UKC

I thought this might have been discussed on UKC...bizarre solution to the problem

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24652439

In reply to Father Noel Furlong: Hmmmm.... But if it's only in the town square I can't see it affecting the climbing.

In reply to HIGHTOWER:

Aaah but maybe we need to be warned to take factor 15 for when we cross the town square?

In reply to Father Noel Furlong:


Why is it bizarre? I live at the same latitude as Rjukan, and its depressing enough here late autumn to midwinter if there is no snow, and we don't have many hills so at least if there is some sun we can see it. I could imagine that three months of shade even on cloudless days could get pretty oppressive. IIRC a newspaper article here reported last winter a study that found that about half of all adults over 30 report recognisable symptoms of seasonally affective disorder and lots of people have sunlight lamps at their workplaces now to combat that. I think the people of Rjukan have come up with an excellent alternative.

In reply to Father Noel Furlong:
...bizarre solution to the problem

But not a new one - I believe similarly afflicted villages in Italy and Austria have had this in use for some years. In Rjukan, on nice days in Winter, they bus the schoolkids up the hill to eat their butties in the sun at lunchtime, other wise no sun at all for months on end.

In reply to Father Noel Furlong:

I am going back this February so it will be novel to see the town lit up during the day. I wonder what size of area will be illuminated, say, in terms of football pitches. Also, could it be dazzling to motorists?

In reply to Father Noel Furlong: the town square isn't big, no more than 1 football pitch at most IIRC. Don't they also have a cable car built by the hydro company for the same reason?