Why do streetlights frequently turn on and off as I pass them?

Question

I swear I'm not crazy, sometimes it happens like 3 or 4 times in a day. My boyfriend told me to concentrate on them and try to make them change and I couldn't, but a few days later I was looking at one as we passed and just wanted it to turn on and it did. Also, certain lights in my house only seem to burn out as I turn them on. And I share a house with 4 people, and those lights never burn out when left on overnight. I'd be grateful if someone could at least tell me that this happens to them too so that I don't feel so weird. I'm pretty sure that it's not coincidence, because it's been happening as long as I can remember and it doesn't seem to matter what car I'm in or where I am. I swear I'm not making this up.

Answer 1

the car creates a certain magnetic field that is detected by the streetlights. Once you go near it, it will automatically turn on, but turn off as you move farther.

Answer 2

I thought I was the only one! OMG. ONce I asked a friend whether lights turned off in his presence, and he said only when I am with you. So he noticed it too. This has been happening almost my whole life. I can't  believe that there are other people that this happens to. I am blown away.

Answer 3

well that is a very interesting question, maybe you are gifted.

Answer 4

hee hee this is funny.  glad someone brought this up.  my nickname from high school is "atomic girl"  (i am well much older)  it was so bad that one night- i showed up at a theater right before the ending as i was meeting up with the cast.  i sat outside, because i didnt want to interrupt.  i waited for an unusual amount of time.  finally everyone came out and all groaned.  i asked what was going on.  they all blamed me for the lights going out in the show, about the time i showed up.  as i apologized, a tree spot light then went out.  and as always, street lights popped off as we drove to dinner.  they still tease me and i still flick the light out.

Answer 5

Sounds like you've come to expect this occurrence and are seeing what you're expecting to find.

Answer 6

its not u maybe its the things around u or the things u have on u that create a magnetic force.if thats not it then maybe ur town should replace the light bulbs. perhaps florescent light bulbs.

Answer 7

Haven't you figured that out yet? Because you are special. They do it to me also, I'm special too!

Answer 8

The equipment they use to monitor you emits an electric field that interfears with the street lights.  If you concentrate, you will be able to feel it.

Answer 9

you're magical, obviously.

Answer 10

Streetlights may seem do that because most streetlights flicker from time to time, for various reason (bad sensor, bad bulbs, etc.) However, you only notice the streetlights near you, not the ones far away. This gives you the illusion that it is your presence that is causing the lights to flicker. If you're driving in your car, it's also possible that the car's headlights are reflected and provide enough incident light to trip the sensor.

As far as lights burning out in certain sockets, that could partially be due to the socket itself. If the socket is not providing good electrical contact, the bulb can burn out quicker. Also, sockets that are turned on and off the most will tend to burn out bulbs quicker, due to the stress of repeated heating-cooling cycles on the filament.

Answer 11

If those street lights are neon, than don't worry. They do turn on and off ad the gas inside do their cooling off periods. If you Kick those pols they will turn on or off. As about the house lights, it must be a faulty light switch! Try using those fluorescent ones, it will burn less electricity and last way longer.

Answer 12

not sure whats its called, but sounds like you have one of those energy fields... i have it too, but perhaps on a smaller scale than you!! lol. i get the light bulbs blowing, cant wear watches... every time i touch a computer or someones mobile or get in someones car, it plays up..... yeah, the advice given to these peoplpe is to wear closed end metal bracelets on each wrist if it gives them trouble. many sensitive people need to do this.

Answer 13

Oh, you're a SLIder too?

Please read:

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

Hint: The explanation involves confirmation bias.

Answer 14

WOW it happened to me almost every night in 2003 and on and off since. its cool huh?!

Answer 15

Yes its common amongest alot of people..we somehow affevt mostly streetlights, and sometimes inside lights...Its no coincidence, cause i have tested it hundreds of times, and have shown just about everyone i know...I find it affects the lights more, when your energy is higher, like excited, angry, stressed...I can walk right round my block, or any block, the lights before i approach them are normal, then soon as i stand under them, they will start blinking, almost on and off...then soon as i walk away, it will stop and go back to normal....then ill walk to the next one and it will start blinking....and it goes on and on....when im to relaxed it wont really happen....so its our energy in some way that effects the lights...But it is not a coincidence....they call it sliders....all i can do is amuse myself and others that are watching.....and if one of the other people stand under the light, nothing will happen, soon as i stand under it, it will start blinking.......

Peter and anyone else who keeps coming up with silly explanations, until you experience it yourself or watch someone who has this effect on lights, then you will re consider, your thoughts on it...I have even contacted my local university on this, and was able to demonstrate it, in their car park at night, i think we tryed about 20 different lights, all with postive effects....And if you lived close by, i would even invite you to see this for yourselves.....

wow so many thumbs down, makes me laugh, i cannt prove existence of ghosts, but this i can prove and demonstrate, confirmation bias...what a joke,...and you call yourselves scientists......

Answer 16

it's sensors like they use for automatic doors.

or those porch lights people have for their homes.

Answer 17

Your tinfoil hat needs more layers, the streetlights are seeing through it now.

HF

Answer 18

It happens to a lot of people on here. It's called SLIders Phenomenon. Here's a link about it. You're "normal"! lol

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

Edit...You can email 333 and ask her about it. It happens to her too. You can find her by going to my profile & blog & looking in my Friends...click her avatar. You'll find her email address on her profile.(And check out her blog..it's really cool)She's awake now..she lives in Australia.

EDIT...BRONX....If that's true...then in 333's case...why does it only happen with her and NOT HER FRIENDS??? ..HUH???

Answer 19

I'm going to say that a lot of your street lamps are likely nearing the end of their life cycles. Generally, street lamps utilize high-pressure gas bulbs, such as ionized mercury or sodium. Nearing the end of their life cycle, they begin to alternate being on or off, and this increases in frequency before, finally, they burn out.

Answer 20

The back of your mind records the streetlight times, and remembers when they flick on and off.  Your subconscious knows the streetlight patterns, and makes the conscious mind think that there's some kind of ESP going on.  There isn't.  You knew in advance when the lights were going to change, because you've seen the timing before.

As for the light bulbs... try some brand new light-bulbs from the store and see if you can intentionally short them out just by thinking about it.  If not, it's just coincidence.

Similar things have happened to me, yes.  Computers will often "magically" start working if I turn them on (but won't if other people turn them on).  Also, I could sometimes change street lights by thinking about it.  I think it's just coincidence plus memory.

Answer 21

I always thought they went off and on for energy saving reasons. In my city they went off and on regularly - I always wondered why? They have a photo-electric cell that turns them on when the sun goes down, but for some reason they would go off and on at regular intervals.

This I know for a fact because we sat in the park all the time after dark and the street lamps always went off and back on again - then I figured out the problem was light pollution during increased traffic - the increased light from headlights shining on the photoelectric cell would cause the lamps to turn off. The lights that went off the most were at the bottom of the hill, the cars coming over the top of the hill shined headlights on the sensors on the lamps at the bottom causing them to trip.

When the street quieted down and no cars were around the street lights stayed on.

I think better photo cells were developed to reduce that problem where one photo cell controlled a bank of lamps and it will be pointed away from the light from oncoming traffic (straight up).

sorry if this doesn't satisfy the paranormal explanations, I do believe certain people can cause interference with electronics but I figured this one out at least 25 years ago.

(edit) Deenie if you read the paragraph above I said I do believe that people can cause certain electronics to fail - it happened to me only once, but unlike 333 I wouldn't be able to prove it.