything

If your gonna get so worked up about it tho, why don't you do something about it, instead of the millionth FoxesTalk armchair revolutionary

Why haven't we covered the Sahara, Mojave and Indian deserts, The Poles and even The Sea in military grade solar panels, and supplied the whole world with free power forever ?

Even if the whole world paid to do it, and then it was free forever ??

[Leicester_Numan]

Probably because no one listens to common sense and I always end up feeling like i'm banging my head against a brick wall and I adopt the attitude well fvck the lot of you, get on with you're stupidity, don't say you weren't warned. Like your solar panel idea though, they should stick all the windmills out there as well so the nimbys can't moan about them

[Rincewind]

My room light is on. I was up at 5am. Should open my curtains I suppose. Can't see any street light on. Not looked out my window yet.

I'm sure there are many ways to save energy but when I turn all my gadgets/lights/TV/PC on it is helping some one to remain in a job who is then able to provide for a family and keep them fed and clothes.

I feel good about my contribution in this respect and doing my bit to help others.

[Leicester_Numan]

Speaking of power cuts earlier, our power has just gone off. Not so bad this time of day but all the burglar alarms are doing my head in. Everything's going to need resetting again when the power is back on. Luckily, i've got free virgin tv with my phone line so I can do without my freeview and freesat aerials for a while

[Leicester_Numan]

Power is back on now. It didn't trip all the switches this time so the aerials are still on. It's like being back under Labour in the 70s when power cuts were a regular occurrence and people were talking about lights being luxuries.

[danny.]

Are nightguard and Leicester_Numan the same person?

[Captain...]

Typical polarised views of typical Leicester fans really. It's always one or the other, never anything in between, never a compromise, never common sense. It's good or bad, keep him or sack him, get behind the team or boo them, on or off in this case. If you want to wander around in the dark like a third world country, feel free. And feel free to apply for a job on the council, your views will fit in nicely with some of theirs. Why don't you all save money by stopping paying for your police as well, some of you think you've solved the issue of crime by turning the lights off so you don't need them anymore. How about stopping paying for street repairs as well, apparently no one walks the streets at night so they don't need to be in a good state of repair. Turn the traffic lights off at night as well. Any other ridiculous suggestions for putting saving money before safety? You'd all be quick enough to complain if your boss compromised your safety at work to save money wouldn't you?

First of all, polarised, non compromising, says the man sticking to his guns an ignoring everybody else's points.

Secondly: We are not saying crime is solved by turning the lights off, but studies have shown that crime doesn't go up, and during the hours that they have proposed to switch off lights there is very little crime.

Thirdly: Yes please, please turn off traffic lights at night, with in reason, but the majority of traffic lights are not needed at night as the volume of cars is very low, they just waste electricity and time, there was a thread on this recently.

Street lights a luxury? Unbelievable! Why don't you turn off your tv, that's a luxury and you don't need it. Turn off all the lights in your home, apparently they're a luxury and you don't need those. Don't use your heating, your washing machine, your pc, your dvd, blue ray player and so on, they're all luxuries. In fact, turn everything off and go back to living in caves. We'll save Billions, aren't we clever? Erm...........No!

Yes street lights, and all those other things you mention are a luxury, except heating, because you won't die if you didn't have them. I would actually quite like to go back to a more basic existence, where food is gathered from the land, rather than processed and shipped in from half way around the world, packaged up to the point where there is more plastic than food, crammed full of preservatives, fat and salt and are about as fresh as a tramps sock.

We do not need street lights to survive, yes they increase safety, but if there is nobody on the street then whose safety are you increasing? As I have already said plenty of people live a normal full life without any street lights, not just during the sleeping hours, I really don't see why you are getting so worked up about, if you don't like it, then don't wander around the street at 4am.