Oddest comment from a sane person about your lights?

At some time, we've all been commented on by Unenlightened individuals. I became a flashaholic, at first out of spite towards a comment from a white-collar step relative from a rich background, how carrying a flashlight and pocketknife was a sign of the lower class. I should be carrying a briefcase!
...Note to self...buy briefcase, fill with lights...
The relative that made that comment, is my father's wife and my stepmother Their entire townhouse is done in wine colors, not a single wall the same color. Well, once in a while I stay in one of the weird-colored guest rooms for a night whenever the need strikes or I simply need to eat something until my next paycheck. I always live out of an old duffel bag that I've been taking to and from there for years, since I was twelve, actually. There's always been a bit of a communication gap. She was raised in an extremely sheltered home growing up, the type that does yearbook in high school and has never even spoken to a police officer. Ever. She refers to them as barbarians.
Well, this is awkward, considering the occupation path I've fallen into. Hence the flashlights, the nightsticks, the cell phone, the sunglasses, the holsters that hold other holsters, and the fetish I have for kicking in doors.
Well, one night, I left my bag out on a chair somewhere in their living room, and she opened it to see if I had any batteries for something in the kitchen. And she found my stash of lights. I come downstairs, and you'd think she'd found drugs and a prostitute/contortionist in there. She demanded, to see receipts. She wanted to know how much I spent on 'those things'.
This was before I got my beloved Surefire Executive, which by itself would give her a heart attack.
And, the quote of the day was...
"...This is the 21st century! Why do you have three flashlights in your bag? We have lights built into the house!"
She...really does think like this. See what happens when you set up playdates for your kid instead of letting him or her actually leave the house alone? They grow up, manage a company, and then go and say things like this.
Next day...power outage...
Honorable mentions.
"Uh...did you like have that on your keychain?"A guy, upon seeing my Surefire E2E
"Do you put batteries in those things?" Person who doesn't understand why those glass things light up when I hit the button.
"You're single, aren't you?"A college junior, female, after watching me pull three LED lights out of my jacket to help her and her friends look for something in a yard.
And lastly...
"Oh yeah...my dad has one bigger than yours!"Suuure he does...sure he does...tell that to my 6D Mag, Kiddo'. I'm sure he had a ...gasp...THREE D Cell light from Jewel in his garage, amazing as that is. But still. I won.
Yes, I was single for a long time, until I met this girl whose father was equally obsessed with these things.
...Hopefully, he won't read this and buy something bigger than my 6D.

I don't have any lights worth over $50. But, my mother-in-law saw my River Rock 4AA LED lantern and started asking questions about it. She had recently sat out a prolonged power failure by candlelight.

I told her about a larger 4D LED lantern which was on sale, so she ran out the next day and bought 2 lanterns and gave me one as a gift!

I was showing my L4 to a relative and he was remarking at its quality: "Wow, it even has two-stages." Then he asks, "So how much do you pay for something like this?" To which I reply, "About $180." His eyes widen and his mouth drops open: totally and honestly aghast by that figure. He quickly handed it back to me.

Not really a comment though.

Once while showing a co-worker a flashlight, he said how about "thus and such" feature?I pulled another light from my pocket. He then asked another question, my reply was another light. This went on for a few more rounds, After I had pulled 5 or 6 lights from my pocket the guy look up to me and said "so that is like over a grand in flashlights you got there right?" I said after a second of thought "yes it is". He turned to me and said "you are crazy and maybe sick too" He turned and walked away shaking his head.
Yaesumofo

One of my favorites from a whiner:

"You didn't have to shine that light in my eyes".

Context: A robbery suspect who pushed down a granny and stole her bike, injuring her. And now he's complaining because some mean man shined a light in his eyes.....what a moron.

You know... the oddest comments, now that people have known of my ehem, hobby are... "Thanks for lending me that flashlight during the power-outage. I would like to get some of those." Oh yea! ummmm, how many you want? "Four would be good." hmmm, I think I can get you a deal but they are still about $40 a piece. <blink> "OK."

Then I said... but they only run for an hour or two. The one I lent you is not available any longer. I think I can mod yours with a small resistor so they aren't quite as bright but you should get a few more hours of light, maybe 10-hours! "OK, awesome! sounds great!"

Or how about...

I'm at a party pulling out the JiL DD UP with a fresh LiON and can't resist showing some friends who where mildly amused last time they saw one of my old 2x123 3w lights. "hey! that's nice! What's it called?" It's a modified JiL DD running a 3W LED with Lithium Ion battery. "that's pretty cool, can you get me one?" ummmm, :thinking: sure, I guess. This one would cost about $70 though. Did you want it this bright or would half as bright be ok? "either way"

Or even this...

"oh. so that's that light you've been waiting for for a while now?" Yup, it's the USL!! check this out! Let's start a fire, come on. (Getting newspaper wadded up and 1-second after putting the USL to the ball in broad daylight in front of my garage) WOW!!! (10-seconds later after I blow some air on the newspaper) POOF! "WOW!! Holy cow! That's amazing"

Yup, I was pretty surprised every time with all of these responses from non-flashaholics

It's kewl to finally be bringing them over to the bright side

AlexSchira said:

"You're single, aren't you?"A college junior, female, after watching me pull three LED lights out of my jacket to help her and her friends look for something in a yard.

