When I was a kid growing up in my neighborhood, there were few houses and plenty of lights. At night, we could see people a couple blocks away from all the street lamps. Evening football was common. All us kids played outdoors at night because there was plenty of illumination.
These days are different. I suspect that the rising cost of electricity has much to do with it. Nobody pays for outdoor lights anymore. The only lights you see are front porch lights. It is a bit scary, and hazardous to walk down the street. Kids don’t play outside once the sun goes down either.
I had not realized that this had happened. I suppose that it gradually happened as the cost of street lights started going past price thresholds of individual households. We live in an area that does not belong to any municipalities, so there are no “free” streetlights. Maybe we ought to move closer to town.
Shaine 