It's even funnier that, at least around here, one of the biggest crime problems is people stealing copper wiring... from streetlights...

I know we can be all righteous and intellectual on HN. But the article pretty much glosses over the large number of people who are afraid of the dark. Not afraid of crime in the dark. Actual adults who are apparently having a visceral reaction to the dark. What percentage of people is this? What percentage of those would adapt in a positive manner?

The "lights=safety" nonsense shows no sign of coming to an end. Many private residences also install eye-searing levels of lighting outside that they just leave on all night, which is much cheaper to do now thanks to LED technology. There's really no reason for doing it. The idea it deters crime is a long-standing myth (someone analogous to the idea CCTVs deter crime).