Garden Lighting Neighbour Issues on Rural

Rsoul on 23/08/2024 - 14:49

I have garden led festoon lights which are low powered at 2 watts each bulb and run 50m down the side of my house and part of driveway, they are bright enough so they light the floor 10m either side but after that you can't see where you are walking.

A miserable dried up old woman that lives just under 300m away (2nd neighbour away) has taken exception as she likes to watch the night sky and he has complained to the council whom visited to check the problem, laughed and said the old woman must be a little crazy if she thinks she is entitled too have total darkness surrounded by neighbours on 5 acres each.

The council rep suggested the woman move to a 200 acre property.

I did mention to the council I do have another 50m string of bulbs to put up and was told to there is no problem with this.

Poor woman husband is dead (probably died of stress) and she lives alone but has nothing better to do than report most neighbours and moan/backstab every neighbour to each other. She is a wicked piece of work who even shits on her so called best mate so I am not expecting to get anywhere by trying to talk to her.

Has anyone experienced this sort of thing before and if yes how did you deal with it.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 23/08/2024 - 14:53
    +30

    any chance to just ignore her?

    • HamBoi69 on 23/08/2024 - 15:01
      +4

      just under 300m away

      You would hope so.

    • Rsoul on 23/08/2024 - 15:25
      +1

      Probably for the best

    • HeWhoKnows on 24/08/2024 - 12:02

      Best advice.

  • Roman Sandstorm on 23/08/2024 - 15:16
    +2

    A sidebar: If what is described is accurate, it appears to me that the Council is being totally inappropriate and unprofessional.

    There is no way a representative of the council should laugh at someone's complaint, suggest to the subject of the complaint that the complainant is 'crazy', and that the 'crazy' person should move to another property.

    Even if the original complaint is completely without basis this is just not professional behaviour.

    The OP is absolutely entitled to have their opinions regarding the (distant) neighbour, and describe her as "miserable dried up old woman", whose husband "probably died of stress", who likes to "moan/backstab every neighbour", and who is a "wicked piece of work". No problem with holding those views.

    But it's not OK for the Council representative to buy into, or agree with this - especially to the person being complained about.

    • Rsoul on 23/08/2024 - 15:20

      Its a litle hard to get the right context in a short text paragraph, however the council was very professional.

  • theHMASfriendship on 23/08/2024 - 15:32
    +35

    Option 1, bring her a nice hamper and explain you need them for path lighting at night. Discuss a solution that works for you, you can offer to put them on a timer so they aren't on after say midnight or run off a motion sensor after then, or help her plant some hedge plants blocking her view of them.

    Option 2, or follow up to option 1 if she is true to form is to ignore her. This would be my preferred option.

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 23/08/2024 - 15:41
      +1

      Discuss a solution that works for you, you can offer to put them on a timer so they aren't on after say midnight or run off a motion sensor after then

      OP didnt specifically say but I kind of at first thought it must be solar…but actually at 2w ea over 50m, it should be more likely to be powered… yeah maybe a timer / switch would be more appropriate.

    • ihfree on 23/08/2024 - 15:49
      +5

      Option 3, or if Option 1 fails - Nightly light shows

    • life is suffering on 23/08/2024 - 15:54
      +1

      The ship that never sinks

      • theHMASfriendship on 23/08/2024 - 19:15
        +1

        Let's set sail for always-there-for-you island

    • Randxyz123 on 23/08/2024 - 19:42

      This would be my thought as well. Come to a compromise. Have them come on with a motion sensor or after a certain time. If she doesn’t want to compromise then just ignore her.

  • Roman Sandstorm on 23/08/2024 - 15:37
    +15

    Now… as to the actual complaint: The wicked, dried up,backstabbing neighbour must be able to see something from her property. Otherwise she would not have complained. Duh.

    All of the (amusing and possibly even correct) information about her personality and behaviour is not really relevant. The lights are what matter.

    So… what can she actually see? Are the LEDs as bright, or brighter than an 'ordinary' outdoor light? Are they turned on all night? Or go off at 10:00pm, 11:00pm, etc. (Just to be neighbourly and dark skies friendly?) Do they extend for a long distance?

    Has the OP (and council rep) observed the lights from the distance of the complainant? Has a light meter been utilised? Measure light at the distance with them on - and off?

