Simply tell people that you collect flashlights and sometimes review/test them and ‘look at this one for instance’.
It would be highly unusual if the male doesn’t instantly respond with interest that such a hobby exists and that you have such an impressive flashlight, and where do you buy them?
I’ve seen people curious about what I was doing with my super flashlights (and what it is), but never hostile.
Yes. From my wife when she sees I got a new light….
My 95 year old neighbour is paranoid about non-existent prowlers at night. One time she called 911 to report a suspicious person I’m pretty sure was me, and the police came out to investigate. Another time she went off on us over the phone for “scaring” her because I needed to check something at the side of the house at 10pm. She also called 911 to report me grilling burgers 
Yes , I elaborate and I’m a storyteller.
I’m on my Third dog, Second dog with my flashlight addiction! About 14 years of Torch Euphoria.
I hike on hiking trails, not through neighborhoods. The darker the better. Tons of trails near me.
It’s been dark on every Morning hike I’ve done since September 7th. I get up at 4:00 or 4:30 in the morning.
That amounts to two flashlight hikes per day. 
At least 8 miles per day to keep this old man in shape!
Here it is, only a handful of times in 14 years, has someone got angry at me. I simply tell them, “I can’t see you until I see you”. As soon as I recognize it’s a human being I turn my light on low and keep it pointed to the ground Until I Pass them.
It’s a clash of light and darkness, sooner or later it’s going to happen. I choose to walk with a light while some others choose to walk in darkness.
Eventually, the odds are someone is going to get someone angry and it runs deeper than just a flashlight beam hitting them.
Oh…yaa… the vast majority stop and are astonished by my lights. All of them with the exception of a few, are modified.
You poor guy! It’s time to move or get her into a nursing home!
I live on a farm. Nobody is close enough to be bothered by my flashlights.
Thats nice.
Do you use your lights outside of your farm? Hiking trails?
I have four lights that go over a mile. If I lived on a farm my neighbors better be further than that away!
No. There aren’t really any public trails nearby, just other private farms…and I’m careful not to shine towards anyone’s house or vehicles. I have some pretty nice entry level throwers that still probably throw enough to make people annoyed, and an LEP.
My brother used to live in Thurmont Maryland and the Catoctin mountains not far from camp david. Beautiful area. That’s where I found my first dog way back in 1983! The great Cochise.
I’ve hiked up that mountain there just to the West of Thurmont (forget the name…Kettle something?) a few times, but always in the morning. Haven’t been since 2018. Too busy.
Yes, tweakers love headlamps. To the guy 10 post back or so.
I don’t think it’s using the flashlight that gets people peeved, it’s the inappropriate use of them. Who needs a 1km thrower on full blast for a dog walk at night. Of course your going to light someone up you can’t even see anyway.
More lumens and more throw isn’t better. The appropriate amount of light for the job at hand is perfect. It’s dark as shit out here where I live. I doubt I use more than 500 lumens to make sure the dogs are okay out in the front yard, an acre or so I guess. I don’t walk them down the roads around here, you’ll get run over, fancy flashlight or not.
I have never had anyone come up to me and moan about my flashlights. I use them at a reasonable brightness and at reasonable times. I don’t fire up the 75 emitter 6x21700 light with handle and a fan to walk the trash out to the can and then shine it all over the neighborhood lighting up houses and cars like an idiot.
I had a guy stop his car one night on the road in front of the house. I had the whole front of my house lit up with some light or another. I was just goofing off. He just wanted to know where he could get one. Gave him the info and away he went. That was about 7 years ago. Now he stops by weekly or so, so we can sit around and talk lights and whatever else comes to mind.
Yes, right tool for the job.
You don’t use a hammer drill to change a watch battery.
Does playing with your lights ever lead to anger or aggression?
= Only when I FUBAR a Mod ….
There is Wolf Rock, Cat Rock and Hog Rock. Those are the ones that I was on.
It appears you’re talking about me?
Are you too lazy to put my name in the post?!
How do you know what lights I use on the local trails?
You’re making assumptions.
These forums will never change. People who make assumptions, people who know it all, people who kiss ass. Easy to figure out which post that is.
Sounds like fodder for a hi lumen flashlight ban.
Will all this aggression turn into a national flashlight registry?
I avoid overly tactical lights for this reason.
Looks like playing with lights does lead to aggression lol
Wtf are you doing with your flashlights that this has happened multiple times lmao
If it happened once I’d give you the benefit of the doubt but multiple times and you’re definitely the problem. Play with them in the woods or some where there aren’t a bunch of people
I just looked it up…Chimney Rock is the one I’ve hiked up several times. I’ve done Cat Rock once, and have no desire to go back to it. The view wasn’t really worth the effort.