[ghaff]

>>And don't get me started on the number of cars with ZERO lights, or only DRLs (no tail lights) at night here in the Bay Area (CA).

As sort of a personal mea culpa, shortly after I got a new car, I realized I had done a nighttime drive with just daytime running lights. I leave the lights on Auto usually but it's relatively easy to hit the headlight dial with a finger when activating the turn signal. (Or, as I think was the case here I had just gotten a state inspection and the lights were just turned off.) I'm more aware now. Something seemed a bit off but it was a fairly new car.