    Perhaps the lights may potentially annoy other neighbours, but their loungerooms/bedrooms/whatever do not directly face them - hence no complaints thus far? Or perhaps other neighbours simply do not care, and have no interest in stargazing. (Or making possibly spurious or vexacious complaints about their neighbours?)

    From the OP description, and the estimated distances between properties, it does seem that this may well be something of an idyllic 'dark skies' location. Does someone new bringing in 50m of LED lights impact on this? Do others of the spread-out neighbours have such lights? Or just the OP having Xmas in July?

    It may not be a 'written rule', but sometimes living in a neighbourhood it is more harmonious to adhere to the generally-accepted neighbour principles when it comes to some matters.

    Perhaps a promise to turn the lights off at 10:30, for example, may go some way to defusing the situation? (Unfortunately, in my experience dried up old people often tend to go to bed with the birds - and then get up with them as well.)

    While I may not have sympathy for the wicked backstabber, I do understand annoying light at night. My Council has recently placed a 500W night-sun street light outside my house adjoining a park. Now, even at 3:00 am my once dark and discreet yard (and upstairs rooms) is now like the surface of Mercury at midday. Now that would get up OP's neighbour's nose!

    • EightImmortals on 23/08/2024 - 16:22

      I would complain to the council about that. Srsly.

      • Roman Sandstorm on 23/08/2024 - 16:43

        Other local neighbours adjoining the park had complained about 'drug deals' being done in the park late at night. This indeed used to happen - in 1996.

        Now it's just the very occasional few local kids chatting, smoking at 9:00 pm for a few minutes.

        But in classical Council overreach to pearl-clutchers….

        • EightImmortals on 23/08/2024 - 17:15

          People doing drug deals (or not) wouldn't keep awake all night like a stupid light shining through my window all night.

  • stuffandthat on 23/08/2024 - 15:52

    Put up the other string and buy some more. Let her whinge.

    • Rsoul on 23/08/2024 - 16:09
      -2

      I think you have the right idea

      • Chuppa on 23/08/2024 - 20:21
        +6

        Time to enter yourself in Australia's best Christmas Lights competition and go to town on the house! /s

  • Benoffie on 23/08/2024 - 17:06
    +4

    She's more than welcome to move to Cambrai or Sedan in SA which is a declared Dark Sky Park.

    https://darksky.org/news/south-australias-river-murray-desig…

    She can hang out with the wombats and local farmers who routinely blow em up.

    See if anyone takes to her whinging then…

  • 7ekn00 on 23/08/2024 - 18:35

    I go the other way, I would buy some 1000W spotlights and aim them directly at her ;)

    Completely up to her to block any lighting she is unhappy with …

  • bobbieb on 23/08/2024 - 19:24

    Maybe it's just me, but have zero moral issues when it comes to finding imaginative, legal, anonymous ways to return the favor with interest.

  • DoctorCalculon on 23/08/2024 - 20:52
    +4

    Has anyone experienced this sort of thing before and if yes how did you deal with it.

    I am not sure what the issue is anymore. Why not just ignore her?

  • hasselbladsnapper on 23/08/2024 - 21:43
    -1

    How about some rotating flashing lamps - the local Cops might assist, bit of aversion therapy and she will look forward to the return of your led's !!!!!

  • eug on 23/08/2024 - 21:54

    Imagine replacing all those lights with ARGB LED strips where you can have chasing lights all the way down your driveway in every colour.

  • simplystu on 23/08/2024 - 22:43
    +13

    OP …
    I don't understand what your current problem is (you never clearly defined it in your OP).

    1.) You have lights.
    2.) far-far away neighbour objected.
    3.) council came to inspect.
    4.) council sided with you.

    Case closed +++ 100% no need to even start post !!!
    Or are we missing some details here ???

    • Rsoul on 24/08/2024 - 01:57
      -2

      Was hoping someone had similar and found a better way to deal with the problem. I guess options are limited

    • Baysew on 24/08/2024 - 15:16

      Or are we missing some details here ???

      MS paint and neighbour may have Bikie connections.

  • gyrex on 24/08/2024 - 08:28
    +7

    You could always invite the wicked witch over for a delicious, organic and locally sourced and collected mushroom lunch.

