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I saw on NextDoor today a pretty passionate discussion about Raleigh's conversion of city streetlights to new LED lights. From what I've heard most people aren't a fan. They haven't showed up on my street just yet (but probably this week) but people have said that they are just too bright. Anybody have them in their neighborhood and have any thoughts?
When the one's on our street were first installed I was shocked at how bright they were and wasn't sure how I felt about them. I don't even notice it anymore and am actually kind of happy that they are brighter especially since I have one right outside my home. I kind of see it as a theft deterrent.
Same here. Our neighborhood has a lot of older, large trees, so tended to be darker. I love the new lights, and definitely believe more light is better when it comes to deterring criminal activity.
I just realized what a fascinating subject this is.
This particular change (not only in Raleigh but everwhere), and the emotions that accompany it, will be captured on this forum and elsewhere as long as the data of the forum is kept available (who knows -- websites come and go, companies thrive or fold).
When they did the conversion in my neighborhood, it knocked my mood down a notch. The new lights are brighter, but cold looking, devoid of emotion and character, and removed a certain quality from my street that made me move here in the first place (it reminded me a little of the street I grew up on). The previous incandescent lights had a warm glow to them that was somehow welcoming, solemn, intimate and a bit romantic like the natural light from a candle. It begged you to walk on the streets at night. It was particularly beautiful in the rare snowfall, watching the flurries against it.
Then came the LEDs. Cold, efficient, low maintenance, cost-effective. A small slice of Americana, tossed aside and replaced by a cheap off-shored imitator. An imitator that provided the light at a lower cost, but lost everything else amazing about its predecessor. Then after all of about three days, I realized I had stopped noticing the difference. Kind of like I have with every other societal change, I just adapted and stopped caring about things lost. Just too busy to care. I think that is basically what's happening everywhere. Too many people, too busy to care about the little things. Me, I'm single now. My current girlfriend is 34 years younger than me, only 4 years out of high school. We met, efficiently, on the Internet. She left her husband after 8 months of marriage, lack of romance she said. Her age-appropriate husband was addicted to porn, neglected her. People her age grew up with porn and social media telling them this is how things are. If you have a baby from a hookup on Tinder or some meetup mobile app, it doesn't mean you want to be with that person it just happened. I wish I could say I've adapted to life now in the sense that I'm happy, but it's just like the LED street lights. I stopped noticing the difference with how things were. I remember, they were better before. Now they are newer, more streamlined. More efficient. But not better than before.
Some of us are old enough to remember life before sodium lights took over. Yes, cities and highways didn't always look this way. Maybe the intensity and color levels for LEDs still need some tweaks, but I'll be happy to see the yellow gone.
Some of us are old enough to remember life before sodium lights took over. Yes, cities and highways didn't always look this way. Maybe the intensity and color levels for LEDs still need some tweaks, but I'll be happy to see the yellow gone.
Exactly. I just find it baffling the people who lament the character of the old sodium lights being gone. What, the character of not being able discern colors correctly or actually see much? I don't like the higher color temp LED lights inside the house, but outside its perfect as the sun is 6500 degrees K. It is so much easier to actually see things. Plus LED lights are typically made so even less of the light is wasted in the sky and it all goes down to the street, they are way more efficient and last much longer between changes.
A small slice of Americana, tossed aside and replaced by a cheap off-shored imitator.
Slow down there Shakespeare, The LED lighting industry is led by local company, Cree.
I think they are a big improvement. They are more directional (less light pollution), efficient (less pollution), and the cooler light is more appropriate for outside (you know, like the sun).
I amazes me how street lighting gets people so worked up. I'm pretty sure this isn't really about street lighting.
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