There are so many sources of artificial light these days that to appreciate the Perseids, you have to drive to the sticks or see a simulation at a planetarium. Ninety percent of the night sky is gone in this region, and people don't even realize it. You get a general idea of what's going on, but you miss out on all the luminous details. The Milky Way has been reduced to a milky haze, and we are the poorer for it. Distant stars and planets have always been beacons for the human imagination, and for the soul.
Light pollution has more-mundane downsides as well.
And it is so plentiful that it can generate enormous glare, which makes visibility more difficult, particularly for older drivers. A few states have begun to address the problem. Maine has enacted laws to limit night glare, and so have several cities and counties nationwide. Such rules usually require new or replacement highway lights to be shielded so that all light is directed on the roadway. Homeowners are required to make sure their security lights are aimed at the ground.