# Ban, outlaw and confiscate LED yard lights! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 12, 2015, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-outlaw-and-confiscate-led-yard-lights/719898 "2015-05-12T23:59:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-outlaw-and-confiscate-led-yard-lights/719898/61 "2015-05-15T16:03:13Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Even worse are the people who gripe about their neighbors’ loud jangly windchimes and their perpetual noise, when they could have bought the adjacent properties and ensured quiet, and instead complain about the neighbors’ perfectly legal activities. :dubious: Perfectly legal activities? Ok… Let’s go with that. In my experience, not all sounds are pleasant. What are the rules on sounds that one can project into their neighborhood? Can someone, for example, create a huge “windchime” out of hubcaps, or something unappealing to look at? Or make one that cranks out an unpleasant chime? Can I put up a wooden “Tree” in my yard, 20 feet high, and dangle socks and underwear from the thing? It’s my yard, after all. Why would anyone object? Are their any rules at all, or does it all boil down to common courtesy? I understand the idea that “It’s my land, I can do what I want.” But there has to be a limit to this kind of stuff… Unless everyone is free to express themselves in any way they want… No matter how it impacts anyone around them. (I know there are neighborhoods that have homeowner fees, and rules of what is and is not permitted. I am referring to a neighborhood that does not). For example… In the US, as far as I know, it is not illegal to display a Nazi flag. It may make you unpopular, but if that doesn’t bother you, could one buy a home in a predominantly jewish neighborhood, put up a flag pole, put flood lights on said flag pole, and fly a swastika for the neighborhood to see? I wouldn’t want to see that every night, or every day. Nor would I want to see a “white power” flag. But so what? It is not my property, right? So I suck it up or move? > [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Actually, they have. Two houses have very powerful floodlights that, in order to light the far corners of their property 250 feet out, point straight into our windows. Serious questions here… Are there no laws that can stop someone from lighting up their (and then your) yards? Can someone put lights up with any wattage, and keep their property illuminated all night? Can your neighbor put up motion detectors on the side of their house that can kick off each time you come home, throwing light into your windows? And what about sounds? Neighbors have dogs. Can someone set up a motion detector that senses when someone is near their property, and set off a loud noise, (dog barking, gun fire, whatever they want)? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-outlaw-and-confiscate-led-yard-lights/719898/62 "2015-05-15T17:06:59Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > Serious questions here… > > Are there no laws that can stop someone from lighting up their (and then your) yards? Can someone put lights up with any wattage, and keep their property illuminated all night? Can your neighbor put up motion detectors on the side of their house that can kick off each time you come home, throwing light into your windows? > > And what about sounds? Neighbors have dogs. Can someone set up a motion detector that senses when someone is near their property, and set off a loud noise, (dog barking, gun fire, whatever they want)? Local laws exist to cover those sorts of things. Last Saturday a neighbor spent most of the day shooting. It was LOUD. It’s common right before deer season for people to sight-in their scopes, but this was May. I had to tranquilize our one dog who hates loud noises. We have no law prohibiting firearm use in the afternoon, while my friends who live in Pittsburgh cannot discharge a weapon. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-outlaw-and-confiscate-led-yard-lights/719898/63 "2015-05-15T20:17:12Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Local laws exist to cover those sorts of things. Last Saturday a neighbor spent most of the day shooting. It was LOUD. It’s common right before deer season for people to sight-in their scopes, but this was May. I had to tranquilize our one dog who hates loud noises. We have no law prohibiting firearm use in the afternoon, while my friends who live in Pittsburgh cannot discharge a weapon. Wait… If I read this correctly, in your neighborhood, it is ok to discharge firearms in your backyard? If true, is there any limit to what kind of fire arm? Meaning, can one target practice with a hunting rifle for the upcoming hunting season, or a pistol, or shotgun, or semi-automatic gun, or maybe a machine gun (assuming legal ownership, of course)? If you are permitted to discharge a weapon, how could they possibly regulate the noise? I am guessing you don’t have any local laws that would stop the weapons being discharged (based on noise considerations)? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-outlaw-and-confiscate-led-yard-lights/719898/64 "2015-05-15T20:42:30Z")
I’m in a rural area. I’m pretty sure the gun was a semi-auto something (bangbangbangbangbangbang). You can be disturbing the peace after ?10 pm, I think. It was loud enough that I took out my hearing aid. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-outlaw-and-confiscate-led-yard-lights/719898/65 "2015-05-15T21:12:46Z")
I also live in a rural area but in a small subdivision of 15 lots and all are 5 acres or more. Many of us shoot in our yards. I shoot everything from 22lr pistols and rifles up to .308 rifles. However I don’t do it early in the morning or late in the evening. No one minds at all. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-outlaw-and-confiscate-led-yard-lights/719898/66 "2015-05-15T21:58:09Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > No, I meant shoot the lights. Not the actual neighbors themselves. That’s not going to do any good. They’ll just put up more eye blinding lights and then poor AB will be blind and he’ll be crashing into all kinds of things and not just cars and houses either. ---
**Author:** ![BaldDudePeekskill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@BaldDudePeekskill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaldDudePeekskill)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2015, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-outlaw-and-confiscate-led-yard-lights/719898/67 "2015-05-17T01:12:22Z")
I left NYC to enjoy darkness out here in the exurbs. No such luck. My across the yard neighbors have 2 250 watt halogens that render my kitchen bright enough to read a newspaper by. Motion lights are fine, but there is absolutely no need to keep the world illuminated until 1 Am. I am an amateur astronomer who absolutely needs a darkish sky…but it ain’t happening here in Peekskill. Next house we buy, I’ll be asking to see at night as well as during the day. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2015, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-outlaw-and-confiscate-led-yard-lights/719898/68 "2015-05-17T16:00:24Z")
> [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](#): > > I’m with you on this one. What the hell is wrong with darkness? They only had one good [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKjZuykKY1I). ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2015, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-outlaw-and-confiscate-led-yard-lights/719898/69 "2015-05-17T17:33:15Z")
Pffft! Led lights. I want LASERS with motion detectors…and…and…Death Rays:eek:! And a big V-8 powered WWII siren. And I’ll mark my driveway and walk with trip flares:D:D. ---
**Author:** ![Whatever4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@Whatever4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whatever4)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-outlaw-and-confiscate-led-yard-lights/719898/70 "2015-05-18T02:31:40Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > _snip_ > > My ‘compromise’ would be: use whatever lights you damn well please. But if it’s outdoors and is brighter than a 25-watt incandescent bulb, put some sort of shade over it so that the light only shines on your yard, and doesn’t shine into mine. With this, I agree. And I would add: take your damn windchimes inside with you if you can’t figure out how to make their annoying pointless twinkly-dinky sound stop at your property line. A headlamp, a flashlight, and an oil lamp have seen me through power outtages and late-night trips to the barn and doggy outs for many years. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-outlaw-and-confiscate-led-yard-lights/719898/71 "2015-05-18T06:02:53Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > I love LEDs of color. Are they well-integrated with your white LEDs? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2015, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-outlaw-and-confiscate-led-yard-lights/719898/72 "2015-05-18T13:02:10Z")
> [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](#): > > I’m with you on this one. What the hell is wrong with darkness? It’s those damn [falling swingers, dropping all around you](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3D68KWfZOo). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ban-outlaw-and-confiscate-led-yard-lights/719898.md?page=3)