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This alone is worth the purchase price of all my 32 lights and their support equipment (chargers, batteries, analyzers, soldering iron and mountain of junk on the workbench)..

"...This is the 21st century! Why do you have three flashlights in your bag? We have lights built into the house!"

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Lets see now, we have lots of police, and the governmemt spies on us (for us of course) so I can get rid of my guns too!!
Oh happy day!

Until those lights go out, and the police don't show up. It amazes me that some of the most brilliant people in the world can't see this simple logic. I won't bet my safety on a $40.00 Saturday night special, or a $2.00 flashlight.

I know I am preaching to the choir here, but I am still dumbfounded that inspite of recent events people continue in their way of thinking.

A comment that happened during this event...
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=94874

The guy we're helping made the usual..."nice light, how much does something like that cost" comment and then when we told him he says the usual "why would anyone spend that much on a flashlight?!?"

To which my friend (God bless him) calmly says "so we can help people who drive off the road because they can't see".

Someone asking: How you can spend that much in a flashlight?
My answer: How you can spend $400 in a cell phone?:devil:

After my step-father had been playing with my SF M4 and overheard I was planning to sell it he said, "I have never seen a light built like this before, I really like it. How much?" I hesitated and told him about $240. He quickly put the light down. My wife then told him the story of another $100+ light that I sold on BST in 8 minutes. He replied, "What is this, a cult?".
(this from my step-father who has spent thousands of dollars and every work bonus he gets on his computer hobby)

People are more likely to be preoccupied with the knives I carry to worry about my comparatively innocuous flashlight.

Although it is fun when people ask "how bright is it?" and then complain when I blast them in the eyes.

Great comments

Most the time I just get the "You spent How Much on that ???!!!" :ironic:

oh, and one of my buddies calls me a "light nerd" every chance he gets,
then ten minutes later is either commenting on how much brighter my lights are,
or is asking to borrow one.

If you want to find local ppl that apreciate light...
join your local Grotto club (caving)

~John

Planterz said:

People are more likely to be preoccupied with the knives I carry to worry about my comparatively innocuous flashlight.
...

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I have several hobby interests, including knife collecting, bicycling, and metal detecting. I point out to folks that lighting is one of the few hobbies which the government doesn't regulate and restrict yet.

I get abused by my good friends about my new hobby (LED torches) and ALWAYS (cant stress that enough) about how much i've spent on a flashlight. I always tell them, "Hey, when the lights go out and you find yourself engulfed in darkness, you will will either thank the heavens that i'm around or find youself wishing i was around!!" This is also coming from people who have a HABIT of spending numerous amounts of dollars every weekend going out partying and spending ridiculous amounts of money (about $150+) on drinks and illegal substances. At least I can show where my money has gone rather than flushed it down the toilet.

zespectre said:

A comment that happened during this event...
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=94874

The guy we're helping made the usual..."nice light, how much does something like that cost" comment and then when we told him he says the usual "why would anyone spend that much on a flashlight?!?"

To which my friend (God bless him) calmly says "so we can help people who drive off the road because they can't see".

Click to expand...

That a good reply from your friend.

1). "Oww." -- one of the kids at work who has just looked into one of my lights after being warned not to do so.

"OWWW!" -- same kid, about whom I am now deeply concerned, because he just did it again.

2). From the person I am helping shop during a blackout -- "Why do you have such bright lights and so many of them?"

Same person, as I shut off the light I am using -- "Oh. Yeah."

3). As we walk into a movie theater, my wife has been telling me I am insane for even looking at a flashlight that costs over $100 a few days before, that any light over $10 is too expensive, and says it can be better used on other things (wanna guess for what and for whom?),... and then the lights go down. This is before we find our seats. "Honey... where's one of your nice flashlights?"

4). Friends and co-workers tell me I'm crazy for spending that much on lights or for carrying more than one... right up until the power goes out in the store... and they are more than 15 feet away from a window... and the back up generator doesn't kick on.

Maybe it's just because the flashlights in the store have dead batteries, or blown bulbs, or both, and that it's really hard to find a new light, bulb, and/or battery in the dark.

"Can I borrow one of your lights? Those LED's really don't burn out, do they?"

Happens every time.

About five minutes after the power comes back on they start in again, "You're nuts for having these things, ya know? The flashlights they have here are good enough."... until the power goes back out 5 minutes later... and they are right back begging for another flashlight... 'cause they didn't put new batteries in or replace a bulb.

Here's one that I get... "Why do you have that?"

I get the why do you have that a lot

My favorite why do you waste money on that? 3 days later my neighbors are sitting outside without any electricity in their house for 5 hours past nightfall. Probably stumbling around trying to take a poop in the dark. I have modified 6v Led battery backup wallmounts in hallway. And a standalone 12v Led Solar lights running inside the house for times like these. Not to mention even the flashlights SF G2 and a Scorpion. :wave:

Fred