The Streetlight Phenomenon

It cannot be just me.  I first noticed it in college when walking down the winding campus sidewalks after a night class:  the lights would turn off as I approached.  It was like magic — really messed-up, backwards magic. 

What was the phenomenon?  Some sort of reverse-motion sensor? I was afraid to mention it for fear of sounding crazy, but on a security-conscious campus, it seemed like an issue. 

[Disclaimer:  I just did a search on street lights turning off as you approach and I was right, it’s not just me and it really does sound crazy.  According to the psychic websites, if this happens to you, you’re a “slider.”] 

Let’s assume my psychic abilities are limited to knowing when my kids didn’t really wash their hands.  Here’s what I saw:  on a dark road on the edge of town, the street light blinked off as I approached.  So I pulled over and took a photo of it.  (This was harder than you might think because, well, it was dark.)  But then, just as I was taking the photo, the lamp started turning back on. 

What to do?  Call the psychic hotline?  Strap on my lineman climbers and shimmy up the pole? 

No public works vigilante, here. 

My job is to report and let the experts figure it out.  The tool is already in my hand:  I power up the YourGov app and let the professionals handle it. 

My work here is done.