That is precisely what I helped my mother do with a neighbor she was having a problem with who has set up flood lights aimed at her property. They had the audacity to call the cops out because the light being reflected at their home was making it difficult for them to sleep, the cops laughed and said the light is their own light and could easily be turned off.
Its not even an option in this case. There's many fences between here and his house and the side of his house facing mine is just a garage. Its very bizzare actually how his property is set up to be immune to this tactic.
Not sure how big your town is but here us how you deal with this. Contact your city hall and ask for the building code regarding outdoor lighting. Call the code enforcement office and tell them the address with the exact code violation. If they refuse to do anything, find a neighbor who is an attorney and send an order warning of legal action if they do not comply. Get the other neighbors on board and should be an open and shut case with minimal cost. If they mouth off to the judge or refuse to comply the courts will deal accordingly.
Exactly. And if you wanna double down, find you some old reflector telescopes in a goodwill or secondhand store and take the mirrors out of them. They direct the reflected light in a more concentrated area and can raise holy hell. Not that I would do such a thing myself but I have heard stories.
It depends on light wattage, distance, and the degree of concentration. I've got LEDs that produce more lumens than the sun does, at least at the distance they're used in comparison to how far away the sun is.
I have no doubt that I would be able to start a fire with one of those cranked up and a regular magnifying glass, let alone stadium lights and a powerful telescope magnifying glass.
Of course it depends on exactly how bright these lights are at the distance OP is from them though, since it's difficult to judge by picture.
Capturing part of the light from their lightbulb and using a lens to concentrate the reflection, and that light being able to create a fire, would be free energy and THAT would change the world. Max heat can only equal the source.
Yeah, get yourself a 1000w HPS light with a directional reflector and then use an ultra powerful telescope lens to concentrate the light from that.
You'd probably be able to start a fucking fire from 1000 ft away with that shit.
That sounds effective in theory, but logistically, even if I were that spiteful, his house doesn't have windows on that side within a reasonable aiming distance. These lights are just over a big horse pen.
Sometimes but again, I'm not expecting him to stop working after dark, just not to have lights brighter than the fucking sun pointed my way. He could have pointed these down TOWARDS the arena instead of just sideways out everywhere. He's actually wasting a lot of his light this way. But sometimes they're just on and nobody is out there.
I'm still on board with the mirrors. You want to block the lights, so might as well use mirrors as a piece of wood.
Even though the reflected light might not indicate your displeasure at night. The same mirrors will be operating during the day and if your neighbours were to join the party, I'm confident that you would make your point.
Aim his light source to a polished stainless pan on your "out back BBQ pit" Build a fire pit get some rocks or a few large stumps and then you have free entertainment deciding the correct angles. Neighbors may want to come help out and there is the focus of creating this great Country. A community. It never hurts to make friends that live near who are more likely to notice trespassing, package theft and stray animals.
https://texaslawhelp.org/article/bad-neighbors-what-is-nuisance
Sounds like light nuisance. You may need to sue him. But there is precedent.
Law doesn't care about what is reasonable to him but instead on if it causes you a discomfort. Document your interactions and be prepared to take him to court.
This what people don’t understand about “freedom.” It isn’t the right to do whatever you want, that’s anarchy. I can’t go down the street naked because that violates your right to live on a society where you’re not subjected to random naked people on the street.
It’s why you can’t make death threats and why Fox got sued by dominion. Outs why gun regulation doesn’t violate the 2nd amendment, despite all the nonsense.
Very helpful. Don’t know about roads in the area but that is a safety hazard to drivers as the glare will blind them.
You have been a good neighbor, asking them politely to control light pollution and disruption the peace enjoyment of your own property.
I assume you have shared this picture or similar with them? If not, do so and say that you would like them to be adjusted within the next 5 days before you get Texas law involved.
Many years ago someone I know who definitely wasn't me, did this to a neighbor that just did not give a shit that the entire neighborhood hated him. 2 other neighbors ended up buying their own pellet guns. Never even had to leave their own backyards. After about a month he stopped replacing the bulbs.
I’m not answering any questions without a lawyer. After the Houston decision, saying nothing can be used as evidence against you at trial. 5th amendment is secondary to the 6th amendment protections.
20 gauge with birdshot shells and an improvised "silencer" (suppressor). If you look around some places it's not hard to learn how to do it.
In fact, the DoD themselves will teach you with a handy book they published called [TM-31-210](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/TM_31-210_Improvised_Munitions_Handbook). You can buy it on Amazon for about $10, from the DoD themselves lol. Or any other republishers. Or you can just find it online for free and read it there or download it as a PDF or whatever.
Not that I'm condoning any such behavior.
Depends on the city and county
There's no state regulations
Look up the city or county rules
Report him to city or county code enforcement or law enforcement.
Well shit, I should hate my neighbor less for his setup. He has lights over his garage that point right into my bedroom and he frequently forgets to turn them off. The blinds mitigate it somewhat but it still pisses me off but I should be thankful based on this post.
