Lights have been with us 60-100 years, but in the last 40 there have been some remarkable changes from day and night to day and simulated day. Only going back to 1980-1990:
+ Street lights used to be low power sodium, and 2 in 3 were turned off around midnight (in a major city). Villages might get 4 or 5 street lights only, near junctions, again often only on partial duty. There might be one or two running 24/7 by the village green, junction and bus stop. Being deep amber, and pretty dim, they kept your vision in night mode pretty effectively than the current crop of daylight lamps -- no idea if insects would get the same effect from lamp colour.
+ After 3 or 4 rounds of lighting upgrades my semi-rural residential street now has street lighting more suited to a major highway. I'm not joking. In 1980 on a taller pole, they'd have suited the M1. No lights are turned off any more, ever. The major highways used to only illuminate the congested bits and around complex junctions. Unlit sections have become more and more uncommon - they used to be the vast majority of motorway miles.
+ Many retailers, business parks, car parks, warehouse and whatnot have floodlighting permanently in the hours of darkness, whether in working hours or not. Most businesses have illuminated signs and gimmicks running 24/7. In 1980 a flat painted or printed sign, with a light or three for when the street lights turned on was most common. Turned off when the business closes for the day, maybe leave a dim bulb in the window or in premises for visual and security.
+ None of the 500w halogen PIR floodlights (and LED equivalents) common in many drives and garages try to limit spread, or upward light pollution. In 1980 you used the headlights to put the car in the garage, then turned on a 40 or 60w lamp if need be to open the house door. No one had two dozen gimmicky super-bright solar LEDs scattered around the lawn and drive.
+ Buildings wouldn't include lighting as part of the design, or use floodlighting unless a major national monument or of great historical significance. Now every ratty lawyer office, takeaway and hotel wants to light up their building through the night. New buildings come with LED colours as a bloody feature.
If you want actual darkness (that few actually experience any more), or need of taking a torch walking the dog, or see stars properly, you need to get miles away from the nearest road and human.
+ Street lights used to be low power sodium, and 2 in 3 were turned off around midnight (in a major city). Villages might get 4 or 5 street lights only, near junctions, again often only on partial duty. There might be one or two running 24/7 by the village green, junction and bus stop. Being deep amber, and pretty dim, they kept your vision in night mode pretty effectively than the current crop of daylight lamps -- no idea if insects would get the same effect from lamp colour.
+ After 3 or 4 rounds of lighting upgrades my semi-rural residential street now has street lighting more suited to a major highway. I'm not joking. In 1980 on a taller pole, they'd have suited the M1. No lights are turned off any more, ever. The major highways used to only illuminate the congested bits and around complex junctions. Unlit sections have become more and more uncommon - they used to be the vast majority of motorway miles.
+ Many retailers, business parks, car parks, warehouse and whatnot have floodlighting permanently in the hours of darkness, whether in working hours or not. Most businesses have illuminated signs and gimmicks running 24/7. In 1980 a flat painted or printed sign, with a light or three for when the street lights turned on was most common. Turned off when the business closes for the day, maybe leave a dim bulb in the window or in premises for visual and security.
+ None of the 500w halogen PIR floodlights (and LED equivalents) common in many drives and garages try to limit spread, or upward light pollution. In 1980 you used the headlights to put the car in the garage, then turned on a 40 or 60w lamp if need be to open the house door. No one had two dozen gimmicky super-bright solar LEDs scattered around the lawn and drive.
+ Buildings wouldn't include lighting as part of the design, or use floodlighting unless a major national monument or of great historical significance. Now every ratty lawyer office, takeaway and hotel wants to light up their building through the night. New buildings come with LED colours as a bloody feature.
If you want actual darkness (that few actually experience any more), or need of taking a torch walking the dog, or see stars properly, you need to get miles away from the nearest road and human.