this post was submitted on 10 Nov 2023
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(what is with those streetlights tho)

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[–] [email protected] 95 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Defective LEDs with massively reduced service lives made it out of the factory and into streetlights around the world. If you ever see a purple street light, a failing LED module is the cause.

[–] [email protected] 41 points 1 year ago (4 children)

none like that around here. they're all blindingly bright af along the main streets and downtown--probably 4-5x as many lamps in each fixture as actually needed, and going up and down hills they shine right in your eyes because they don't have adequate shades keeping the light 'down'.

residential areas still have the much easier-on-the-eyes sodium vapor lights, though--for now.

[–] new_guy 46 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I know a guy that very was vocal against street lights in the 90's.

He was/is an amateur astronomer that modified his rooftop to be an actual telescope and the street lamps were angled in a certain way that like 40% of the light produced by them was shinning to the sky, making his observations harder to perform.

He went to my school to warn about light pollution and also teach us about planets and all that good stuff.

I think he became frustrated and quitted because last time I saw anything about him he was all about rescuing dogs from the street. :/

[–] uis 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

residential areas still have the much easier-on-the-eyes sodium vapor lights, though--for now.

Monochromatic isn't easier on eyes.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I could definitely be under the wrong impression here, but aren't LEDs monochromatic also?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I think they're generally dichromatic (is that the word?). White LEDs are blue LEDs + a yellow florescent coating.

[–] uis 3 points 1 year ago

LEDs somehow have CRI 0.9, so they are unlikely to be just dichromatic. For comparasion monochromatic light has CRI 0.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Where I live all street lights used to be low pressure sodium (very monochromatic yellow!) Due to a nearby observatory. Now to hell with everything! It's LED lights everywhere. They're strong and not diffused so all the light comes from a small area meaning instant after image... (Sigh)

Even worse, people now put LED lights on their outdoor house fixtures and all kinds of office buildings pointing UP. Goodbye night sky...

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

We've still got a few of those around here. Most have been reported and replaced. But for a time, we had a whole stretch of freeway that was lit up purple. It as sweet

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Same thing in my area, at one point a whole half mile of streetlights near my house was purple. It was cyberpunk as hell and I loved it.

[–] instamat 2 points 1 year ago

Me too. I didn’t mind it and assumed it was intentional. A bit out of the ordinary, but different can be good.

[–] schmidtster 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I thought the coating failed to adhere, how would a module affect the colour output?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Is the coating not considered part of the module? Maybe module was the wrong word.

[–] schmidtster 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I’ve never heard the term used like that before. It’s leds and a driver for them, the only thing I would call a module would be the driver, but modules usually go into large complex machines. Not 2 part devices. The driver would have different modules on it potentially.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] schmidtster 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yeah it was just a weird term, it’s not inherently wrong… if the lights were multicolored a failed module could make it be different colours, but these are one color and one color temperature. So there’s no way for it to put out different colours.

[–] [email protected] 82 points 1 year ago (2 children)

You just had regular and weird. Now there are flavors of weird.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 1 year ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 36 points 1 year ago

Taste the spectrum.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago

Mango-pomegranate autism

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

I have an assessment next year. I'm hoping for banana chocolate.

[–] [email protected] 63 points 1 year ago (3 children)

White LED bulbs are the devil's work.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Can't stand them for street lighting, just makes everything look cold and uninteresting, I'll take the warm ones over them any day.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Where I live they did put up slightly warm tinted LED ones

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Obligatory technology connections https://youtu.be/wIC-iGDTU40?si=AsUcJdORCk743Lfz (at least I think it's the right video)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Here is an alternative Piped link(s):

https://piped.video/wIC-iGDTU40?si=AsUcJdORCk743Lfz

Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.

I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

At least the modern ones don't flicker.

[–] [email protected] 49 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Is it because Keasby nights aren't that dark?

[–] peopleproblems 42 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You know what's funny? My son was evaluated for is as there was some concern because of a lot of ASD in my family.

I told them "ok, but he's really just pretty similar to me". I haven't been diagnosed. I do have extremely bad general anxiety.

And his evaluation showed no risk, but some possible connection if anxiety couldn't be ruled out. Turns out, anxiety couldn't be ruled out.

Yep. I'm so anxious it looks like ASD apparently.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

This ~~is really similar to~~ reminds me of this post, which I think about a lot.

Edit: hopefully slightly more accurate

[–] peopleproblems 13 points 1 year ago

Except that's like the opposite of what I said.

I was evaluated and never diagnosed with ASD, but I had GAD and ADHD. I predicted, correctly, my son would be the same.

[–] PopcornPrincess 19 points 1 year ago

I had no idea streetlights would create such controversy. Look at these passionate responses. Lemmy used to be peaceful. Way to go OP!

[–] ObviouslyNotBanana 17 points 1 year ago

Yeah but that's just one guy! /s

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Seriously, what is up with these streetlights?

[–] Crashumbc 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Good sales men. And they are EXTREMELY efficient compared to old lights, last longer, and easier to maintain.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Yeah LED's are amazing, I just want warmer light from them.

[–] DigitalTraveler42 2 points 1 year ago

said in Jerry Seinfeld's voice