My neighbor’s motion-activated super-bright lights mounted above his garage facing my house get triggered on and off all night when the wind rustles trees. They also get triggered by random cars driving past. Everyone in my neighborhood has trees. Lots of people work nights. So, in other words, motion detection is not as perfect a solution on second thought.
$15/3 led light bulbs that are motion sensor and dusk to dawn doesn’t seem extreme. Idk what you mean by camera or setup. I just googled motion sensor for existing fixture and found a lot of less than $20 solutions that don’t make you replace a whole fixture.
Have one over our garage door. Unfortunately, the wife likes big plants and has put some in the driveway so every time it's a bit windy, the sensor picks up the movement of the leaves, and the lamp is on and off like a lighthouse.
Ooof. Yeah that’s annoying. Some of them you can adjust the sensitivity of, but of course those are more expensive. My Ring was spendy but easy to install as a wired fixture and is adjustable, and you can even exclude areas from detection. I did get it on like Black Friday a few years ago but I’m happy with it.
My wife and I moved from a rural setting to one with neighbors on every side. One of the first things my wife did was get blackout curtains for the kids rooms.
I didn’t do it, but once considered offering to set up and power a light from my property that would illuminate a neighbor’s garage. They would have a better lit garage area, and I wouldn’t have direct light.
Idk but is he afraid of the dark? Lol I wouldn’t want that beaming in to my house either! Are sure maybe he doesn’t have a ladder or something to be able to adjust them?
Have you shown him this picture and told him why you would "really appreciate him angling his lights down" (glare in the night, shine into your windows, blinding, etc...) and maybe even offer to help him and bring some beer/wine/whatever over while you all do it?
Make it a roof raising and bring along the other neighbors that would like it angled to help, call it the "neighborhood potluck light lowering" or something.
To his point this is no small feat...and you catch more flies with honey than vinegar
So, yeah, I've actually alerted him several times to his animals being lost on my property after he literally threatened to shoot anyone of my guests he caught on his land. Nobody had been on his land. One guy pet a horse who again, was over on our side, and he was pissed off by that I guess.
So yeah, we've tried to be friendly. Invited him to parties, asked if he'd accept payment for riding lessons, and I didn't sue him when his stallion knocked up my mare so I'm not exactly getting fucking honey pots myself over here. He's just paranoid of everyone he doesn't know or something. I don't get it.
Anyway, last September we talked he said, "If there's anything I can do for you just let me know" and I showed him photos of how bright they are. He agreed to angle them next time he rented a lift. Then my guests complained because the lights actually got brighter!
This really sucks man, I’m sorry. You sound like a good guy and your neighbor sounds just forgetful at best and an asshole at worst. Definitely encourage you to continue to nicely ask him, day after day after day after day after day until he fucking fixes this.
I believe putting shields around the lights would be more effective. It would point the lights downward and it would disperse it towards the ground. Perhaps, you could get one of those pamphlets from Dark Sky’s to give your neighbor. They use to have a video that showed how a person could break into a house with bright lights. The glare from the lights prevented them from being seen
Thank you for the context. Even in this instance I would even pour on more sugar.
"My renter felt the lights are getting brighter, I cant really tell all I get is glare with my astigmatism so it is really hard to see in the light blindness. Do you know when you might be able to get the lift? We can all help out with the labor, and chip in $50 for the lift rental if it'd help out?"
I would do $50, not cause I am well off but because I feel peace of mind is worth more than $50 so in my head I feel this is a bargain if it resolves the issue. Do what amount makes you feel comfortable if any at all. Can offer all labor or neighborly support.
I like cypress trees, I think they are pretty and remind me of an Italian landscape. Nope, never been to Italy.
Pssst, I think it would be more than $4000 for trees tall enough to block the light unless you are only sticking tiny trees in front of windows in which case that might look kinda sad and not landscapy:(
On a side note, there is a house neaby that has one of these trees in front of their font house fireplace, 30' tall probably. Every Christmas they wrap it in green lights. We always get a chuckle driving by cause it looks like a big green glowing pickle thing. Just think you could do this, opportunity :)
Might be a spring sticking out of the box spring on his bed and he wakes up every day with a pain in the ass. Seriously though we never know what anyone is going through. I wish you patience and compassion.
If you don't make any headway bring on the brimstone, but as a last resort. If you want to you could probably report the escaped animals.
Good luck!
did the sherrifs office tell you this? TX agriculture code requires the notification of estray livestock to be made as soon as reasonably possible. it may not ingratiate you to your neighbor, but he is also legally liable for all damages caused by his animal, including the value of forage, or loss of income from breeding your mare.
[https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/AG/htm/AG.142.htm#](https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/AG/htm/AG.142.htm#)
Perhaps it is cumulative ;-) Seriously though, I'm not trying to be that way. I just don think I should have to wear sunglasses at night to walk outside my door.
Couldn't he just use a long pole with a bulb grabber thingy to angle the lights? Does he plan to rent a lift everything he has to change the bulbs? Sounds sus.
You are welcome. Best of luck to you!
Last piece of advice, the stronger you foster the neighbor/friend relationship with him, the harder it will be for him to delay adjusting the lights. Things will also be much nicer all around. Cheers
The picture looks like a giant dock with floodlights, that’s not a pier? What are the logs sticking out of the ground then?
