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Old 09-20-2018, 05:21 PM   #1
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Dark Sky - Bright Lights on MH's RV's at Campgrounds

Not certain which forum to post this in, but since we own a LYG MH I'll post it here. We are parked in a KOA in northern Michigan for the summer while building a lake home nearby.

I got a burr in my saddle. What is it with some people and their external lights?

In the evening when most people are trying to wind down and enjoy the outdoors by the campfire I notice some people have their bright external lights on. One site had an LED palm tree outside. Others had LED rope lights in all kinds of places, on the inside or outside edges of their awnings, underneath and outlining their units. Some just have BRIGHT porch lights that light up virtually everything in their path. They aren't outside and all lights inside are off. They leave them on all night. Especially the nice bright ones like LED strips.

Now I could understand if camping in some ghetto campground and you feel the need to feel more secure. But out in a $60 plus per night otherwise dark and quiet northern Michigan campground why feel the need to blast your neighbors with light?
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Old 09-20-2018, 05:32 PM   #2
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When we run into that, we don't get even, we get ahead.😂
Then leave. 👍
Ghetto campground...wtf.

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Old 09-20-2018, 05:39 PM   #3
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My pet theory is those "lighted up" folks are simply afraid of the dark.

The other one that bugs the kapok out of me are the ones with music/noise blasting out of external speakers in a similarly quiet area. I suspect 'city folk' that find peace and quiet unsettling, compared to the constant hubbub of the city they came from...

I also have little understanding of the 'need' for ANY television reception out in the 'wild'...I get out there to get away from the 'stuff' on the 'babble box'!

Nature is meant to be seen, heard, and appreciated. Not drowned out by the roar of "civilization".
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Old 09-20-2018, 07:39 PM   #4
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Oh, no...get out the popcorn. There are threads on this forum telling people how to do that. This should be as good as the campfire hate thread.
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Old 09-20-2018, 07:49 PM   #5
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Everything’s relative. No doubt there are tent campers looking at our Airstreams wondering what the hell is wrong with us. [emoji851]

If the lights bother you, perhaps just chat with your neighbor. 99.9% of the time, their intention isn’t to get in your way. Maybe they never thought of a night of star gazing without light pollution - maybe your discussion with them might help them experience something new?

If you’re not interested in that, maybe try to enjoy the LED flamingo aesthetic for what it is.

And if neither of those are of interest, perhaps search for non-light sites. I’m not sure where those are - I’ve often wondered why campgrounds don’t have sections like that - fire/no fire, music/no music, booze/no booze, smoking/no smoking, pets/no pets etc....
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Old 09-20-2018, 08:25 PM   #6
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I agree that excessive outdoor lighting in a campground can be really annoying, especially since dark skies are a big part of the experience for me. On occasion I've politely asked folks to moderate their lighting and offered to give them a view through the 85mm refractor that I bring with me on trips. Usually that works.
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Old 09-20-2018, 10:05 PM   #7
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Hi, I made two electronic control boxes that can turn on my running lights and / or flash my hazard lights. I only use these at an Airstream Rally.

Also I recently read that rope lights under your trailer will keep mice away.
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Old 09-21-2018, 03:55 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeinca View Post
I agree that excessive outdoor lighting in a campground can be really annoying, especially since dark skies are a big part of the experience for me. On occasion I've politely asked folks to moderate their lighting and offered to give them a view through the 85mm refractor that I bring with me on trips. Usually that works.


I’d shut my INSIDE lights off for a look through that! [emoji3]
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Old 09-21-2018, 05:02 AM   #9
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Thank you for the great, supportive comments. It's reassuring to know that I'm not the only one out there who appreciates dark skies.
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Old 09-21-2018, 05:43 AM   #10
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If you really want dark skies at night, camp where there aren’t any hookups and campground rules severely limit generator use. Most National Park campgrounds fit this description. [emoji6]
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Old 09-21-2018, 05:51 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS View Post
Hi, I made two electronic control boxes that can turn on my running lights and / or flash my hazard lights. I only use these at an Airstream Rally.

Also I recently read that rope lights under your trailer will keep mice away.
I do have two ropes of solar powered lights that I lay on the ground around my TT to keep mice out. They're not very bright.
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Old 09-21-2018, 05:57 AM   #12
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Someday we'll be able to "camp where there aren’t any hookups and campground rules severely limit generator use". Unfortunately for us that would require retirement which is a ways off.
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Old 09-21-2018, 05:58 AM   #13
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I agree that I am trying to get back to nature (albeit in an AS haha) as much as possible but the reality is that you are often cheek by jowl with others who may not share the same purpose. Even here in VT at the fairly pristine State Park CG's you end up with endlessly yapping dogs (I want to go over and offer to take their dogs for a walk!). I don't know what the answer is although a quiet & dark section seems like a great idea.
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Old 09-21-2018, 06:32 AM   #14
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Do they really keep mice out? I had not heard nor seen that at a campground.
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Old 09-21-2018, 07:14 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveSueMac View Post
Everything’s relative. No doubt there are tent campers looking at our Airstreams wondering what the hell is wrong with us. [emoji851]

If the lights bother you, perhaps just chat with your neighbor. 99.9% of the time, their intention isn’t to get in your way. Maybe they never thought of a night of star gazing without light pollution - maybe your discussion with them might help them experience something new?

If you’re not interested in that, maybe try to enjoy the LED flamingo aesthetic for what it is.

And if neither of those are of interest, perhaps search for non-light sites. I’m not sure where those are - I’ve often wondered why campgrounds don’t have sections like that - fire/no fire, music/no music, booze/no booze, smoking/no smoking, pets/no pets etc....
^
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Old 09-21-2018, 08:29 AM   #16
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"They're not very bright" ... The mice or the LEDs?
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Old 09-21-2018, 09:33 AM   #17
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"They're not very bright" ... The mice or the LEDs?


Yes.

[emoji851]
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Old 09-21-2018, 10:23 AM   #18
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Someone told me about the lights under the trailer to keep away mice and ground rats (apparently prevalent out West). I had wondered why almost every trailer was using them. Well , there are only 3 trailers that inhabit the campground I'm in and 2 have mice problems. I have none. I also have lights down. Myth? Who knows. I can say their moth balls were killing me (especially after a reain) and they still have mice.
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Old 09-21-2018, 02:25 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by rmkrum View Post
My pet theory is those "lighted up" folks are simply afraid of the dark.

The other one that bugs the kapok out of me are the ones with music/noise blasting out of external speakers in a similarly quiet area. I suspect 'city folk' that find peace and quiet unsettling, compared to the constant hubbub of the city they came from...

I also have little understanding of the 'need' for ANY television reception out in the 'wild'...I get out there to get away from the 'stuff' on the 'babble box'!

Nature is meant to be seen, heard, and appreciated. Not drowned out by the roar of "civilization".


AMEN to that!
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Old 09-21-2018, 04:21 PM   #20
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I remember one night in Rocky Mountain National park, when a friend and I drove into the park at 2 am, took a side road and just waited. Even the rare car passing half a mile away didn't ruin our night vision. I saw the Andromedia Galaxy naked eye. It was HUGE! A few elk wandered by, and eventually, we got very cold at 10,000'.

My point is that when I want dark skies, I don't go to a KOA.
It's like demanding quiet in Manhattan.
Too much outrage.
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