Resident sparks outrage with photo of 'obnoxious' sign on city street: 'Should be destroyed'

An Irish Redditor encountered an obnoxiously bright billboard and checked in with r/Dublin to see if there was any recourse.

"These advertisement displays feel too bright," wrote the original poster, before including a picture. "Is there some way by which this can be challenged to get their brightness lowered?"

"It's really annoying." — Photo Credit: Reddit

The sign was set up in Dublin's central Temple Bar district, inside The National Wax Museum Plus. The Dublin City Council does have a policy to require low-level lighting appropriate for walkways and cycle paths.

Light pollution is a real issue in urban centers. In residential areas, lights can impede sleep and even introduce serious health issues. Intense night-time lighting has a major disorienting effect on local wildlife, which can prevent species from finding shelter, food, and mates.

Public lighting is a major drain on energy usage, which costs municipalities and may have its own pollution footprint. And of course, excessive advertising continues to spur unneeded consumerism that produces additional waste in the manufacturing process.

Local nonprofit Dark Sky Ireland is advocating for reducing light pollution. It recommends "trimming and dimming." This refers to covering light at a horizontal level so it doesn't travel far.

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It also recommends reducing brightness and raising color temperature in order to lower energy usage and minimize effect on sleep. According to its research, additional public lighting has had little effect on reducing night-time crime.

Reddit commenters were equally annoyed by this particular advertisement in Dublin.

"I f****** hate these things," said one community member. "They are a curse and should be destroyed. They are quite distracting when driving as well. Why aren't there rules around them? Why are people defending these things?"

"It's true, I pass by it in broad daylight and the speakers are always blaring their advertisements. It's really annoying," said another.