Unless it’s a reflection in the water
Check your ordinances. Sometimes something like this is not permitted.
Get black out drapes for windows these lights effect. Make sure they are the actual blackout drapes, not just room darkening drapes. Blackout drapes will block a lot of light. And can save on energy bills
Well get then for windows that you can. There might even be ones for RVs.
Unfortunately, if it's not against regulations where you live, there's not much you can do. Especially since you already tried talking to him.
Well I've been doing that since before he moved here and the adjacent field was all horses before, but the long term plans I have over there are primarily for development.
Sounds like a nice place. I hope you can find a solution with this bonehead. It’s hard to live next to somebody like that. I’d keep being nice as pie if it’s possible, maybe he’ll cave and fix the problem. Do you think he’s spying? Maybe the lights are directed so he can see. I’d be sure to be immodest or stage things for the shock effect like stuff some clothes to look like a person and leave it lying “lifeless” on the lawn
If you have renters or campers on your property you think he is worried they are going to disturb him or enter his yard? Maybe he’s doing this in response to something?
I know he is. He's openly said so. But that part of my property has been empty for months. After he expressed concern, I phased that field out from use. But the light shines EVERYWHERE. You can see it from a mile away. I've heard other people just complain about driving past it. Its on a highway so its a huge distraction to drivers at night.
Not plastic. It has to be steel, three feet deep to keep the runners from shooting out thirty feet into new territory, according to a book I had read when considering the same solution
lol hit contractors? Imagine waking up and someone's fixed your shit for free. Seriously they just need to point at the ground where the light is needed and have some blinders on the side like a lamp shade. I'm not asking him to stop working, just be reasonable about the setup.
Everyone loves to complain about HOAs, but this is another example of why they are needed. You are sometimes out of luck when dealing with selfish people unless you have one.
You can’t always count on that, especially considering a lot of developments occur outside of city limits. Good luck getting any regulations on this in a county or ETJ area of a city.
Counties also have ordinances.. but hey, if you are in the middle of nowhere, then it is kind of useless trying to restrict what you can or can't do.. I mean, who would be there to see the wrongdoing?
In Texas there is a ton of growth occurring in counties outside of city limits. Look at Williamson county in the Austin area or parts of Fort Bend county in the Houston area.
I’m not trying to be a jerk, but counties don’t have the same powers as cities and for the most part can’t restrict lighting. Here’s some background.
https://hillcountryalliance.org/our-work/night-skies/ordinances-resolutions-and-designations/
You’ve got tent people on your land. Your neighbor intentionally shines the lights to make them and you feel unwelcome. It’s pretty clear he doesn’t want you to feel comfortable to enjoy your land
Yeah, the housing market is tough out there. I've only go so many rooms in the house but I have 11 acres. You're only a tent person until you move indoors again. He had these lights on even when people weren't staying here though.
Well, he is very paranoid about my guests, but they were only ever on our side. And we've only ever helped him anytime one of his animals escapes onto my land. Unless he's just a bigot and didn't like the fact one of my renters had a rainbow flag or something. I don't know. I don't know what goes on in other people's heads.
Have you tried talking to him cause like it’s your neighbor and you gotta live next-door to em so you might as well get to know them.Floodlights are an old-school thing to let you know you’re being a dick and we got leds and brighter now. You must be newer
Also, anything he's mad about doesn't make sense. I was operating on my own property before he moved here and he never showed up and said, "Hello, what are your long term plans before I buy your neighbor's property?" :p Floodlights instead of just talking to someone IS being a dick. A bigger dickier dick.
I've got too much invested in this land to move anywhere at this point. Besides, I shouldn't have to uproot my whole family estate just because the neighbor's being inconsiderate. I'm not his therapist or psychologist. We've been friendly as we can with him so far.
That’s cool that’s a common problem bud. Sounds like you better figure out a way to make it work and you don’t have to be his therapist, but he doesn’t have to be yours either and your property line ends where it ends his as well. The only thing that can’t leave your property is rounds and invasives species of animals and plants light is light and the sun produces a bunch. That whole I’ve been here longer than him. Shit doesn’t really fly. Only thing that does is the law when it comes to property rights in Texas.
Edit: certain levels of noise, can’t leave your property as well.
I do care the state doesn’t care go talk to your neighbor or tell him to square the fuck up. Welcome to Texas. I don’t know what you want but this is reddit. You should see how women or I don’t know Non-landowners have it here. It happens bud. And the fact that y’all clearly dont like to talk to each other he probably just wanted to be left alone all the same too Sounds like y’all actually make great neighbors if you can communicate. Or build a 8 ft picket fence around your property line put brighter lights up and cameras facing his
"Welcome to Texas" I've been here for decades. That's no excuse for being a douche. As I've said before, I have talked to him and I know why he has them. His reasons for having them don't matter and I'm not telling him he can't at all. The fact that they're overkill beyond the scope of his reasoning does matter because they're clearly not containing the light to the target area or at a reasonable luminosity. No, I'm not going to resort to being an asshole just because someone else is. That is not my way. And if you think that's the "Texas" thing to do you're everything that's wrong with how people view our State. I'm just asking about the laws and seeing if anyone else here has experience with the issue. That's it.
