I know this has probably been posted before in one manner or another, but I can not find a thread on this subject for the life of me. Basically what I have noticed in the past 3-4 years is an alarming frequency of street lights turning off in my vicinity. I have shrugged it off for years as just my observation of what happens all the time, but only placing importance on it when it happens near me. However, for the past year I have paid close attention, and I have not been able to observe street lights going dim or turning off on a regular basis anywhere else.
It is generally the old-school style street lights you would find in any city, the 90 degree angle at the top with a light suspended in a horizontal housing attached to an arm. What generally happens is I'll be minding my own business, walking the dog or just traveling by foot around the city and a light within a stones throw, usually within 10 feet of me will flicker a bit or just go immediately dim. It happens roughly once a night or at least every other night and it is always the ones closest to me, I've even had 2 go off that we close at nearly the same time.
My first though was that they were operated by some sort of censor that detected motion and shut off appropriately, but no, that is not the case...the only censors I've ever been aware of were for lights not on a central timer, that operated when ambient light was low. Secondly I figured all lights shut off for a time to conserve power, which is most likely true, but the random timing and frequency with which they shut off around me is beginning, or has been defying that thought. I will sometimes sit and observe street lights from a distance waiting to see if and when they turn off, but have gathered very little and no conclusive data.
Shifting to the paranormal I remember hearing about people who have had NDE's having trouble wearing watches, as they always seem to freeze or break. I am interested to hear of anyone else's experience regarding the street light phenomenon as I am assuming it's probably been stated and investigated before. I have never had an NDE, though I have had a few OBE's...not from meditation or astral projection (which I delve into quite a bit for personal health and general interest), but from being under the knife or from my past experimentation (in the literal form) with DMT. The only real traumatic health emergencies, other than lacerations, concussions and the like; I've had was mild epilepsy as a youth, from the ages of 3-8 I had a few seizures that were "growth related" and was prescribed a drug, if I remember correctly, named tegretol (closest phonetic spelling I can make). I'm just very interested after 4 years as to the nature of this phenomenon, and am in no way trying to gain attention or proclaim myself as having a unique energy or telekinetic ability. Thanks for the read and any feedback brothers and sisters!

It's probably a faulty bulb, I see it happen all the time too when I am out walking at night.

The filliment goes out and then the bulb has to cool down before it can fire back up.

I wouldn't worry about it.

I've noticed that a street light in front of my residence has on quite a few occasions turned off as I approached. But I wouldn't say it can't be a coincidence. It could be a street light that doesn't work very well. But on the other hand I've only noticed it turns off for me, but never on. I find that to be very insulting!

Well, to me it is a coincidence, but I definitely had an eerie experience that was similar. I was walking with my friend to rent a movie, and she was talking about how lights always turn off when she gets near them, and then one did. And then a few blocks later, then on the way home, another one or two.

All within maybe half an hour.


Then again, maybe they just put in all those lights at the same or similar times, so they burn out together.

I see this all the time as well. I was around when the tagging system was introduced here. Someone went in on most of these types of threads and used
s.l.i.d.e.r. to identify almost all of these threads at the time. You can search for that term as I posted it and find a whole lot of related threads. I'm not sure if the tagging system is still used but I found lots of threads using it.

[edit on 6-9-2009 by orionthehunter]

I will say this since you stated DMT in the OP even though it is on the grey area regarding the T&C

I have read over the net about it, and heard from friends who have experienced this themselves, that while under the influence of DXM streetlights will regularly flicker/turn off when one walks under them.

Originally posted by above
I have read over the net about it, and heard from friends who have experienced this themselves, that while under the influence of DXM streetlights will regularly flicker/turn off when one walks under them.

Have you read my post ? This is normal and explained. And everybody experiences this, not only potheads.

Thanks for the responses to everyone, I like the SLIder link you posted, if for nothing else than it makes me lean more towards the easily explainable fact that its most likely coincidence. As I stated in my original post, I am not surprised if it is just my noticing the occasional light going out near me, and if it's more than that, ehhh whatever, pretty lame power I have if you ask me

As for the DMT I'm pretty sure it has no effect on this phenomena. Given, my experiences with DMT were well beyond anything I've ever experienced in this world, as far as OBE's and the like are concerned, that is another topic for a different site (as ATS doesn't smile upon any type of mind altering chemical discussions).

I'm just going to keep a small record of everytime I notice this happening, that way I can do the odds mathematically and see if there is anything way outside the realm of random coincidence going on. I'm done with this thread unless anyone has anything else to share...thanks again amigos.

I see this too in the lights around me. I always just thought that they shut them off in intervals to conserve power or something

Originally posted by VirginiaGreen
I'm just going to keep a small record of everytime I notice this happening, that way I can do the odds mathematically and see if there is anything way outside the realm of random coincidence going on. I'm done with this thread unless anyone has anything else to share...thanks again amigos.

When you see a lamp going off. You have to stay longer and record howlong it stays off, how long it takes to get back on, for at least one or two cycles.

If the cycle is less than 10 minutes, you will probably see this lamp going off pretty often during your life.

Originally posted by SpaceGoatsFarts

Originally posted by Fakey McNamerson
I see this too in the lights around me. I always just thought that they shut them off in intervals to conserve power or something

Nothing mysterious, really...

There is something mysterious. What is noticed is that the lights shut off. However, there should be equal instances of the lights shutting off as turning on.

The only possible explanation is that people simply are not noticing when they turn on as they approach but not shut off as they approach. If that isn't the case, there is some kind of physical or metaphysical explanation.

Originally posted by truthquest
The only possible explanation is that people simply are not noticing when they turn on as they approach but not shut off as they approach.

Pretty much this. The humans are as far from logic and rational thinking as you could imagine. Many psychological experiments reminds us everyday how biased and flawed our thinking is when it comes to the emotions.

I can understant that someone will notice more easily a lamp going off in his vicinity, than a lamp going on. A lamp going off is more "spooky" and thus it is more likely to be noticed and remembered.