# Bright flashlights and the LAW! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 3, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-flashlights-and-the-law/591352 "2011-08-03T19:11:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2011, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-flashlights-and-the-law/591352/21 "2011-08-05T08:17:02Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > To the OP have you considered a night vision scope or even a thermal imager? This way you could see without lighting up the neighborhood. > > That link clearly says **spare** lithium batteries and it appears that lithium batteries that are in devices are OK, which makes sense as laptops and cellphones all have lithium batteries now. Oops. I wanted to reduce the weight I was carrying on the way home last week so I dumped all the loose stuff out of my camera bag into my suitcase. Apparently I checked 2 with no issues and my luggage was inspected. Close call 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-flashlights-and-the-law/591352/22 "2011-08-05T14:33:19Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of those Maglites really could smash down a reinforced cockpit door… Those doors are a \*lot \*stronger than you think. When cost is (almost) no object, Engineering can get an amazing amount of strength & resilience out of surprisingly little material. It doesn’t look like it, but the complete installation weighs about 400 lbs. Strong stuff & plenty of it. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2011, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-flashlights-and-the-law/591352/23 "2011-08-05T14:36:13Z")
So the trick is to use a laser flashlight to burn through the door. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-flashlights-and-the-law/591352/24 "2011-08-05T14:42:52Z")
Imagine this. Three D cell cell batteries soldered end to end. Then wrapped in duct tape. Then another 3 the same way. Then these two sets wrapped with a little more tape and two wires sticking out of the top. Pre 9/11 I was able to on multiple occasions to board an airplane with what looked for all the world like two sticks of wired dynamite in my carry on luggage. Don’t think I could swing that these days. ---
**Author:** ![svd678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@svd678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svd678)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2011, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-flashlights-and-the-law/591352/25 "2011-08-05T17:12:05Z")
Assuming that “4sevens” was some kind of brand name, I Goggled it, and found many places to buy them, including the brand’s website, but no suggestion about how they’re made, what’s so special, and why a flashlight might be worth $250. Any source for a description? ---
**Author:** ![svd678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@svd678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svd678)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-flashlights-and-the-law/591352/26 "2011-08-05T17:14:28Z")
Google ---
**Author:** ![bluezooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@bluezooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluezooky)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-flashlights-and-the-law/591352/27 "2011-08-05T18:24:16Z")
> [@svd678](#): > > Assuming that “4sevens” was some kind of brand name, I Goggled it, and found many places to buy them, including the brand’s website, but no suggestion about how they’re made, what’s so special, and why a flashlight might be worth $250. Any source for a description? Like a lot of products you can get 90% of the performance for a quarter of the price, your basically paying for the reliability of a custom made product rather than something thrown together in chinese factory. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-flashlights-and-the-law/591352/28 "2011-08-05T18:27:14Z")
> [@bluezooky](#): > > Like a lot of products you can get 90% of the performance for a quarter of the price, your basically paying for the reliability of a custom made product rather than something thrown together in chinese factory. I thought they were manufactured in China? [http://flashlight-wiki.com/4Sevens](http://flashlight-wiki.com/4Sevens) ---
**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:** [August 5, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-flashlights-and-the-law/591352/29 "2011-08-05T19:57:00Z")
Many, but not all, of the flashlights on the Four Sevens site are Chinese made. Just like much of the electronics we buy these days. If you want to meet a bunch of “Flashaholics” visit the [Candlepower Forums](http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forum.php). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![eddiec3434](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@eddiec3434](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eddiec3434)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-flashlights-and-the-law/591352/30 "2011-08-06T09:08:39Z")
> [@Diamonds02](#): > > I have a 69 lumen flashlight. It works okay. I have a night job, and I use it illuminate dark spots where bad guys might be hiding. > > I’m looking into purchasing a 200 lumen flashlight. I heard this is flat out blinding to people. Which can be a good thing or a bad thing. Good if I can blind a bad guy long enough for me to get away or spray him with pepper spray…bad if I piss off residents by accidentally shining it in their houses/apartments/cars. I no doubt skeeved out two teenage girls last night sitting on their porch, when I drove by shining lights into dark carports and spaces between townhouses (I didn’t see them at first, of course). > > I’m wondering if there could be any possible legal issues with me using bright flashlights and not being a cop. > > Any other potential dangers I can get into? Lets see, you can piss off your nieghbors by shining it in their eyes when they pull up. Shine em at the cops when they drive by, or better yet, shine it in your R/rearview mirror from the drivers seat when he approaches the drivers side.(Na, you might get shot that way.) You could shine it a low flying helecopters, they won’t like that too much. It’s not a bad self defence device just prior to a fist fight. ---
**Author:** ![toofs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@toofs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toofs)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-flashlights-and-the-law/591352/31 "2011-08-07T06:10:39Z")
> [@svd678](#): > > Assuming that “4sevens” was some kind of brand name, I Goggled it, and found many places to buy them, including the brand’s website, but no suggestion about how they’re made, what’s so special, and why a flashlight might be worth $250. Any source for a description? 4sevens got his start selling lights to the folks at candlepowerforums. I have been a member there since 2004, when LED flashlights were new and exotic, custom made by hand, and often times very expensive. Yeah, I remember the days of the Luxeon LEDs. The 4 sevens lights are like the Fenix brand flashlights but better power regulation, smarter light output levels, high quality metal reflectors, square cut threads, the ability to run primary or rechargeable batteries, high end LED emitters. These lights are a custom design, not just a relabeled light from another manufacturer. They are made in China, apparently by Olight. They are cheap compared to the SureFire lights. I have been issued a few SureFires, but they all use CR123 lithium batteries, and my 4sevens (and Fenix) 2xAA flashlights are far brighter, longer lasting, and have multiple light levels. I am flashaholic: I dig flashlights, I am a geek like that. When price, design and quality are all considered, the 4sevens lights rule the day (heh). Use the CPF discount code for an even better price. ---
**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:** [August 9, 2011, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-flashlights-and-the-law/591352/32 "2011-08-09T02:21:27Z")
> [@](#): > > I am flashaholic: I dig flashlights, I am a geek like that. Roger that, and Candlepower Forums as well! Four Sevens is a good reputable seller if he has what you want. Of course if you’re like me you’ll look at his site and find flashlights you didn’t know you needed. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bright-flashlights-and-the-law/591352.md?page=1)