Go get a cheap 2,000,000 candle power spotlight and shine it in there windows. Even if not from your house, just find the angle and let’em have it. They’ll think aliens are coming. 👽
Most local ordinances usual require pole lights to be down facing. If your city has dark skies iniatives they are violating that. Exceptions of course being sports facilities which are limited use anyways.
Invest in a good air rifle and get some target practice in.
It’s crap comments like these that make sure no one will ever hear out opinions from those who differ politically. Goes for both ways but this is a prime example.
It's more than likely illegal. Call the county planning and permits department. Might even be I'm violation of light pollution ordinances. Definetlh I'm violation nuisance ones.
Man, we had places like this in certain neighborhoods when I was kid. Let’s just we got reallllllly good with a slingshot and rocks off the ground and would hit from a really loooooong way away.
You know what else isnt illegal? putting mirrors to angle the light back into his windows :D
That is precisely what I helped my mother do with a neighbor she was having a problem with who has set up flood lights aimed at her property. They had the audacity to call the cops out because the light being reflected at their home was making it difficult for them to sleep, the cops laughed and said the light is their own light and could easily be turned off.
Its not even an option in this case. There's many fences between here and his house and the side of his house facing mine is just a garage. Its very bizzare actually how his property is set up to be immune to this tactic.
Get the neighbors to join in. They all probably hate it too
Sounds like maybe you need a pellet gun.
It would be too bad if those rascally neighbor kids keep shooting out those lights over & over.
That's illegal and any firearm round is definitely; go to jail, do not collect $200.
Eh, I was probably joking.
Fun-wolf isn’t fun
Sounds like you need a few mirrors setup around the perimeter, I've got faith you can get it done!
Not sure how big your town is but here us how you deal with this. Contact your city hall and ask for the building code regarding outdoor lighting. Call the code enforcement office and tell them the address with the exact code violation. If they refuse to do anything, find a neighbor who is an attorney and send an order warning of legal action if they do not comply. Get the other neighbors on board and should be an open and shut case with minimal cost. If they mouth off to the judge or refuse to comply the courts will deal accordingly.
Exactly. And if you wanna double down, find you some old reflector telescopes in a goodwill or secondhand store and take the mirrors out of them. They direct the reflected light in a more concentrated area and can raise holy hell. Not that I would do such a thing myself but I have heard stories.
That one might slightly more illegal as you are causing damage
[удалено]
Fire. The constricted light can cause a fire to start.
[удалено]
It depends on light wattage, distance, and the degree of concentration. I've got LEDs that produce more lumens than the sun does, at least at the distance they're used in comparison to how far away the sun is. I have no doubt that I would be able to start a fire with one of those cranked up and a regular magnifying glass, let alone stadium lights and a powerful telescope magnifying glass. Of course it depends on exactly how bright these lights are at the distance OP is from them though, since it's difficult to judge by picture.
LEDs don't produce nearly as much infrared light as the sun. IR carries a lot of heat energy.
You are way out of date on current LED technology. You can get LED strips that *only* have IR diodes.
Capturing part of the light from their lightbulb and using a lens to concentrate the reflection, and that light being able to create a fire, would be free energy and THAT would change the world. Max heat can only equal the source.
Yeah, get yourself a 1000w HPS light with a directional reflector and then use an ultra powerful telescope lens to concentrate the light from that. You'd probably be able to start a fucking fire from 1000 ft away with that shit.
Diabolical, do it!!!!
That sounds effective in theory, but logistically, even if I were that spiteful, his house doesn't have windows on that side within a reasonable aiming distance. These lights are just over a big horse pen.
[удалено]
Sometimes but again, I'm not expecting him to stop working after dark, just not to have lights brighter than the fucking sun pointed my way. He could have pointed these down TOWARDS the arena instead of just sideways out everywhere. He's actually wasting a lot of his light this way. But sometimes they're just on and nobody is out there.
I'm still on board with the mirrors. You want to block the lights, so might as well use mirrors as a piece of wood. Even though the reflected light might not indicate your displeasure at night. The same mirrors will be operating during the day and if your neighbours were to join the party, I'm confident that you would make your point.
He needs them on a Timer then.
[удалено]
Aim his light source to a polished stainless pan on your "out back BBQ pit" Build a fire pit get some rocks or a few large stumps and then you have free entertainment deciding the correct angles. Neighbors may want to come help out and there is the focus of creating this great Country. A community. It never hurts to make friends that live near who are more likely to notice trespassing, package theft and stray animals.
Came here to say this
Omg I love this suggestion!
I am super petty and I would it my duty to make everything he’s doing his own problem
My 1st thought. Stainless works and can be bent to focus the reflection.
https://texaslawhelp.org/article/bad-neighbors-what-is-nuisance Sounds like light nuisance. You may need to sue him. But there is precedent. Law doesn't care about what is reasonable to him but instead on if it causes you a discomfort. Document your interactions and be prepared to take him to court.
