I sometimes see videos of people in skyscrapers reviewing LEP flashlights, and they’re up there going, “Look, I can light up that apartment building a mile away!” But what is it like when a bright light comes through your window from across the city and you’ve never even heard of an LEP light? Are there people out there worrying about aliens and the CIA because of our hobbies?
Does anyone know of a video of LEP light coming in your building? That would be interesting to see.
That’s funny. When ever I’m white wall hunting, I always picture that scene from Close Encounters where the boy is inside the house looking at the door with the beams of light shining through every crack.
I wish people wouldn’t shine their lights into homes. Do you want legislation limiting what kind of lights you can own? Because that’s how you get it.
I don't point mine to houses either :D
I only point my lights at my home.
I absolutely do NOT want legislation telling people what flashlights they can own. But I honestly don’t see the issue. I think the things that are dangerous to do with flashlight are already illegal. Literally every single person here laughs and scoffs at the idea of a strobe somehow causing any damage or being of any use to inflict any kind of harm besides a small annoyance. So I really don’t see how a light hitting a house is such a danger that legislation needs to be enacted. Can’t flash other cars already. Already can’t flash choppers or planes with lasers. It would be a serious stretch to come up with a reasonable excuse as to why flashlights hitting a structure is so dangerous to people’s safety. We already have those movie premiere lights shooting into the sky wildly, those don’t seem to affect planes or choppers. And how bright are those and what is their candela? Like I said, I def don’t want legislation, but I also don’t see how it would be warranted in this case. How many of us are there? Unless everyone all of a sudden gets super into flashlights like we are and flashlight ownership goes viral and becomes a new nationwide fad, we’re probably in the clear. But…you never know. I suppose Legislators have been known to make pretty stupid laws and pretty often so…
Unenforceable. You already can’t legally get lasers that are over 5mw.
Lojik, strobes can cause seizure in some people. They’re not banned because it’s only a few
To the OP let’s pull up a W10. It’s 250 lumens. Nothing dangerous. Have you used an LEP? It’s no different than police looking around your area or a helicopter but way weaker.
It doesn’t matter if shining light at windows is a real danger. All it takes is for the wrong person to become annoyed and for articles to start being written on the dangers of high-powered flashlights. A few paranoid busybodies with writing skills could spread misinformation; then some lawmaker might take up the “cause” so they can look busy at work. All I’m saying is I’d prefer it if we didn’t give them anything to complain about.
Thats what I’m saying too.
If someone told you, flashlights are getting banned because houses got flashed with lights. Is that even an acceptable enough reason to anyone? Ok yeah so what? What happened? How many died or got injured? What damage was caused? Cities have so much light pollution that it would be absurd. Think Vegas trying to ban lights. Then what about in rural area’s? A strong flashlight is an enemy? I really just don’t see it. There has to be a tangible danger.
Now if someone who is already a politician is getting harassed with flashlights and he wants to stick it to his protestors, I could see him making himself look stupid to try and pass something like this. But in and of itself, flashlights are not that serious. I could argue high beam headlights are far more of a danger, and those aren’t going anywhere because they are too important.
I think the headlights thing is critical in this discussion. I live in a fairly dense suburb, I don’t like shining my lights at peoples’ houses, but that is essentially anywhere I shine a light. If people were so sensitive to it, then the cars that drive around with their HID lights and high beams on would already be enough of a nuisance. Apply some common courtesy and you are unlikely even be noticed. I’d bet that most of the time, if you shined a flashlight at a house a reasonable distance away, the occupants would be fairly likely to just assume it was a car passing by and not give it a second thought.
I found this one reddit,
You mean like this? L.A. City Council moves to ban strobe lights from protests and demonstrations
Well, I am from LA, so yup, exactly like that. I knew I got it from somewhere. 
But strobe is always kind of an iffy thing anyway honestly. There are usually warnings anywhere where there may be a strobe or strobe-effect. But then again. I see many of those electronic billboards and those could be pretty eye-rapey while driving too. So who knows how a fine line would/could ultimately be drawn. Just driving down the strip could be worse so that line is already pretty blurry.
From the Article:
“This is aimed for the anarchists who come to our city, who protest and wreak havoc and cause hell, and most importantly, may use a strobe light against our officers who are there to protect the 1st Amendment rights.”
I had no idea flashlights could do all that and even prevent such things like First Amendment rights. The dissenters in the City Council said it was another attempt at criminalizing literally anybody for a simple flashlight with a strobe that literally anyone could be carrying during protests. Which is ultimately the key, this is for protests, not public in public in general. But again, the fact remains that flashlights are not a real danger (well, if you don’t count fires :sunglasses:, only complete idiots would reach and try to pass something not founded in reality like this.
I’m pretty sure I saw multiple situations with police in the US using strobing flashlights at/on the protesters 2 years ago. It may have been after the protesters used them but I’m not sure. What about the flashing blue lights on police vehicles? I’ve also seen video from I forgot which Asian country where the police had multiple Acebeam W30’s using them against the protesters. Protesters were also using various flashlights and lasers. It was very shortly after that video surfaced that acebeam announced they were discontinuing the w30. I’m not saying there’s a connection. Although they still have language about it being only available for military and or police. When the w30 first came out Matt Smith posted a video where he was dancing in the beam at possibly a quarter mile away. I’m pretty much opposed to shining any light in anyone’s eyes in order to cause them grief.
Thats an interesting point about police using it. So I’d have to say that I agree with your comment. I too am opposed to shining any light in anyone’s eyes in order to cause them grief. As I was agreeing with you, I remembered that when police pull you over, it’s standard procedure to flash their two door lights right into your mirrors so you can’t see. One in the rear view, one in the drivers side mirror. Or is that just in LA? Anyway, now that seems a bit much.
Shining high powered lights at other people’s houses is just plain antisocial. I’d be keen as a community to call out this behaviour more.
If you want to mess around with high intensity lights, go to a canyon or light up a hill or power lines or something.
I agree but to an extent. Not gonna go around purposely annoying people in their homes with my lights, don’t think anyone suggested that. But I live in a big bright city. I’m not driving to a canyon to play with a light, it’s not that serious. I’m not even leaving my house. And if my flashlight partially crosses another house in passing on my way to lighting up a powerline or a hill, not gonna worry about it too much for the reasons already given above. I agree that as a community, we would be keen to remind people to be respectful in general with lights, nothing but value in that.
Blinding or annoying people with strong flashlights will lead to legislation against flashlights.
Remeber what happened to quadcopters and other drones.
So go on, handful of nerds, do your nasty work and destroy the joy for all the others!
There is a video of our own Matt Smith getting hit with a W30 at a good few hundred yards and no serious implications. I know that doing videos, it’s been years since anyone has ever said anything to me about lighting up a house or building. And I’m at an airport. I guess it depends on the wisdom used as to what, when, and how that something/someone is lit up.
Yep, that’s exactly what happened with lasers. When the green ones first came out and people realized how “cool” they were, things eventually just got out of hand and just ruined it for everyone.
I saw the writing on the wall when I’d taken a slightly modded $12 5mw green pointer to Hawaii/Maui where my parents had retired to, (I think it was around 17-25mw) and used it to point out some constellations while we were on a nearby beach. There was a family nearby with their 15 yr old son. He went bananas and said “OMG where’d you get that! I NEED ONE!”. Not want, NEED. I talked about astronomy a bit but I put it away and left.