Edit: the duality between “lol get curtains” and helpful things is great. But! I can’t put up curtains on the windows the light floods in - it’s the front door and the sort of side window beside the front door. Since I rent, I’m not going to put holes in the door, nor do I think it would look decent enough not to bother me. But also for those concerned about safety of sidewalks, I don’t have a sidewalk on my side, I’d only be blocking light on the front yard and hopefully into the house. But thanks y’all, this has been helpful:))
Basically I’m looking for maybe a semi unethical tip so I can cover the half of the street lamp that shines the light of freaking Helios’ arsehole in my windows every night.
I don’t want to permanently ruin it because I only rent this house and I don’t wanna get in trouble. But it’s way too bright and so very annoying.
So my thoughts are maybe duct tape, or maybe some sort of latex paint I can later peel off? I’m just not sure either will stand up against the elements.
Insofar as the lamp itself is concerned, it’s not one of those with a bent neck. It’s like a lantern on a 9 foot pole. So it should be easy(?) to cover half the glass, I should think.
Have you looked into curtains?
Witchcraft!
no dumaas u cant look into curtains CURTAINS BLOCK THE VIEW it is teh pont of them
;-)
Any rotating shift worker will tell you. Black out curtains. They’re a god send.
Why are those poor shift workers rotating? They’re gonna get seasick!
Get blackout curtains. Wear a sleep mask.
This is honestly the best way of dealing with it. Any modifications to the light or likely going to invite repairs and attention from the city.
Sleep mask for sure. And not a cheap ass flemsy satin-like ones you get with the dom/sub pack at your nearest adult store!
I recommend the Manta Sleep ones. Used the smaller one for 4 years before the Velcro finally gave in. Immediately bought the regular ones and kept using the eye cups from my old ones. It was a godsend working third shift.
Haven’t tried the heated or cooled cups so ymmv.
Have you considered talking with your council about it? It is their utility after all.
Maybe get some light readings and look into what your town says about acceptable light levels.
Just some light reading material.
Yeah this. See if there’s others in your area also concerned about public lighting and advocate together. Too many cities are putting in new LED lights that are way too bright and it’s accelerating light pollution levels. Being able to see stars in the night sky should be something every one can do to connect our humanity.
The duality of lemmy:
“I am SHOCKED someone would ILLEGALLY MODIFY something that ISN’T THEIRS!”
Vs
“lol firebomb time”
Legit, if you’d rather put in work to modify a street light and risk the consequences instead of putting up curtains, use old cardboard boxes cut in such a way that it drapes a long side over your house’s direction, but not long enough to impede light on sidewalks.
Less work, less cost, less chance of being arrested.
I do understand not wanting to have to use blackout curtains, as I like looking outside.
Personally I use a 100w led spotlight I made, and point it at the street light for a minute or so if I want it off. Works for a few minutes, at least.
firebomb?
naw. that’s a bit much. a .22 lr and some target practice will do the trick.
(but seriously, maybe just invest in some decent black out curtains.)
Tin foil, trash bag, bucket cut into the shape of a hat?
Or just buy some curtains. Or tape up some tin foil. Or wear a sleep mask.
Edit: the duality between “lol get curtains” and helpful things is great. But! I can’t put up curtains on the windows the light floods in - it’s the front door and the sort of side window beside the front door.
I also didn’t want to put holes in the wall, so I got command strips (those little stick-on / pull-off hooks) and used them to hang my curtains. If the way it looks bothers you, you could hang a piece of decorative cloth in front or back of the curtain.
Have you heard of blackout curtains?
Talk to your local council, or whoever looks after lighting in your area, they should be able to put a shade on it tgst blocks light from hitting your window. It might take sime effort to persuade them, but it’ll be the best solution.
Failing that, or in addition, as others have mentioned, blackout curtains do wonders.
I wish they made curtains that blocked light. Some sort of “black-out” functionality. Oh well, you should probably continue illegally modifying city lighting…
Maybe consider curtains before vandalism.
“It’s curtains for the city council, see?”
;-)
How long have you lived there?
I grew up in the sticks where the only light pollution was either the moon or the stars.
I moved to a city for uni when I was 19, had a street light outside my window blasting it’s sodium orange glow into my room.
It took about two weeks before I was used to it and didn’t even realise it was there
The local government or utility may be able to help. Several lights in my area have shutter shades on them that help control sideways/upwards light and keep the beam focused on the ground. It’s called “light intrusion” when someone else shine slight into your property
Get scissor cut black plastic sheet, something that’s ridgid, and silicone fishtank adhesive.
Cut the plastic to match the shape of the glass sections that face your window. Clean the glass with alcohol, then apply a thin layer of silicone to the plastic piece and press it to the glass. Use a finger to wipe any excess and ooze into a tight seam.
So long as it doesn’t hit sweltering hot, freezing cold, or rainy for the next 24hrs it takes to cure, that plastic isn’t comming off without a putty knife and effort (it will come off fine without harming it, but not on its own)
If you want to increase the chance that no one will do anything about it, do the same to every lamp on your block. Nothing hides vandalism like uniformity.
It’s time to improve your paintball skills.