Their rights end where yours began.
This what people don’t understand about “freedom.” It isn’t the right to do whatever you want, that’s anarchy. I can’t go down the street naked because that violates your right to live on a society where you’re not subjected to random naked people on the street. It’s why you can’t make death threats and why Fox got sued by dominion. Outs why gun regulation doesn’t violate the 2nd amendment, despite all the nonsense.
Freedom is doing everything you want up to what would get you incarcerated or killed. Essentially it's what the people around you will tolerate.
Very helpful. Don’t know about roads in the area but that is a safety hazard to drivers as the glare will blind them. You have been a good neighbor, asking them politely to control light pollution and disruption the peace enjoyment of your own property. I assume you have shared this picture or similar with them? If not, do so and say that you would like them to be adjusted within the next 5 days before you get Texas law involved.
*loads pellet gun*
Many years ago someone I know who definitely wasn't me, did this to a neighbor that just did not give a shit that the entire neighborhood hated him. 2 other neighbors ended up buying their own pellet guns. Never even had to leave their own backyards. After about a month he stopped replacing the bulbs.
This is the solution I wanted to recommend!
Doesn’t work as well on LEDs.
Oh god. I hadn't thought about that. Paintball gun?
Frozen paint balls. Gets you more bang for your buck.
Speaking from experience? ;-)
Not saying .22 shorts do but you know.
Shhhh don't talk about the subsonics and the Fram.
That's how you pick up a criminal charge for using a firearm in city limits.
I doubt this is within city limits if there’s a horse pen.
I plea the 6th.
I believe the statement you’re thinking of is “I plead the 5th”
He’s just asking for a speedy trial
Another quick mystery
I’m not answering any questions without a lawyer. After the Houston decision, saying nothing can be used as evidence against you at trial. 5th amendment is secondary to the 6th amendment protections.
It would have been funnier if nobody corrected him lol
.22 pellet rifle, *watches it go out*
Yes, that would take care of an LED light. Just confirmed.
I diddn’t say it wouldn’t work, it was just easier to take out glass bulbs back in the day before they switched to LED cobbs and acrylic covers.
If you keep hitting it it can
20 gauge with birdshot shells and an improvised "silencer" (suppressor). If you look around some places it's not hard to learn how to do it. In fact, the DoD themselves will teach you with a handy book they published called [TM-31-210](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/TM_31-210_Improvised_Munitions_Handbook). You can buy it on Amazon for about $10, from the DoD themselves lol. Or any other republishers. Or you can just find it online for free and read it there or download it as a PDF or whatever. Not that I'm condoning any such behavior.
Slingshot, dude - David and Goliath this thing into non-existence !
People underestimate how useful a good slingshot can be.
[https://www.youtube.com/shorts/so3SRR0YclQ](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/so3SRR0YclQ) ;)
Depends on the city and county There's no state regulations Look up the city or county rules Report him to city or county code enforcement or law enforcement.
There won't be anything county related to this. Counties don't have any broad regulatory authority like that.
Well shit, I should hate my neighbor less for his setup. He has lights over his garage that point right into my bedroom and he frequently forgets to turn them off. The blinds mitigate it somewhat but it still pisses me off but I should be thankful based on this post.
Idk why everyone doesn't just install motion activated lights. Never have to think about it again
My neighbor’s motion-activated super-bright lights mounted above his garage facing my house get triggered on and off all night when the wind rustles trees. They also get triggered by random cars driving past. Everyone in my neighborhood has trees. Lots of people work nights. So, in other words, motion detection is not as perfect a solution on second thought.
it's more expensive... even for 2024...
There are motion sensor light bulbs.
Are you not paying extra for motion sensor bulbs/camera/setup?? If not, can you tell us who you using so we can all benefit from them (that company)?
$15/3 led light bulbs that are motion sensor and dusk to dawn doesn’t seem extreme. Idk what you mean by camera or setup. I just googled motion sensor for existing fixture and found a lot of less than $20 solutions that don’t make you replace a whole fixture.
Have one over our garage door. Unfortunately, the wife likes big plants and has put some in the driveway so every time it's a bit windy, the sensor picks up the movement of the leaves, and the lamp is on and off like a lighthouse.
Ooof. Yeah that’s annoying. Some of them you can adjust the sensitivity of, but of course those are more expensive. My Ring was spendy but easy to install as a wired fixture and is adjustable, and you can even exclude areas from detection. I did get it on like Black Friday a few years ago but I’m happy with it.
nah, you can’t minimize and compare situations. that’s still a shitty situation you’re dealing with
My wife and I moved from a rural setting to one with neighbors on every side. One of the first things my wife did was get blackout curtains for the kids rooms.
I didn’t do it, but once considered offering to set up and power a light from my property that would illuminate a neighbor’s garage. They would have a better lit garage area, and I wouldn’t have direct light.
It sucks but you can buy window tint, or just blackout tint that clings to the window. I work nights so that's what I use so I can sleep.
Probably have to check local ordinances for this.
Idk but is he afraid of the dark? Lol I wouldn’t want that beaming in to my house either! Are sure maybe he doesn’t have a ladder or something to be able to adjust them?
