I'm an astronomy fan. Or as many would call me: a star-gazer. Lake Martin is (or would be) a great place to do just that. Many years ago we got to see Halley's Comet at the Lake.
Every year there are several meteor showers, and every now and then, one of them becomes what they call a meteor "storm." We had one of those a few years ago in November during the Leonid meteor shower. That would have been unbelievable to have watched at Lake Martin!
Anyway, my complaint is that so many Lake Martin-eers (?) Or Lake Martians? seem to enjoy lighting their docks up as brightly as possible. Not only is this really aggravating (our 'across the cove' neighbor has a dock light that is pointed directly into our eyes!) if you do like to look at the night sky, it is virtually impossible because of all of the street lights that too many people are putting on their docks! It's a shame, really.
We are located in Red Hill, it's very quiet there, except when someone disregards the idle speed bouys and everybody at the mouth of the cove starts screaming at them. And we have a pretty good section of the sky to see, if we could.
I'm just wondering if anybody else has the same "hang-up" that I have about how night is supposed to be dark.
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| Name: |
lakngulf
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/25/2009 3:34:27 PM
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"lighting their docks up as brightly as possible" I have heard pickup lines used before, and then there are turkeys strutting, and deer showing off their antlers, but never heard of this. Now exactly how would that be done?
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| Name: |
Summer Lover
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/25/2009 3:47:51 PM
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I hope that LEDs are used, as incandescent lights generate a lot of heat. Seems like you could end up with a damaged dock if you were not careful.
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| Name: |
gabby
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/25/2009 3:52:33 PM
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Talk about something being run in the ground!!!
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| Name: |
Samdog
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/25/2009 4:40:50 PM
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Everyone is joking about this but I agree with you. My neighbors all have those streetlight things on their docks. They never go out at night like I do and you can't see the night sky any better than being in Thug-gomery. I assume they were originally there for fishing but no one does any night fishing in my area. At least the green monster lights don't ruin the sky.
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| Name: |
DJ
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/25/2009 4:45:33 PM
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Air Rifle with a scope, want to borrow mine?
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| Name: |
Samdog
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/25/2009 4:55:16 PM
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yup, I thought of that. But before I moved from my last house I p*ssed off everybody around for some reason or another so I am trying to be a good neighbor this time.
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| Name: |
Summer Lover
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/25/2009 4:56:54 PM
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I use two lights - one is underwater, the other is a spotlight directed at our American flag. Neither one interferes with our viewing the night skies, and we are fortunate that our neighbors do not have bright lights. We lived in Tucson for a while - a very good place for astronomy, light pollution limits in most areas, and very low humidity. We would go to about a 9,000 ft elevation and the skies were spectacular.
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| Name: |
muddauber
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/25/2009 4:57:50 PM
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Along those lines. Can of black spray paint?
I understand where the op is coming from. I have a mercury light, but is over and close to the water (and yes I do night fish). But I decided I didn't need to pay the power bill etc when not about to fish, so I set it up to plug in/out. Have a neighbor who has a street light type on his dock, and it is very distracting. Fortunately, after a bit of talking, he turns it on only when needed.
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| Name: |
Summer Lover
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/25/2009 4:58:01 PM
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That would be an entirely different problem - perhaps a sprain?
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| Name: |
muddauber
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/25/2009 5:06:34 PM
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I have been to such places. The sky is just amazing. Like seeing it for the first time. Treasured moments.
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| Name: |
W Hall
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/25/2009 6:30:48 PM
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I couldn't agree with you more. We live on such a lovely slough (or "lagoon" as a real estate agent said is a more pleasant description), but 3 neighbors have dock lights which light up our property instead of theirs. When I put up lights, I bought starry night lights which do not light up the sky or my neighbors but only light up the area on our property which needs lighting. When I do not need them, I see that they are turned off so as not to waste electricity but mainly so we and our neighbors can see the night sky. Two of our neighbors forget to turn off their spotlights even when they are away from the lake for weeks. It makes no sense to me. Please everyone, be considerate to those that love to see the sky at night. Light polution is becoming a serious problem everywhere.
My next door neighbor has been very considerate to us since I explained my position and I appreciate it so much.
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| Name: |
realfast64
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/25/2009 6:38:50 PM
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I know exactly what you are talking about. It really peturbs me when they go home and leave all the outside lights on. As i say remember when.
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| Name: |
realfast64
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/25/2009 6:43:33 PM
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A can of black paint does the job nicely. You can spray the inside of the shield and outside also. It causes a nice low glow that blocks the light it will still draw fish and is barely visable from a distance and you can still see the stars.
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| Name: |
itisd
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| Subject: |
Hinson-I'M with you
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Date:
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8/25/2009 10:19:20 PM
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I experience the same problem.The lights around us are too many and too strong, so much so that when we sit on the pier we have to turn our backs to their lights as they are so strong it causes you to squinch. The light polution is a problem and I too have the same experiences you describe.
