Recently, an out-of-towner visited Los Angeles and proclaimed their shock at the lack of light poles on the freeways. This was accompanied by an image that showed just what they meant. In fairness, they may have a point. The question regarding Los Angeles’s lack of visible lighting was asked on Reddit. Here, one user wrote, ‘Why are LA freeways so dark? I’m from Phoenix and I recently realized you guys don’t have any freeway light poles.’

This prompted a fierce response from LA natives, with nearly 300 comments left by users who tried to explain the situation. Here, one user replied saying: “It’s gotten worse post-pandemic. Much more than before. I wish there was a better way to tell them. Every time I get a chance to get behind them and flash my beams to let them know, they all ignore me. And sometimes they end up behind me again during rush hour so I’m stuck with an idiot blinding me for an hour. I’m convinced they’re completely unaware.”

Elsewhere, other users saw the funny side of things, claiming that local drivers used their street sense to drive without lighting. It goes without saying that light poles are a vital part of freeway infrastructure because they provide several important benefits. For instance, they illuminate the roadway, which makes it safer for drivers to see and navigate, especially in low-visibility or high-traffic conditions. Nonetheless, they don’t seem very prominent in Los Angeles.