The most important advance that CCDs represent is the science that can be done with the recorded images. For much of the 19th century, amateurs were almost on a par with professional astronomers in terms of the useful science they could do. No machine, however, will ever replace the simplicity and delight of examining the stars directly, as a part of living nature. It should not be confused with local lights that shine directly into the observer's eyes. Local lights are more aggravating but easier to defeat.
Many observers have cooperative neighbors who turn off outdoor lights on request.
A good way to break the ice on this issue is to offer views through your telescope. If you can't observe in the shade of trees or walls, you might rig a tarpaulin to shield your site. Another strategy is to shield only your eye and the back end of the telescope. An old-fashioned photographer's black cloth or equivalent, or a cape that can be thrown up over your head, does the trick. Any telescope in bright local lights should also have a long dewcap or side shield to keep the light out of the tube.