Too Bright
It was like trying to sleep in a baseball stadium or in the middle of an airport landing strip.
The glaring floodlight should have pointed towards the ground. But instead, it went right into their bedroom, making it impossible to sleep. One night, Joey had a brilliant idea that would fix everything.
New Neighbors
It was a peaceful neighborhood with decent people. There was the occasional disagreement like is always bound to happen, but things would eventually sort themselves out.
Everyone understood the unspoken social contract. One day, Joey and his family watched a new couple move in, curious what the new neighbors were like. And, at first, things were okay.
Lonely Wife
However, Joey noticed the husband’s car coming and going during crazy, strange hours.
He carefully poked his nose into their business and asked what the guy did. The wife explained that her husband’s job took him all over the country and she was often left alone. She then went on to complain … at length.
Emerging Pattern
The first complaints were normal.
Joey patiently listened while feeling the overly sweet mocha hazelnut coffee she had offered turn cold in his hands. However, it wasn’t long until he noticed a pattern of behavior that would soon cause him problems.
Flood Light
She was terrified … of everything. Being alone and nervous in her house was normal, but knowing there were concerned neighbors around did nothing to help.
Her home security system didn’t make her feel any better. Even thunderstorms were somehow a dangerous enemy. All of this accumulated into one giant floodlight over her garage.
Odd Direction
The new house accessory was beyond bright. The worst part was that it pointed in their bedroom, not on the driveway where it should go.
He politely asked the first time if they could adjust it more towards the ground. They refused. Joey walked back home, stunned.
Bad Ideas
This went on for a while. He even offered to buy a timer for them. The couple used a few choice expletives to tell them what they thought of the offer.
His wife put up new curtains, but they did nothing. “Maybe we could break them ... or shoot out the bulbs with a BB gun?” he asked his wife one day.
No BB Guns!
“Don’t even think about it,” she said, glaring over her newspaper. “What about blackout curtains?” he asked.
His wife went on to complain about the price and she had already bought curtains. All the woman had to do was point it to the ground for free. It was then Joey had his own lightbulb turn on.
Wait For It
He stayed up, watching television as his family slept. He had to wait until he was sure the woman would be asleep.
The bright beams filtered through the windows, right into his eyes. Soon, the problem would disappear. 3 am rolled around and he slipped on his jacket. He walked across the street, right up to the annoying glow.
Turn It Off
He reached up to the bulb … and twisted it off. Then, he returned home with a smile and got the best night’s sleep he had had in months.
The solution ended up better than expected and lasted for several months. When it was finally noticed, and new lights put in, Joey just went across and untwisted them again.
Months Later
How did it go unnoticed? Well, the security measure didn’t actually reach the woman’s bedroom, so the couple had no idea when the driveway was dark.
Any other light was a normal one and therefore bothered no one. Joey was working in his yard one day when the husband came over…
Blame The Cars
“Are you having trouble with your lights?” he asked. Joey held back a smile and said, “Yeah. My outdoor ones. Had a problem with them for years.”
“Any idea why?” Joey went on to theorize that the vibrations from the street were to blame and loosened the twist. The husband agreed.
Final Solution
It was a final solution that served everyone well. The woman still had her other security lights and Joey’s family could have a normal night.
Granted, it might have been childish and petty, but at least it kept the neighborhood peace. It also avoided any harsh litigation.
Different Laws
Bright lights might seem like nothing to complain about, but it’s important to know the guidelines of your community and district.
It’s not an across-board law, but there are places that have “light nuisance” bylaws. Imagine someone blasting music early in the morning. This is considered a noise complaint. You can run into real problems.
Keeping The Peace
It won’t be anything major but there could be the chance of a civil suit.
It could be said that Joey’s solution was better than upping the aggressive ante in his dispute or wasting time arguing who was right or wrong. And, thankfully, he didn’t bring out the BB gun.