Lasers and binoculars (1 Viewer)

Binastro · Feb 1, 2019

Just been in the kitchen getting food and looking at melting snow from last night. Now plus 3C.

But there is a disturbing red laser from the building works opposite with the source about 25 metres away.
By making a probable sub millimetre pinhole with my fingers I see a largish red centre with two, I think, diffraction rings around it.
The laser fluctuates and is sometimes just too bright.

I did not view it with a binocular, as I thought this might be dangerous.
Especially if I get a dead centre laser.
I photographed it with the G15 but I get an overexposed white centre with a red surround.
I hope that the laser is not powerful enough to create a hole in the sensor.

I don't know how powerful these lasers are, used in the building trade, but I would not view them with a binocular.
I may go and tell these workers not to point these outside their works.
But the pavements are treacherous at the moment.
In fact the site is surrounded by scaffolding and plastic, but there is a large gap that allows this nasty laser beam to shine straight at me.

B.

A2GG · Feb 1, 2019

You could call the place and ask to talk to a manager. Tell them you're a resident and
You're not ok with the laser beaming directly into your kitchen window.

aengus4h · Feb 1, 2019

and there was me thinking you were posting about using lasers to collimate binos ;-)

I know some trade use laser levels but no idea what class/power, but for sure its not good to have left it randomly pointing into residential properties, pretty irresponsible of them really. You sure its not a crime scene laser mapper type device that's building a 3d view, those things use a scanning laser head which may be why its varying in intensity.

For sure don't view via bino's, hopefully the camera is ok but do beware when doing that as there was a report of someone taking pics of a new autonomous car and its lasers ruined his expensive camera's sensor.

Binastro · Feb 1, 2019

The laser has been moved or switched off.
I do have some kind of proof as the camera shows the red source with overexposed centre.
Because the exposure was short I think that the camera may be O.K.
But the Sony Alpha APC mirrorless cameras could easily get damaged with the lens cover off because, for some reason, the sensor was always exposed.

I think the laser is bright so that it can be seen in daylight.
The laser rangefinders that I have, have beams that are difficult to see in daylight.

There was a twig of a tree in the way, so that might be part of the reason for the fluctuation, as the twig swayed in the wind. We had a minor snow blizzard last night.
I wouldn't want to be in the U.S.A. this week.

The snow trails are interrupted on camera and one can calculate the frequency of the street light by measuring how many breaks in the trail during the exposure time.

Later, with this nasty laser, the diffraction Airy disc looked weird with a triangular pattern, which indicated pinched optics either in the laser optics or in my eye. Who knows?

Lasers, drones, blue screens, LED lights, all new technology, which can be very harmful.

A2GG · Feb 1, 2019

If it comes back on again, I would call them and ask what it's being used for and let them
know it's beaming right into your house.

Yesterday was brutally cold. I work until 8pm at night and have to go home when the sun is down and it's
even colder. Couple nights ago it was windy which made it feel negative double digit temp. I have a new Eddie Bauer winter coat which is quite a bit warmer than my previous winter coat and still I was shivering in the car waiting for the heat to kick in. So yesterday I took a half day and left work at 3pm while the sun was shining nicely. It was about 4 f (-15.5 c) when I started my car in the morning. Last night was even colder than the previous day. Today is warmer and right now it's 13 f (-10 c) and will be around the same temp when I leave at 8pm tonight. That's better than the last couple nights. Then it warms ups considerably next week. Wild temp
swings seem common now.

Binastro · Feb 1, 2019

Hi GG,
From memory you had a Subaru. Is it 4 wheel drive?
The coldest I have been in was a measured minus 34C, but the wind chill when I went round a corner and got hit by a channel of air was probably minus 45C or a bit colder, say minus 50F.

I have observed all night outside at minus 15C and for an hour at minus 25C.
But I was younger and fitter.
When I locked up the observatory and went outside I was about 6ft from a beautiful white hare that was whiter than the snow. It just sat there on the granite rock and I was mesmerised. Then it just left.

In England we are really soft.
The first sign of snow and the traffic stops.
On the railways, it is the wrong type of snow etc.

I had ice full spiked tyres on my Austin 1800 and used to plow through snow when others were moving at a walking pace.
Until I hit a cobblestone road surface.
The car did a 720 degree pirouette, amazingly hitting nothing.
I realised then that I had the wrong spikes, and got purpose made tyres with two rings on each outer side of the tread and spikeless rubber in the centre.

It is strange how the climate gets hotter while winters can get colder.
All as predicted.

I have seen the builders opposite use lasers frequently, but this was the first time one was directed right at me.

aengus4h · Feb 1, 2019

you're so right Binastro, the brits are real soft when it comes to cold weather, school's close and hardly any reliability in transport services. The elf n safety brigade and liability worries etc render the place to a standstill as soon as 3 snowflakes are spotted. Agree that we're less used to regular white winters here now, I remember we got much more when I was younger and folk had more smarts when travelling back then. Now cars are "safer" and less experienced younger folk think they can drive how they like, but ABS isn't that great on icy surfaces like they think it would be. I run with winter tyres Oct-March, makes a big difference in grip but most you talk to think its pointless and I get to watch them slip and slide and just shake my head.

Re the laser, probably worth having a word in any case and ask them to ensure its not pointing into anyones houses to avoid them accidentally causing harm. If they persist, let the local council know and see if their elf n saftey bods will go have a word with them ;-)

A2GG · Feb 1, 2019

Binastro said:
Hi GG,
From memory you had a Subaru. Is it 4 wheel drive?
The coldest I have been in was a measured minus 34C, but the wind chill when I went round a corner and got hit by a channel of air was probably minus 45C or a bit colder, say minus 50F.

