Lights That Go Out When Near Them

I've noticed my roommate does the same exact thing with street lights. Just yesterday him and I were driving to campus when at least 4 lights went off and one that was off already turned on as we got to within 10 ft of them along probably 100 yards of road. He also gets zapped by desktop computers if he's touching the metal on the back, even when it's off and unplugged. I don't get zapped when I do the same thing after he does, and this happens on any desktop computer.

Originally posted by Nicodeme
I've noticed my roommate does the same exact thing with street lights. Just yesterday him and I were driving to campus when at least 4 lights went off and one that was off already turned on as we got to within 10 ft of them along probably 100 yards of road. He also gets zapped by desktop computers if he's touching the metal on the back, even when it's off and unplugged. I don't get zapped when I do the same thing after he does, and this happens on any desktop computer.

Street lights going out are because they are sensitive to light to begin with... that's why they come on when it gets dark. Sometimes one will get a bit too sensitive to light and your headlights will trigger them.

It happens to everyone, and everyone always seems to interpret mystical underpinnings to it, in vain.

It doesn't just happen in the car, though. On campus, pathway lights go out as well.

reply to post by Nicodeme


Still effects of faulty light sensors.

Sorry... happens a lot.

Could be, but I dunno. They won't go out when people walking in front of us go under them, but when we do, they do. Who knows. Or the number of other cars going by don't make the lights go out, but for us they do, and make or model doesn't seem to matter because it's happened in various vehicles.

reply to post by Nicodeme


One thing is for sure...


it does FEEL cool when that happens.

i've noticed this happening to me for as long as i remember! Not so much lately, because i drive now, but when i used to walk home from working nights, i'd have a 3km walk home at around 11pm and each walk at least one streetlight would flicker off while i went past it, i always thought it was odd but never really thought much more, but i'm going to look up more about it, hearing how common it seems to be now! I've had stereo's turn on and off near me a couple of times too, wonder if that's related?

Same. Unfortunately, it's street lights. And it's a specific one most of the time. I don't know if that's the light's fault or what, but whenever I approach it it's perfectly fine. Then it just flickers off. One time I stopped and mumbled something about maybe it's only motion-activated, but once I said that it immediately turned off again even though I walked back under it.

Kinda freaky and extremely inconvenient since it's the only light on my street.

Last time though, it was flickering by the time I started getting close to it, then just went out before I even reached it. It's always fine before I get close. xD