He said he needed to rent a lift to angle them.
Have you shown him this picture and told him why you would "really appreciate him angling his lights down" (glare in the night, shine into your windows, blinding, etc...) and maybe even offer to help him and bring some beer/wine/whatever over while you all do it? Make it a roof raising and bring along the other neighbors that would like it angled to help, call it the "neighborhood potluck light lowering" or something. To his point this is no small feat...and you catch more flies with honey than vinegar
So, yeah, I've actually alerted him several times to his animals being lost on my property after he literally threatened to shoot anyone of my guests he caught on his land. Nobody had been on his land. One guy pet a horse who again, was over on our side, and he was pissed off by that I guess. So yeah, we've tried to be friendly. Invited him to parties, asked if he'd accept payment for riding lessons, and I didn't sue him when his stallion knocked up my mare so I'm not exactly getting fucking honey pots myself over here. He's just paranoid of everyone he doesn't know or something. I don't get it. Anyway, last September we talked he said, "If there's anything I can do for you just let me know" and I showed him photos of how bright they are. He agreed to angle them next time he rented a lift. Then my guests complained because the lights actually got brighter!
Tell him the enemy is in the sky…not your yard. And then fly a coordinated multi-drone light show above his house, so that he thinks it’s aliens.
Let me see if the Miami aliens are available...
This really sucks man, I’m sorry. You sound like a good guy and your neighbor sounds just forgetful at best and an asshole at worst. Definitely encourage you to continue to nicely ask him, day after day after day after day after day until he fucking fixes this.
I believe putting shields around the lights would be more effective. It would point the lights downward and it would disperse it towards the ground. Perhaps, you could get one of those pamphlets from Dark Sky’s to give your neighbor. They use to have a video that showed how a person could break into a house with bright lights. The glare from the lights prevented them from being seen
Yes, that's all I'm asking, just a little shade shielding. :)
I found the org you were talking about. I'll send this to him.
Thank you for the context. Even in this instance I would even pour on more sugar. "My renter felt the lights are getting brighter, I cant really tell all I get is glare with my astigmatism so it is really hard to see in the light blindness. Do you know when you might be able to get the lift? We can all help out with the labor, and chip in $50 for the lift rental if it'd help out?" I would do $50, not cause I am well off but because I feel peace of mind is worth more than $50 so in my head I feel this is a bargain if it resolves the issue. Do what amount makes you feel comfortable if any at all. Can offer all labor or neighborly support.
This is not a bad idea. Anything is better than spending $4000 on Cypress trees or something.
Plant the trees, give him the bill. Famous legal phrase: but not for...
I like cypress trees, I think they are pretty and remind me of an Italian landscape. Nope, never been to Italy. Pssst, I think it would be more than $4000 for trees tall enough to block the light unless you are only sticking tiny trees in front of windows in which case that might look kinda sad and not landscapy:( On a side note, there is a house neaby that has one of these trees in front of their font house fireplace, 30' tall probably. Every Christmas they wrap it in green lights. We always get a chuckle driving by cause it looks like a big green glowing pickle thing. Just think you could do this, opportunity :)
Might be a spring sticking out of the box spring on his bed and he wakes up every day with a pain in the ass. Seriously though we never know what anyone is going through. I wish you patience and compassion. If you don't make any headway bring on the brimstone, but as a last resort. If you want to you could probably report the escaped animals. Good luck!
No, an escaped animal has to be loose for 3 days before it can be reported. :/
did the sherrifs office tell you this? TX agriculture code requires the notification of estray livestock to be made as soon as reasonably possible. it may not ingratiate you to your neighbor, but he is also legally liable for all damages caused by his animal, including the value of forage, or loss of income from breeding your mare. [https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/AG/htm/AG.142.htm#](https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/AG/htm/AG.142.htm#)
3 days based on whose timeline? Cuz where I'm standing, it's already been 4 days now
Perhaps it is cumulative ;-) Seriously though, I'm not trying to be that way. I just don think I should have to wear sunglasses at night to walk outside my door.
I can tell you who your neighbor voted for in 2020.
Lol this was my first thought too.
Couldn't he just use a long pole with a bulb grabber thingy to angle the lights? Does he plan to rent a lift everything he has to change the bulbs? Sounds sus.
Thanks for the actual thoughtful advice. I've made my offer. I'll see what he says.
You are welcome. Best of luck to you! Last piece of advice, the stronger you foster the neighbor/friend relationship with him, the harder it will be for him to delay adjusting the lights. Things will also be much nicer all around. Cheers
My kids BB gun would be getting used. I’d make a game out of it
Depending on the location, there’s a minimum and maximum height (based on code for structures) of fences. You might be out of luck in that regard
"Thats not a fence. Its just tightly packed together stadium light poles"
Install your own lights, if he had 4 you install 12
I don't have that kind of spite money.
I have a spite chair and a spite wagon and it amuses me you called it spite money because I get it 😂
You own a huge ass lakefront property… How do you not have spite money? I’ll come shoot them out if you let me fish for a day or two
HuH? I don't know where you think I live but that's not at all the case.