I have observed all night outside at minus 15C and for an hour at minus 25C.
But I was younger and fitter.
When I locked up the observatory and went outside I was about 6ft from a beautiful white hare that was whiter than the snow. It just sat there on the granite rock and I was mesmerised. Then it just left.

In England we are really soft.
The first sign of snow and the traffic stops.
On the railways, it is the wrong type of snow etc.

I had ice full spiked tyres on my Austin 1800 and used to plow through snow when others were moving at a walking pace.
Until I hit a cobblestone road surface.
The car did a 720 degree pirouette, amazingly hitting nothing.
I realised then that I had the wrong spikes, and got purpose made tyres with two rings on each outer side of the tread and spikeless rubber in the centre.

It is strange how the climate gets hotter while winters can get colder.
All as predicted.

I have seen the builders opposite use lasers frequently, but this was the first time one was directed right at me.

Yep, I still have the Subaru Impreza and it's all wheel drive. I don't have one of those fancy remote car starters that a lot of people have. I just don't want to spend the 200 bucks or so to have it installed. So, I do it the old fashioned way and start it when I get in it and shiver while waiting for the heat to start working. I wish I had a crossover type of vehicle which would be a little higher off the ground. I'm rarely impressed with cars and don't care about new models, etc, but I do see a car out and about which impressed me the first time I saw it; Porsche Macan crossover. It's about the size I'd like and a little higher off the ground than the Impreza. It's an attractive design. Can't afford a Porsche though.

Yesterday the lowest temp was 1 degree F and with wind chill it was supposed to feel like -15 F . That's why I decided to take a half day.
As I get older I just don't have the endurance for extreme weather like I did when I was younger.

Troubador · Feb 1, 2019

Trouble with us in the UK is that we don't reliably have troublesome snow over the whole country very often so most folks don't fit winter tyres. I used to work for a Swedish company and everyone in Sweden swaps to winter tyres. In fact I think its mandatory there. In the UK this means folks don't get to practice safe driving on snow and many people think a 4x4 makes them safe when in fact 4-wheel drive just gives you twice the chance of driving up a hill but doesn't make cornering or going downhill or braking any safer at all. We live on a hill and most peoples' technique for driving up in snow is accelerator pedal on the floor and driven wheels spinning and hope. It doesn't work often.

Meanwhile back in the land of binos.......

Lee

WJC · Feb 1, 2019

Gilmore Girl said:
Yep, I still have the Subaru Impreza and it's all wheel drive. I don't have one of those fancy remote car starters that a lot of people have. I just don't want to spend the 200 bucks or so to have it installed. So, I do it the old fashioned way and start it when I get in it and shiver while waiting for the heat to start working. I wish I had a crossover type of vehicle which would be a little higher off the ground. I'm rarely impressed with cars and don't care about new models, etc, but I do see a car out and about which impressed me the first time I saw it; Porsche Macan crossover. It's about the size I'd like and a little higher off the ground than the Impreza. It's an attractive design. Can't afford a Porsche though.

Yesterday the lowest temp was 1 degree F and with wind chill it was supposed to feel like -15 F . That's why I decided to take a half day.
As I get older I just don't have the endurance for extreme weather like I did when I was younger.

This getting older is NOT for sissies! Our AWD Subaru Forrester beats many Jeeps in the snow. But then, too many people think Jeep ownership precludes the need to drive judiciously. :cat:

Bill

A2GG · Feb 1, 2019

WJC said:
This getting older is NOT for sissies! Our AWD Subaru Forrester beats many Jeeps in the snow. But then, too many people think Jeep ownership precludes the need to drive judiciously. :cat:

Bill

You got that right.

Last weekend I got stuck in a ditch. All wheel drive didn't help me to get out (I tried), but a big burly guy with a beard wearing a camo coat and boots came by in his pickup and pushed my car and got me out. I just listened to his instructions and steered the car. I pulled over on a narrow road for just a minute and heard the crunch and the passenger side fall into the ditch. Ice sheet hiding the ditch underneath and I didn't notice. Didn't even get to say thank you to the man as the cop, who showed up while we were trying to get out, told me to just keep going once the car was free.

aengus4h · Feb 1, 2019

Troubador said:
Trouble with us in the UK is that we don't reliably have troublesome snow over the whole country very often so most folks don't fit winter tyres. I used to work for a Swedish company and everyone in Sweden swaps to winter tyres. In fact I think its mandatory there. In the UK this means folks don't get to practice safe driving on snow and many people think a 4x4 makes them safe when in fact 4-wheel drive just gives you twice the chance of driving up a hill but doesn't make cornering or going downhill or braking any safer at all. We live on a hill and most peoples' technique for driving up in snow is accelerator pedal on the floor and driven wheels spinning and hope. It doesn't work often.

Meanwhile back in the land of binos.......

Lee

yup, so true on all counts. I lived in switzerland a while back, winter tyres mandatory there, tho not strictly enforced. BUT if you slid off the road and didn't have winters on, police wouldn't help you as you'd brought it on yourself, any accident tho and its your fault regardless. Living in a hilly area and last job was cross country daily, winters were an easy decision to me, esp with the side roads not gritted here.

I added heated seat pads into mine some months back, gets me warmed up quickly while waiting for the car to heat up, a major plus with leather seats in winter

wllmspd · Feb 1, 2019

Lasers for measuring should be eyesafe to avoid damage to “users”, I would avoid using any form of optical aid (binoculars) unless you know it is very low power. Go and see what they’re using it for and that you are concerned about the safety of cat if it was to zapped...

Peter

Lasers and binoculars (1 Viewer)

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