This dang light outside!!

[Aggie_Ama]

My husband and I chose our lot because it backs up to a live in center for kids. We don't have back neighbors per se and it was lovely for two years. Last week the center put up BIG flood lights in front of each little house. One conveniently shines towards our house and I this thing is way brighter than a street light, it is like daylight back there. What should we do? Black out curtains? Letter to the center? Buy more light blocking blinds? Get eye covers? I am a heavy sleeper but for the last week it has been hard to go to sleep. I was used to a very dark room, I cannot blame them for wanting security at the center but I want my darkness again.

I am thinking curtains, anyone know good ones that don't look to institutional?

[Pax]

There's a good chance they could have the light aimed a bit differently, it won't help a ton but it should help some.

[Flybye]

I would include this link in my letter, if I sent it by email

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMjgHBnpeV0

I have been tempted to shoot out a streetlight with a pellet gun, only problem is they'd be able to tell where the shot came from. Dang.

[Tuckervill]

There are ordinances about causing a nuisance on other people's property, too. Before I wrote the letter, I'd find out if there were one in your neck o'the woods. It would change how I approach it, for sure.

If there is an ordinance, I would ask them to do something about it, and then if they didn't cite the ordinance in my next letter. (Don't lead with the ordinance--it will sound like a threat.) In fact, a phone call to the right person may be just the thing--like meet with the maintenance man or the director of the physical plant or someone. It may be just that simple.

If there is no ordinance, then I'd appeal to common decency, tell them what YOU are doing to help them reach the solution of having good security on their property, that you understand why they put the lights up, and that you are doing what you can to keep the light out of your house--but that it's not enough and they need to do something, too.

Good luck!

Karen

[Tuckervill]

There is a streetlight in front of my house that has never worked since I moved here. I will not complain about it. If they ever put a new bulb in, I'll be tempted to shoot it out in the middle of the night, too.

Karen

[OakLeaf]

I would contact them too. It's not healthy for the kids who live there, either. Cite them some studies about the importance of natural light cycles to child behavior (and adult health too).

Some of the streetlights on our street have one side of the globe painted black. Maybe that would help. One of these days I'm going to climb up there and black out the globes where they point at our house! It'll be a while before the trees fill back in to the shade we had before CharleyFrancesJeanne.

[Biciclista]

babies denied true darkness during their first 2 years of life develop myopia.

[Grog]

babies denied true darkness during their first 2 years of life develop myopia.

Maybe that's what happened to me.

[Mr. Bloom]

There's a good chance they could have the light aimed a bit differently, it won't help a ton but it should help some.

+ 1

[Zen]

I live across from a church with a huge security light on their empty-at-night parking lot.
That BB gun idea has crossed my mind more than once.

[malkin]

Start with a friendly phone call.

I'm never that friendly rational person, but sometimes I can pretend that I am.

[Aggie_Ama]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will see if I can find a number to call. This place is a center for kids with behavioral/emotional issues. We had a friend that interned there and she said occassionally the kids have a "jail break" and they catch them on the nearby highway. I get the reason for the light completely and the center does a world of good. Even if the light annoys me and the 5:00 am shift change where someone REALLY likes their bass disturbs my slumber. Still much better than apartment life was, got to remember that when I get my panties in a wad. LOL. We are both out of city limits and our county has very little ordinances but I can check. The center did oppose the 10 lane toll road that was supposed to slice through my 'hood I shouldn't complain about them too much.

DH told me to quit my fussing and also told me he wouldn't shoot out the light because he might accidentally shoot a window and then hit a kiddo. What is funny is there are 5-6 little houses backing up to my street so I am sure my neighbors are annoyed since all the master bedrooms are in the back in our floorplans.

[Blueberry]

If you think other neighbors are annoyed, you might want to talk to them and approach the center together. They may be more likely to take it seriously if they realize it's a problem for multiple people.

CA

[Brandi]

Let us know what happens. I have a neighbor who leaves two outside lights on every night and they shine right at my house twords my bedroom window as well. I have mentioned it to her before and she said she would turn them off. But now she works till 11:30 at night and I think she is so dead tired (recently divorced and 3 kids,teenager's) that she forgets to turn them off. I don't want to bug her about them but I sleep super light and swear I have thin skin on my eyelids and light wakes me up. Thank god we have fairly good blinds. But light still streams through them.

[Biciclista]

where I live it is still light out when i go to bed for a few weeks. You need heavy (or double) shades/curtains in your sleeping area otherwise, it's really hard to go to sleep!