Why can't we save electricity by turning off street/motorway lighting after midnight?

Question

In the 1950s all street lighting was turned off at midnight and on again around 6.30 am the next morning. Cars headlights were nothing like as effective and more people travelled by public transport and had to walk once they got off the bus. There were no infrared cctv cameras in our cities etc. Fifty years on and hundreds of miles of motorways have lighting in obscure hours of night when there is very little traffic whilst at the same time causing massive light pollution of the night skies. Time to decide the objective of all this waste in an age of encouraging us all to be 'environmentally friendly'!

Comment after 48 answers. Here we have an opportunity to debate. Debate is not always based on ones own opinion it starts with a question and some facts to aid an answer. Thanks for the answers. Lets forget city/town/village street lights being zapped at midnight then and just concentrate on motorists on motorways when it gets dark at night to when it gets light in the morning. The question originated in the UK.

Answer 1

That's a safety issue with people working all three shifts. Third and second shift people pay taxes too you know. Maybe you should ask people to turn their computers off, or their televisions too.

Answer 2

Turning off streetlamps after midnight isn't a very safe thing to do in certain parts of the country. Lights provide some basic feel for safety if breakdown and need to pull over, at least there is a bit of light and its not completey dark.

The same can be said about living in the city, the streetlights give people some sense of security about there surrounding, lights also may helpdeter crime in a given area.

It is more about a safety issues then anything else. I would not feel comfortable walking in a place where there is no streetlighting.

Also the time frame in which you are using was alot safer, there were not alot of violent crimes in that sage, im not saying they didn't exist but it was not an every day occurence like it is today.

Answer 3

In the 1950's crime was not as prominent as it is today. Most of these streetlights are put up and kept on for safety measures. The cost in alternate safety precautions and lawsuits would far outweigh anything we pay in electrical charges. The public transport idea is wonderful, but unfortunately most small towns do not offer such things. My town does not have a bus service. also, the studies and research that would be involved in deciding which highways etc. had enough traffic to warrant streetlights after certain hours would cost way too much tax payers money and would not be a reasonable way to spend taxpayers money. If you are really wanting to make a change.. support finding an alternate and cheaper fuel source. That is what will make the difference.

Answer 4

I didn't know that electricity was a harm to the environment, i would think fossil fuel. Yes light pollution is a pain in city suburban areas, but it is not a major cause of environmental issues.
But anyway, like said earlier, people are still driving on the roads way after midnight, there'd be more car-accidents with a lot of drink-driving from teenagers, and hun, the world changes.
Also depends where you live. Where i live, accidents would triple if not more if no lights were available on the street after midnight.

Answer 5

Very good question. This is a problem facing American and its lack of environmental views. This is why we need to think more sustainable without reducing 'preceived' quality of life. Instead of asking why don't we turn off the street lights (Conservatives would compare this to North Korea) why don't we make all municipalities street lights solar. Also crime is a big factor for not turning lights off. Light pollution is an issue but the only way to deal with it is to establish light free zones out of city limits.

Street lights are for pedestrian safety not idiots driving in their cars with the lights off!

Answer 6

My work means that I often drive on motorways after midnight. Lights still on make it safer to drive and in todays society, more people are to be found driving after midnight.

Why not switch off every other light instead, at any time?

This could be a start to help conserve energy?

Answer 7

Well, we don't live in the 1950's anymore and people don't act the same. There are too many people still driving around and hanging around outside after midnight to turn off all street lights or road lights. Light is what deters most crime, they are afraid of getting seen. As far as the road lights, do you have any idea how dark the roads would be if they weren't lit? All that would do is cause more unneeded accidents. And make our insurance costs go out the roof.

Answer 8

I agree! The arguement of safety for motorways doesnt make sense. Half of the motorways in the uk do not have lighting - if it was a safety issue then the Highways Agency would be putting up lighting columns everywhere. I have driven loads of times on motorways without lights and its perfectly safe at 70 mph. Also, I live in the country and most of our roads have no lights. You just drive at a speed to match how far you can see.

Answer 9

Switching off street lighting would save money but it would also lead to higher death rates on our roads. Motorway overhead lighting is particularly important. Without it a drivers may miss a turn off or find themselves on the wrong road.

Normal street lighting in our cities and towns is vital. It reduces night crime by a considerable percentage.

Answer 10

Good idea but there are a couple of problems with it.

Safety is one thing. There are millions more people driving now then 50 years ago. Thousands break down each night and the lights light up the hazards. Remember in England there is only around 65 million people and are not as agressave as in the USA. In the USA as of this morning over 300 million very agressave people. What if they turned off the lights in China at midnight with over a billion people.

I need to use an example for the second one. You have a hydro power plant which cost just as much shut down as it does idling. And if it is idling it is still producing power. This power has to go somewhere and may as well be used to keep the streets on at night. Nuke power plants don't shut down and if they are shut down it is the same as the hydro power plants. The people are still there on the pay role and the payments to build the thing is still costing. So may as well let it idle and produce power too. I know in my area we have dams and nuke plants and even a coal plant near by. Cost per KWH is only 3 cents to show we have way too much electric power in this area. It has to go some where.

Answer 11

Oh my god I would be freaked out if everything was dark after midnight. Where do you live, in the middle of nowhere. I live in a big metropolitan city. there is life on the streets at all hours. It would be a safety hazard to walk home from the subway with no street lights, especially after working 2nd shift. There's enough crime the way it is. i am all for the lights. It makes me feel safer.