Is there anything paranormal about streetlights going off when I am near them?

Question

Very curious. Thank you!

Answer 1

Only if *every single* street light flickers when you pass by it.  Otherwise it's just selection bias.

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_...

Answer 2

Sodium-vapor lamps are the most common type of streetlamp.  They tend to run very hot, so there is a temperature safety breaker built into each one.  When the light gets too hot, the breaker turns it off for a short while to allow it to cool.  You should notice that they turn off more often in the summer than the winter.

Answer 3

Street lamps are filled with gas which is illuminated by a fillament. Over time the gas gets low. When this happens the gas can settle and not touch the fillament, and then as it cools down it expands and gets reignited and the light comes back on. This creates a continual cycle of the lamp going on and off.

If someone happens to be near the lamp or approaching it when this happens, they tend to misplace the cause of the lamp going out on themselves.

However, if you were the cause, why would it only happen once in awhile? Why wouldnt it happen to every street lamp? Why not other lights? If you are the cause, why do the lights not all dim when you walk into a room?

You are not the cause, you are just witnessing the gasses cycling.

Answer 4

Good question.  That happens to me a lot.  My wife thinks I have superpowers that suck the energy out of electical devices.

Answer 5

If you can demonstrate such in a scientific experiment in such a way that occurs more often than by chance you could win a million dollars from the Committe for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal.

Answer 6

this happens to me too but maybe the streetlights have some senzors

you never know

Answer 7

maybe is a problem with them or it is somethink paranormal about them

Answer 8

It's called SLIders phenomenon.  "333" can do it too.

http://paranormal.about.com/library/week...

Answer 9

I hope not because it seems to happen to me at times!

Answer 10

telekinetic energy.

It happens to me, my mother andmy daughter all the time.

I can walk into a room and blow out computers, scanners, printers, internet connections, the whole she-bang.

Also, we spend ALOT of money on light bulbs, as I have to replace mine almost every 2 weeks ( and they are not on alot so it isnt just usage)

we have even started using the new energy saving halogen ones- ( that cost way more) and are supposed to last ALOT longer and i blow them out  too.

meditation and bringing in your aura and energy feild does help.

Answer 11

I agree with the second answer. In addition, they can flicker for other reasons, e.g., some have solar sensors to detect when to turn on or not, and those can go bad as well. If you take the time to watch, streetlights flicker and go on and off all the time, all over the place. It's just that you only notice the ones close to you, hence the illusion that it is your presence causing it. So no, there is no reason to think that it is anything paranormal.

Answer 12

Street light use a sensor to detect low light levels and activate,-- it may be caused by invisible light energy from you, I have noticed this often myself, it is not heat, it is -25 c here right now and last night when i was out walking it happened at about six different lights, I assumed it may have something to do with some one who wanted to track my movements through the small town I live in some one like the feds, no I am not paranoid, they may have their reasons

Answer 13

If you can demonstrate that this phenomenon happens around you more often than it happens around other people, then it's probably not just your imagination, especially if the lights are actually going off, not just flickering. You may have what I call "weird energy".

Some people who also experience these sorts of phenomena are people who've had a Near Death Experience, psychic mediums, and people who work with energy - such as Reiki healers, prannic healers, or psychic vampires. I'm not saying you fall into any of these groups, just that I've heard of people in these groups having similar experiences.

At the web page I'm linking to below, look at the chart at the lower right that has 8 pink and green pie charts.

- Persephone

Answer 14

Most all streetlamps today have sensors  to detect when to shut off ?do these same lights come back on  when you walk away? if so its definitly sensor