One house across the cove lights up their entire yard so much so that it looks like Hartsfield airport. They leave all the on all night long.There are two flood lights one on the end of the pier and one at the beginning of the pier at the shoreline and the covered dock has 4 can type lights. If the yards around here were big enough you could play a football game.
Their is nothing you can do about it, I just wish people would cut back and or go to lower power lights. Its absolutely blinding.
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| Name: |
Tarpon
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/26/2009 8:38:31 AM
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You folks have touched on one of my favorite subjects. Light pollution here at Lake Martin can really take away enjoyment of night skies and it doesn't need to happen since there are shields that could be installed on the pole mounted mercury vapor security lights that direct, as noted in another post, the light downward into the area requiring light, i.e. driveway, entrance, etc. We have a neighbor who turns on a mercury vapor floodlight, pole mounted at about 20', that shines directly at our house. Because of the reflection, we get a double dose of his light. They don't understand (I have spoken to him about the light problem with modest success) how intrusive the light becomes at our docks and even into our house.
It would be nice if LMAR and/or HOBO's take some action and try to get shields on lights to prevent intrusion into other owners property.
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| Name: |
Lady
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| Subject: |
Since we're complaining
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Date:
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8/26/2009 8:49:34 AM
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What about neighbors who put speakers on their decks and play their choice of music all day. Perhaps they never noticed how well sound carries over open water. That's a problem for those who like to enjoy a quiet day on a lake. An acquaintance observed that people come to the lake to see the stars and enjoy the quiet - then they put in spotlights and speakers.
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| Name: |
Pontoonfisher
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/26/2009 10:40:47 AM
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Ya'll have got to get creative with your neighbors. A BB gun works nicely to take out those pesky lights. A set of wire cutters will do the trick on those outdoor speakers.
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| Name: |
AuburnGuy
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/26/2009 12:58:50 PM
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I also find it deters our friends from skinny dipping when they come to visit. You can always cruise out onto the lake. There are a lot of very dark spots that are conducive for star watching and other benign activities.
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| Name: |
ecstasypoint
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| Subject: |
Since we're complaining
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Date:
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8/26/2009 3:01:29 PM
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And then there are the people who pull up in front of your house with the speakers on their boats blasting. They might also think in front of your house is a good place to let the kids scream. They too don't know or don't care how well their noise carries on the water. Everyone is doing their own thing, and so far, this forum has mostly taken the stance that if you don't like what someone else does, move. The inconsiderate are winning here. And that's too bad.
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| Name: |
realfast64
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| Subject: |
really bright docks
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Date:
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8/26/2009 7:52:59 PM
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Well the way i see it if there were only low light nobody could see who were and were not skinny dippin. This and other things arethe reason i hope my place sales quick. I Remember when!!
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| Name: |
roswellric
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| Subject: |
NO BB-guns, no spray paint etc
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Date:
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8/26/2009 9:53:27 PM
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That lowers you to their level. This discussion has come up before. There are some people that just don't care anything about their neighbors. These are the folks that always complain about rules and covenants but they are precisely the ones that make them necessary. A good neighbor would ask before putting up lights, view obstructions, noise makers, eyesores, loose dogs or anything else that might affect their neighbors or their property values. Granted, there are some that are just ignorant too. The best way to handle it is to confront the situation nicely. Then deal with it peaceably within the law.
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Well....if you're going to light it up, you better make sure it's grounded.
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| Name: |
Pontoonfisher
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| Subject: |
NO BB-guns, no spray paint etc
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Date:
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8/27/2009 7:23:46 AM
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I'm afraid of heights, therefore I prefer a lower level.
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| Name: |
roswellric
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| Subject: |
Naw
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Date:
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8/27/2009 8:37:23 AM
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You believe in the Golden Rule...
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| Name: |
Feb
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| Subject: |
NO BB-guns, no spray paint etc
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Date:
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8/27/2009 11:26:44 AM
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You are correct RR. I have seen some of the local prison population along the roads here in Alabama. They look like the type who would enjoy introducing anyone as a new prisoner to their docks.
There are not too many things that I can think of worth going to prison over especially shooting out lights or tampering with other folks property.
I so not have any outside lighting other than my submersible fish lights. There are a couple of neighbors across the slough who do have secruity lights, and I agree they are not pleasant.
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| Name: |
realfast64
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| Subject: |
NO BB-guns, no spray paint etc
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Date:
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8/27/2009 7:34:07 PM
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LET ME MAKE ONE THING PERFECTLY CLEAR I NEVER SAID GO TO SOMEONES HOUSE AND PAINT THEIR LIGHT!!! Just merely staing tha painting the globe would cut down on the amount of light put outby the vapor bulb. If you would like to see one in person you can come to my house. When one does this the neighbors never know when the light is on and they never belive it is a 175 watt vapor bulb till they take a look see.
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| Name: |
roswellric
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| Subject: |
NO BB-guns, no spray paint etc
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Date:
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8/27/2009 9:20:39 PM
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I looked at the posts and I agree. Who said you did? BTW what kind of '67 do you have?
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