Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Doctors issue warning about effects of LED streetlights on health

theconversation.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

81–89 of 89 posts

Re: Doctors issue warning about effects of LED streetlights on health

#81

Post by frabbit »

steveax wrote: post #68
NegativeLatency wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think part of it is a reaction to the poor bicycle infrastructure in many cities. Bright lights have stopped cars from hitting me at night a couple of times. While I'm simpathetic to other people (I try not to point them in people's eyes) there aren't that many other options.

I live in Portland, OR, e have pretty good bike infrastructure. If the goal is to be seen, there are indeed other options. LED glow or area lights are probably more effective than the eye melters pointing towards the sky and much less hostile.

> LED glow or area lights are probably more effective

Based on what?

Re: Doctors issue warning about effects of LED streetlights on health

#82

Post by frabbit »

vacri wrote: post #29
JoeAltmaier wrote: post #2

What does the AMA know about LEDs and health? There's nothing in this article about why they made these recommendations. And the article compares LED lighting to 'before electricity', instead of to for instance existing sodium lamps? It is an opportune moment to make the recommendation, since folks are converting to LED so rapidly.

It's sort of the AMA's central mandate to know about things that affect health.

Yeah, these people are just sawbones. Not statisticians. Their expertise is limited to how many freebies they can get from drug companies.

Re: Doctors issue warning about effects of LED streetlights on health

#83

Post by reportingsjr »

jhanschoo wrote: post #73
Laforet wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a bigger issue with fluorescent lights: They have a discontinuous spectrum[0] that can mess with your perception of colour as well as a noticable flicker that gets worse as the tubes age. Some of the newer "warm tone" CFL bulbs appears to do better better on these aspects. [0]: http://minerva.union.edu/newmanj/Physics100/Light%20Producti...

Don't LEDs have a similar (or worse) spectral profile?

LED lights tend to have a much better spectrum than fluorescent bulbs.

http://www.designingwithleds.com/the-new-cree-tw-series-led-...

Re: Doctors issue warning about effects of LED streetlights on health

#84

Post by loco5niner »

api_or_ipa wrote: post #70
steveax wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And don't even get me started on the LED eye melters that cyclists are running these days. Some are about as bright as car headlights, but the spread and aim are inferior - especially since the folks that run those invariably seem to point them up from the horizontal. I keep thinking about mounting a 8 D cell maglight on a gimbal on my handlebars to give them a photon in-kind response.

As a cyclist commuter who was hit by a clearly negligent car driver on Sunday in broad daylight, I fully support any measure to make bicyclists more noticed on the streets. In the absence of fully grade separated bike lanes, bicycles can only do so much to protect themselves against 4,000lbs of metal.

That's an unfortunately ironic response to a comment that basically says "I'm getting blinded by these bicyclists headlights".

Re: Doctors issue warning about effects of LED streetlights on health

#85

Post by steveax »

frabbit wrote: post #81
steveax wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live in Portland, OR, e have pretty good bike infrastructure. If the goal is to be seen, there are indeed other options. LED glow or area lights are probably more effective than the eye melters pointing towards the sky and much less hostile.

> LED glow or area lights are probably more effective Based on what?

Color other than white, large area illuminated, can be seen from any direction. All these contribute.

Re: Doctors issue warning about effects of LED streetlights on health

#86

Post by analog31 »

joshkpeterson wrote: post #24
analog31 wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of the many hats that I wear at my day job is optics designer. An issue is that the white LED is a particular thing. It's a blue LED coated with a phosphor that absorbs some of the blue light, re-emits it at a broad range of longer wavelengths, while also passing some of the remaining blue light through. The blue is special -- 473 nanometers -- due to the solid state physics of the semiconductor. There is indeed…

Is it currently feasible to make LED's at that brightness that are closer to the old yellow-orange lamps?

That's the 64 dollar question. At present, they exist but are less efficient.

Re: Doctors issue warning about effects of LED streetlights on health

#87

Post by noir_lord »

srisa wrote: post #77
noir_lord wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Someone mentioned flux but on Linux gtk-redshift is awesome time.

You saved my eyes!! And that is not an exaggeration. I too recommend gtk-redshift if you are on Linux.

I really like gtk-redshift, you can play with the settings in ~/.config/redshift.conf as well I find that a lower gamma even at midday works well and I tweaked even more towards the red than the default.

Re: Doctors issue warning about effects of LED streetlights on health

#88

Post by 5555624 »

frabbit wrote: post #80
5555624 wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

More often than not, they're not mounted correctly. When it comes to headlights, too many cyclists (most?) do not think of their bike as a vehicle. The headlight should be a solid light and the light beam should not be parallel to the ground. the primary purpose of your headlight is there to help you see where you're going. If it's not, you don't really ride in the dark. As with any other vehicle, being seen is a sec…

> the primary purpose of your headlight is there to help you see where you're going. Sorry. Didn't see you.

If you were coming towards me, why were you in the wrong lane? If you were drunk or not paying attention, seeing me probably wouldn't make a difference.

If you were coming from behind me, you wouldn't have seen my headlight, anyway. That's why I have a taillight and a reflective vest.

Re: Doctors issue warning about effects of LED streetlights on health

#89

Post by mapt »

NetTechM wrote: post #14

I would argue that people with those crazy LED headlights are even worse. Since I often work late, I get the pleasure of being temporarily blinded as a white dwarf passes by at 45mph regularly.

There's no law or technical consideration that says "LED headlights have to be built 10x brighter". People want them as bright as their electrical system can handle, and they buy them that bright. Blame people. If you like, regulate people; We successfully prevent them from using green lasers as headlights, this should be no different.
Post reply on HN