(what is with those streetlights tho)

  • atocci@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Defective LEDs with massively reduced service lives made it out of the factory and into streetlights around the world. If you ever see a purple street light, a failing LED module is the cause.

    • ares35@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      none like that around here. they’re all blindingly bright af along the main streets and downtown–probably 4-5x as many lamps in each fixture as actually needed, and going up and down hills they shine right in your eyes because they don’t have adequate shades keeping the light ‘down’.

      residential areas still have the much easier-on-the-eyes sodium vapor lights, though–for now.

      • new_guy@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I know a guy that very was vocal against street lights in the 90’s.

        He was/is an amateur astronomer that modified his rooftop to be an actual telescope and the street lamps were angled in a certain way that like 40% of the light produced by them was shinning to the sky, making his observations harder to perform.

        He went to my school to warn about light pollution and also teach us about planets and all that good stuff.

        I think he became frustrated and quitted because last time I saw anything about him he was all about rescuing dogs from the street. :/

      • SARGEx117@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I live near a parking lot for semi trucks to chill after manufacture, before leaving the factory properly. They used to have obnoxious sodium vapor lights that bathed the general area in a dull orange glow at night, maybe a bit brighter than full moonlight.

        Then they massively expanded the lot (and bulldozed 5 acres of forest, and at least 100 more of what used to be pollinator habitats, and put in led lighting.

        As they stripped it all down and put down flat black asphalt they were all over the news about how environmental they are for using LEDs.

        The LEDs have even worse than normal light spill because the lamps are all 45 degree canted, thus flooding the sky as well. Each lamp that used to hold one small boxed sodium lamp now has FIVE PAIRS of 2ftx3ft panels spaced every 20 or so semi spots.

        In spring and fall when clouds/fog sit right above the hills, you can see it clear as a beacon from almost 10 miles away. Farther if you’re on your own hill.

        And in winter, the trees around me are bare enough that I needed to buy blackout curtains.

        Every so often I fantasize about ripping them all down with a truck during their holiday shutdowns, and leaving an extremely condescending printout of proper lighting techniques taped to each pole.

      • Zoidberg@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Where I live all street lights used to be low pressure sodium (very monochromatic yellow!) Due to a nearby observatory. Now to hell with everything! It’s LED lights everywhere. They’re strong and not diffused so all the light comes from a small area meaning instant after image… (Sigh)

        Even worse, people now put LED lights on their outdoor house fixtures and all kinds of office buildings pointing UP. Goodbye night sky…

      • uis@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        residential areas still have the much easier-on-the-eyes sodium vapor lights, though–for now.

        Monochromatic isn’t easier on eyes.

        • atocci@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          I could definitely be under the wrong impression here, but aren’t LEDs monochromatic also?

          • paholg@lemm.ee
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            1 year ago

            I think they’re generally dichromatic (is that the word?). White LEDs are blue LEDs + a yellow florescent coating.

    • Infynis@midwest.social
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      1 year ago

      We’ve still got a few of those around here. Most have been reported and replaced. But for a time, we had a whole stretch of freeway that was lit up purple. It as sweet

      • Toribor@corndog.social
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        1 year ago

        Same thing in my area, at one point a whole half mile of streetlights near my house was purple. It was cyberpunk as hell and I loved it.

        • instamat@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Me too. I didn’t mind it and assumed it was intentional. A bit out of the ordinary, but different can be good.

      • atocci@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Is the coating not considered part of the module? Maybe module was the wrong word.

        • schmidtster@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I’ve never heard the term used like that before. It’s leds and a driver for them, the only thing I would call a module would be the driver, but modules usually go into large complex machines. Not 2 part devices. The driver would have different modules on it potentially.

            • schmidtster@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              Yeah it was just a weird term, it’s not inherently wrong… if the lights were multicolored a failed module could make it be different colours, but these are one color and one color temperature. So there’s no way for it to put out different colours.

      • FreeAZ@sopuli.xyz
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        1 year ago

        I saw them at Starland the night they played all of “Everything Went Numb” and “Somewhere in the Between”. Incredible show, almost broke my leg when a crowd toppled over.

        Really sad I missed the Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution show a few years ago.

      • Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        I’ve seen them probably fifteen times over the years. Best live show I’ve ever been to. Hopefully they get the new album out soon and go on tour again

  • peopleproblems@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    You know what’s funny? My son was evaluated for is as there was some concern because of a lot of ASD in my family.

    I told them “ok, but he’s really just pretty similar to me”. I haven’t been diagnosed. I do have extremely bad general anxiety.

    And his evaluation showed no risk, but some possible connection if anxiety couldn’t be ruled out. Turns out, anxiety couldn’t be ruled out.

    Yep. I’m so anxious it looks like ASD apparently.

      • peopleproblems@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Except that’s like the opposite of what I said.

        I was evaluated and never diagnosed with ASD, but I had GAD and ADHD. I predicted, correctly, my son would be the same.

  • PopcornPrincess@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I had no idea streetlights would create such controversy. Look at these passionate responses. Lemmy used to be peaceful. Way to go OP!