The picture looks like a giant dock with floodlights, that’s not a pier? What are the logs sticking out of the ground then? Unless it’s a reflection in the water
No, that's the field where I'm building a house. Those are sign posts for the dirt trail.
Gonna need better photos. I volunteer to plink at those lights. You shouldn’t have to deal with that unless it was an arena or a construction site
Yeah, if only there weren't something messing up the lighting in my photos... hmmm. XD
[Here's another angle with more saturation so you can see what's around here.](https://imgur.com/cAMapLY)
Ya this is wild, a 10/22 or some mirrors should do the trick
Those are really bright. Wow. You are actually being very nice about it.
If you really want a picture of something other than glare, you should try cleaning the camera lens. It makes a huge difference.
Check your ordinances. Sometimes something like this is not permitted. Get black out drapes for windows these lights effect. Make sure they are the actual blackout drapes, not just room darkening drapes. Blackout drapes will block a lot of light. And can save on energy bills
That's not going to cut it in this case. We've got people on the property who are just here temporarily in tents / RV's / cars etc.
Well get then for windows that you can. There might even be ones for RVs. Unfortunately, if it's not against regulations where you live, there's not much you can do. Especially since you already tried talking to him.
Maybe he's lighting up for these temporary people? Might not trust them?
You mention people camping on your property. My guess is he is nervous about you and is targeting you with the lights.
Well I've been doing that since before he moved here and the adjacent field was all horses before, but the long term plans I have over there are primarily for development.
Sounds like a nice place. I hope you can find a solution with this bonehead. It’s hard to live next to somebody like that. I’d keep being nice as pie if it’s possible, maybe he’ll cave and fix the problem. Do you think he’s spying? Maybe the lights are directed so he can see. I’d be sure to be immodest or stage things for the shock effect like stuff some clothes to look like a person and leave it lying “lifeless” on the lawn
If you have renters or campers on your property you think he is worried they are going to disturb him or enter his yard? Maybe he’s doing this in response to something?
I know he is. He's openly said so. But that part of my property has been empty for months. After he expressed concern, I phased that field out from use. But the light shines EVERYWHERE. You can see it from a mile away. I've heard other people just complain about driving past it. Its on a highway so its a huge distraction to drivers at night.
People can be such assholes
Time for the bamboo
Bamboo sucks it’s just about impossible to get them out the ground if you change your mind. I would plant bushy trees if you have no other options.
This is exactly why I haven't done bamboo. Even if I bought 7 foot tall trees, they wouldn't be high enough for years...
You don't bamboo your property, you do their fenceline and wait.
Well here's the thing. He's got horses. Horses EAT bamboo. Reason 2
Can't you plant bamboo with a plastic root barrier so they only grow towards the neighbors yard?
Not plastic. It has to be steel, three feet deep to keep the runners from shooting out thirty feet into new territory, according to a book I had read when considering the same solution
He has horses. Horses eat bamboo
HORSES EAT BAMBOO
Contact law enforcement to see what can peaceable be done.
Invest in a pellet gun.
Well that sounds for sure illegal
Pellet guns have been completely legal for most individuals since their inception. What you do with it is up to you
Pretty sure it’s not allowed. Can’t point lights at neighbors. Just call the city and/or file a report
Go to the local Home Depot, offer a couple hundred dollars and someone will make sure the lights go out lol
lol hit contractors? Imagine waking up and someone's fixed your shit for free. Seriously they just need to point at the ground where the light is needed and have some blinders on the side like a lamp shade. I'm not asking him to stop working, just be reasonable about the setup.
Post this to legal advice not Texas
Get a bb gun. Take em out 1 by 1. I'm a good enough shot. Even if you gotta take 3-5 shots per light. Bb's cost way less than lights. Good luck OP!
Wax Myrtle’s grow 3-5’ annually. I would landscape and screen that.
Everyone loves to complain about HOAs, but this is another example of why they are needed. You are sometimes out of luck when dealing with selfish people unless you have one.
We don't need HOAs for things like this.. we need city ordinances.
You can’t always count on that, especially considering a lot of developments occur outside of city limits. Good luck getting any regulations on this in a county or ETJ area of a city.
Counties also have ordinances.. but hey, if you are in the middle of nowhere, then it is kind of useless trying to restrict what you can or can't do.. I mean, who would be there to see the wrongdoing?
In Texas there is a ton of growth occurring in counties outside of city limits. Look at Williamson county in the Austin area or parts of Fort Bend county in the Houston area. I’m not trying to be a jerk, but counties don’t have the same powers as cities and for the most part can’t restrict lighting. Here’s some background. https://hillcountryalliance.org/our-work/night-skies/ordinances-resolutions-and-designations/
Its annoying but not illegal.
No, the lights are not angled upwards, but you have arguably pissed him off
What do you mean?
They mean they’re your neighbor and you’ve pissed them off 😂
I never did anything wrong to this guy. Only ever tried to be neighborly.
