Antipathy Toward Streetlights and Cell Towers (complex, parent, emotion, people)

[Solere]

Why do some people have a visceral, emotional reaction when a planned community or condominium complex proposes installing a streetlight on a dark street or a renting a portion of the common to a cell phone company for the installation of a cell tower?

Even when logical, intelligent arguments are preferred regarding streetlights and how they will not shine into anyone's house or with a cell tower, the possibility of being exposed to RF levels in excess of FCC Guidelines is extremely low, some people still aren't convinced, and they react as if a nuclear power plant is being placed next to their home.

[lookashiny]

Some people are just resistant to any kind of change.

[1200RT]

Originally Posted by Happs

or with a cell tower, the possibility of being exposed to RF levels in excess of FCC Guidelines is extremely low, some people still aren't convinced, and they react as if a nuclear power plant is being placed next to their home.

Some people also believe contrails from airplanes are chemicals to control the weather, and some people also believe the earth is flat.

[davebarnes]

Why are you against having a nuke plant next door?

[james112]

I would think a street light and cell tower are two very different things to have complaints about.

[bus man]

I can understand the argument against cell towers, because they are very tall and visually obtrusive, and thus are not necessarily pleasant to look at. Streetlights, on the other hand, are generally unobtrusive and provide a very useful service. (So do cell towers, but the "job" that streetlights do is immediately obvious, whereas the linkage between a cell tower and the fact that your phone receives a signal is not readily apparent.)

Personally, I like streetlights, and I think there should be more of them. I even asked our homeowner's association if they could install one at the end of my street, where it can get pretty dark. Sadly, it's not happened. Heck, I'd have been willing to have them install it next to my driveway.

[bus man]

Originally Posted by Happs

Even when logical, intelligent arguments are preferred regarding streetlights and how they will not shine into anyone's house

Don't be so sure about that. There was a Married With Children episode in which a new streetlight shone directly into Al's eyes as he lay in bed. He spends the episode trying to get the city to move it. At the end, Peggy's mother comes to visit and she claim's Al's spot in bed, forcing him to sleep on the couch. But at least the streetlight issue gets worked out.

[dailymotion]x5heb5w[/dailymotion]

(Forward to 25:45 to see how the issue got resolved.)



Edit: looks like the link doesn't work. Just Google Married With Children For Whom The Bell Tolls and it'll come up.

[2Loud]

Being a person that is an amateur backyard astronomer, it was terrific when our street lights didn't work for a few months as they changed to LED. I'm fine if they never worked.

[Sassybluesy]

Originally Posted by 2Loud

Being a person that is an amateur backyard astronomer, it was terrific when our street lights didn't work for a few months as they changed to LED. I'm fine if they never worked.

I was thinking about this aspect as well.


Our house is located in a typical subdivision, close to a mall, close to the commercial business drag, and close to a very busy highway. In other words...we see very few stars at night. In OUR subdivision, one more street light wouldn't matter, but IF one had a nice view of the Milky Way, or thousands upon thousands of stars...I think it'd be kind of sad to have a street light go in.

[Solere]

I understand how an astronomy enthusiast would dislike a streetlight. I find it unusual that one's enthusiasm for a hobby could promote such a visceral, emotional reaction to an inanimate object. There-in likes the psychology part of my original question. What promotes this reaction before and even years after a streetlight or cell tower get installed?