I always find it odd that the owls don't seem to be bothered by streetlights -- sometimes actually choosing to sit on a pole or in a tree right next to a light -- and yet they are going to be chased away by lights on the path?
Robbie Webber Transportation Policy Analyst 608-263-9984 (o) 608-225-0002 (c) [email protected] All opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of my employer or any other group with which I am affiliated. On Mon, Oct 5, 2015 at 5:03 PM, Eric Sundquist via Bikies < [email protected]> wrote: > The SW path lights originally turned off at 10. At some point this season, > the city moved the off switch to 11. I doubt the owl people, or the owls, > noticed, and hopefully we'll get to midnight next year. In the middle of > the summer especially, it's very common for lots of people to be out at 11 > when the lights go off. > > ------------------------------ > *From:* tim wong via Bikies <[email protected]> > *To:* sasyna-discussions <[email protected]>; Dave > Cieslewicz <[email protected]>; [email protected]; "Ross, > Arthur" <[email protected]>; "Fernandez, Anthony" < > [email protected]>; "Dryer, David" <[email protected]>; > BikiesSubmissions <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Monday, October 5, 2015 4:32 PM > *Subject:* Re: [Bikies] [SASYNA-Discussions] Re: Owls vs. Rape (was Bike > Lights, etc.) > > Cathy, > > In my view the whole discussion about owls and lighting was a bogus > smokescreen by people who just didn't want lighting on the bike path. Some > of them might have lived near the bike path; but, as far as I can tell, and > I ride that path often, none of the houses is as close to street lights (on > virtually every street in the city, or at least the non-suburban sections > such as our neighborhood) as, for instance, mine is. (The Gregory St. folks > might have have a case, living downhill from the path for a short while.) > As was suggested, if the lights shine in our bedrooms, we put up curtains > and blinds. Who would live in Wisconsin and not cover windows at night in > winter? > > However, the city ignored the comments by bicyclists across the city and > affected pedestrians and caved to the noisy minority whom, I suspect, > mostly don't like bicycling as a transportation mode. I do recall several > decades ago that people fought every bike path and bike path extension with > the unspoken suggestion that only marauders and criminals would use the > bike path. > > And, now as a result of the city's pandering to these anti-bicycling > folks, we had this horrendous attack on a person who had the "nerve" to > walk down a (bike) street at night. You probably can't argue that this > attack couldn't have happened had there was better lighting, but it could > have been a deterrent. We don't know how many collisions occur on the SW > bike path that go unreported because they don't cause serious injuries or > are just near misses. > > However, I happened to be riding on the SW path one night at exactly 11 > p.m., and was thrust into total darkness when the lights shut off. As > people who rode the path before the lights were installed know, this path > was dangerous at night, especially with bikes with no lights and > pedestrians, some of whom appear to have been drinking (walking two and > three abreast). The lights were a godsend. The city bent over backwards > to prevent lighting from going anywhere except directly over the path and > did a good job, except . . . . > the "owl bullies" persuaded them to shut the lights off at 11 p.m., as if > nobody rides a bike or no one walks on the paths after 11 p.m.; the post-11 > p.m. peds and bikes are probably more likely to have been drinking and > engaging in unsafe walking on a shared use path. > > I think it is time to revisit the city's decision to turn the lights off > at 11 p.m. If the city really can't afford the electricity and can't leave > the lights on (my streetlights are on all night despite only having about > 200-300 vehicles a day in a 24-hour period), then how about doing a count > of peds and bikes on the bike paths? I suspect traffic lightens after 2 > a.m or so, so if they really can't be on all night, the city could > experiment by turning them off at 2 a.m. > > Recall, the city is still trying to get platinum status for its bicycling > programs. When a city shuts lights off at 11 p.m., that is not platinum > grade decision making > > I hope some alders and the mayor will take action to reverse the decision, > universally opposed by the bicycling community, to darken the paths at 11 > p.m. > > tim > > On Mon, Oct 5, 2015 at 12:51 PM, [email protected] > [SASYNA-Discussions] <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Must we think in such stark polarities Tim? I ride bike, favor more > funds/resources going to non-car transportation, am concerned about > personal safety.... AND I love owls and dark skies. There is no reason > why we cant have all of these things. > > The discussion should be more about what is good and effective lighting - > not "more" lighting or "less" lighting. It sounds like the city is on the > right track with the shielded cut-off fixtures being installed. The same > principles apply to both public and private lighting - people next to > streetlights should nt have to suffer excessive glare either. The > technology and knowledge exists to better direct it to where it is needed. > > For anyone who's interested - this site has plethora of information - > including details re choosing dark sky friendly lighting and model dark sky > ordinances. http://darksky.org/ <http://darksky.org/fsa/> > > Cathy on E Main St. > > __._,_.___ > ------------------------------ > Posted by: [email protected] > ------------------------------ > Reply via web post > <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/SASYNA-Discussions/conversations/messages/20507;_ylc=X3oDMTJwNDNsbzFpBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzUxNTc2MwRncnBzcElkAzE3MDUwNDQ1NjEEbXNnSWQDMjA1MDcEc2VjA2Z0cgRzbGsDcnBseQRzdGltZQMxNDQ0MDY3NDk0?act=reply&messageNum=20507&soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma> > • Reply to sender > <[email protected]?subject=Re%3A%20Owls%20vs%2E%20Rape%20%28was%20Bike%20Lights%2C%20etc%2E%29> > • Reply to group > <[email protected]?subject=Re%3A%20Owls%20vs%2E%20Rape%20%28was%20Bike%20Lights%2C%20etc%2E%29> > • Start a New Topic > <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/SASYNA-Discussions/conversations/newtopic;_ylc=X3oDMTJkcDAyYXE3BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzUxNTc2MwRncnBzcElkAzE3MDUwNDQ1NjEEc2VjA2Z0cgRzbGsDbnRwYwRzdGltZQMxNDQ0MDY3NDk0?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma> > • Messages in this topic > <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/SASYNA-Discussions/conversations/topics/20502;_ylc=X3oDMTM1aWM1NTVsBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzUxNTc2MwRncnBzcElkAzE3MDUwNDQ1NjEEbXNnSWQDMjA1MDcEc2VjA2Z0cgRzbGsDdnRwYwRzdGltZQMxNDQ0MDY3NDk0BHRwY0lkAzIwNTAy?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma> > (3) > Visit Your Group > <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/SASYNA-Discussions/info;_ylc=X3oDMTJkOGlsYjB1BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzUxNTc2MwRncnBzcElkAzE3MDUwNDQ1NjEEc2VjA3Z0bARzbGsDdmdocARzdGltZQMxNDQ0MDY3NDk0?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma> > > - New Members > > <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/SASYNA-Discussions/members/all;_ylc=X3oDMTJlcmtrZGZiBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzUxNTc2MwRncnBzcElkAzE3MDUwNDQ1NjEEc2VjA3Z0bARzbGsDdm1icnMEc3RpbWUDMTQ0NDA2NzQ5NA--?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma> > 2 > > [image: Yahoo! 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