    • Poor Ass on 25/08/2024 - 13:10

      A delicious Chinese meal

      • sam-1966 on 25/08/2024 - 18:03

        Succulent chinese meal…

        • Poor Ass on 25/08/2024 - 18:42

          Ahh

          RIP

  • jonkvh on 24/08/2024 - 08:45

    Have been through something similar-ish. Council can't do anything about Private lighting unless, it's super bad. They'll leave it to the neighbours to sort out. Surprised you actually had someone come out, then again, they have KPI's to meet.

    I got a visit from Council for having a citronella candle/light. It was the flame someone complained about.

  • Euphemistic on 24/08/2024 - 09:38
    +1

    Unless youre in a dark sky area, just ignore it as best you can.

  • panos on 24/08/2024 - 10:02

    Some night football tower lights for her to have something to complain about??

  • Speckled Jim on 24/08/2024 - 11:24

    Came for MS paint.
    Left disappointed :(

  • 2esc on 24/08/2024 - 13:20
    +1

    First impression your neighbour should mind their own business.

    But thinking about it why do you actually need the lights on 24/7 are you walking around at 2 in morning? Save yourself money! and put them on a timer or a sensor. One benefit of living rural is less lights.

    Regarding the council representatives ive worked with in the past with council and council representatives do their best to side with both parties they were probably very sympathetic when speaking with her about your lights.

    Your entitled to have the lights but im pretty sure you havent lived there as long as her and thats part of the problem she doesnt like change.

    Forget her but a honest question do you really need all the lights on all night?

    I have no lights on at my place once we go to bed just a couple of security lights motion activated.

  • kiitos on 24/08/2024 - 14:02

    How many lumens does each bulb give off?

  • Rsoul on 24/08/2024 - 17:04

    I believe around 150 lumens per bulb

  • THICKnSLOW on 25/08/2024 - 11:35
    +1

    How often do you walk your property boundary at night? Do you have intruders often, or is it foxes, bears and wolves?

  • gromit on 25/08/2024 - 11:39
    +1

    Assuming you aren't leaving these on 24/7, otherwise it is a pretty shitty thing to do even if within your rights. If you are turning them off at midnight or something then you are pretty much fine to just ignore.

    noting depending on the state she has potential legal avenues as light pollution laws/regulations differ state to state.

  • GordonD on 25/08/2024 - 13:04
    +2

    OP's name fits. Inconsiderate. Disrespectful. Abusive.

    • smartazz104 on 25/08/2024 - 17:02
      -1

      You got that parcel yet or will you wait another 2 months?

  • geekcohen on 25/08/2024 - 13:28
    +1

    If a lady is complaining about some little garden lights at 300m away, I would hate to know what my neighbours think about my 50W flood lights when they are 20m away.

    • smartazz104 on 25/08/2024 - 17:02

      Maybe they are blinded by the light and can't tell which direction they are coming from…

  • Tigercjn on 25/08/2024 - 13:35

    The lady should not have to put up with your attitude, it is awful the way you speak about her.

    • smartazz104 on 25/08/2024 - 17:03
      +1

      Maybe she should have talked to OP first before complaining, you know, like what many people suggest right here on OzBargain.

      • Rsoul on 25/08/2024 - 19:25

        She messaged me when i first turned the lights on and I told her they would not be on all night, the response from her was "whatever" council turned up two days later

  • ssfps on 25/08/2024 - 15:43
    +4

    If OP is leaving those lights on all night, i'd be pissed too. Why don't you make them motion sensitive, or stick them on a timer for when you actually need them?
    Or do you just enjoy light pollution in rural areas?

  • Zapwap on 25/08/2024 - 17:40

    she likes to watch the night sky

    lol

  • Jolakot on 25/08/2024 - 19:23

    If they're on all night - you're the (profanity). If they're on a timer or motion sensitive, then she's just a whinger.

  • LFO on 25/08/2024 - 20:28

    Choosing to live in a semi-isolated acreage but having lights for a driveway during the night.
    Pathetic.

    • Rsoul on 25/08/2024 - 23:09

      Semi isolated, no one mentioned isolated, retarded?

      • LFO on 26/08/2024 - 12:07

        retarded?

        Retarded? Insults already?
        A bit quick for personal attacks …

        … Neighbour Issues on Rural

        I doubt someone like you could be leaving down town Sydney/Melbourne/Brisbane in x acres … semi-isolated makes more sense.

        Your neighbor is the real victim in this parody.

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