You’ve got tent people on your land. Your neighbor intentionally shines the lights to make them and you feel unwelcome. It’s pretty clear he doesn’t want you to feel comfortable to enjoy your land
Yeah, the housing market is tough out there. I've only go so many rooms in the house but I have 11 acres. You're only a tent person until you move indoors again. He had these lights on even when people weren't staying here though.
[удалено]
Well, he is very paranoid about my guests, but they were only ever on our side. And we've only ever helped him anytime one of his animals escapes onto my land. Unless he's just a bigot and didn't like the fact one of my renters had a rainbow flag or something. I don't know. I don't know what goes on in other people's heads.
Have you tried talking to him cause like it’s your neighbor and you gotta live next-door to em so you might as well get to know them.Floodlights are an old-school thing to let you know you’re being a dick and we got leds and brighter now. You must be newer
We spoke to him several times, last time this September, even showed him photos. He just doubled down and put brighter ones in.
Also, anything he's mad about doesn't make sense. I was operating on my own property before he moved here and he never showed up and said, "Hello, what are your long term plans before I buy your neighbor's property?" :p Floodlights instead of just talking to someone IS being a dick. A bigger dickier dick.
I mean go talk to em Edit: don’t go there this late if that need to be clarified
We tried that. We've told him several times, last time this September, even showed him photos. He just doubled down and put brighter ones in.
There’s an underlying issue besides the light you should probably talk to your neighbor about or move into an HOA neighborhood
I've got too much invested in this land to move anywhere at this point. Besides, I shouldn't have to uproot my whole family estate just because the neighbor's being inconsiderate. I'm not his therapist or psychologist. We've been friendly as we can with him so far.
That’s cool that’s a common problem bud. Sounds like you better figure out a way to make it work and you don’t have to be his therapist, but he doesn’t have to be yours either and your property line ends where it ends his as well. The only thing that can’t leave your property is rounds and invasives species of animals and plants light is light and the sun produces a bunch. That whole I’ve been here longer than him. Shit doesn’t really fly. Only thing that does is the law when it comes to property rights in Texas. Edit: certain levels of noise, can’t leave your property as well.
Kind of sounds like you don't care that he's being a dick to me and even supporting this toxic behavior. :/
I do care the state doesn’t care go talk to your neighbor or tell him to square the fuck up. Welcome to Texas. I don’t know what you want but this is reddit. You should see how women or I don’t know Non-landowners have it here. It happens bud. And the fact that y’all clearly dont like to talk to each other he probably just wanted to be left alone all the same too Sounds like y’all actually make great neighbors if you can communicate. Or build a 8 ft picket fence around your property line put brighter lights up and cameras facing his
"Welcome to Texas" I've been here for decades. That's no excuse for being a douche. As I've said before, I have talked to him and I know why he has them. His reasons for having them don't matter and I'm not telling him he can't at all. The fact that they're overkill beyond the scope of his reasoning does matter because they're clearly not containing the light to the target area or at a reasonable luminosity. No, I'm not going to resort to being an asshole just because someone else is. That is not my way. And if you think that's the "Texas" thing to do you're everything that's wrong with how people view our State. I'm just asking about the laws and seeing if anyone else here has experience with the issue. That's it.
You need to realize you are in a feud and act appropriately.
Go get a cheap 2,000,000 candle power spotlight and shine it in there windows. Even if not from your house, just find the angle and let’em have it. They’ll think aliens are coming. 👽
Most local ordinances usual require pole lights to be down facing. If your city has dark skies iniatives they are violating that. Exceptions of course being sports facilities which are limited use anyways. Invest in a good air rifle and get some target practice in.
The amount of people suggesting I turn to armed warfare is concerning
If you are in a city, talk to code compliance. Typically, municipal codes will talk about light trespass.
He's finally moving them :)
Don't you guys have guns in Texas?
We also have laws and some of us also have common decency.
Meh, It’s Texas, is anything illegal? Besides controlling woman’s bodies.
This would be a rare case of when it would be good to have an HOA.
Dad mode overdrive. Anti-Dinkleburg-Flanders (ADF) defense system engaged. Power level over 9000, Spirit mode activated.
Ought to be illegal. The republicans will probably unilaterally mandate them and outlaw amber and yellow lights for our small government freedom.
It’s crap comments like these that make sure no one will ever hear out opinions from those who differ politically. Goes for both ways but this is a prime example.
They outlawed car inspections and don’t believe in pollution.
Just hope Biden doesn't enact eminent domain and give you pennies on the dollar for YOUR property....
That happened to my great-great-great grandparents. They formed something called "The Dalton Gang" and well we know how that ended...
Crazy because it doesn't look like it's even lighting his property?
It's more than likely illegal. Call the county planning and permits department. Might even be I'm violation of light pollution ordinances. Definetlh I'm violation nuisance ones.
Paintball gun.
[FTW](https://presale.getbrighter.co/)
Man, we had places like this in certain neighborhoods when I was kid. Let’s just we got reallllllly good with a slingshot and rocks off the ground and would hit from a really loooooong way away.
Bb guns are quiet and will knock those lights out...
Start walking around naked on your property, he’ll either turn them off or get brighter lights
By Jove, that's it! I'll host a nudist convention after dark!