"why would a UFO need lights at all?"

Excellent question, The answer is that UFOs are literally 'unidentified flying objects' of terrestrial origin and ufology is just another religion. In the past people were convinced that they were possessed by demons, now in this scientific age,they're visited by aliens.

"...it is absurd to believe that a UFO might crash into a radio tower or high rise building because the pilots forgot to turn on their headlights."

It is no less absurd to think their pilots don't suffer from Electromagnetic Spectrum Disorder.

I think most of the people at my work are aliens in human form, but if they do ride around in space ships it would be best if they kept the lights on. They would be less likely to crash into stuff.

As a much younger man I once witnessed something that couldn't be explained be conventional wisdom.

It was a light high in the south east sky, that appeared to be tracing a perfect rectangle.

Given I had a hand held searchlight, I needed during the night shift, I used it like a light sabre and copied the action of drawing a square, with my wand of light.

Inside a minute the object headed skyward at impossible speed!

During the wee small hours of my repeated observations, I invited a number of other witnesses, [all the men on the shift,] to observe what I believed I was seeing with just my naked vision. (next time I'll dress it)

Each and every one confirmed they were seeing exactly what I was seeing and the rectangle the object seemed to be drawing!

And not so silly, given familiar shapes would have to be an almost universal language, or a good starting point for establishing local intelligence?

I doubt we'd see lights during the daylight hours at any significant altitude? Or ET would be able to discern a response, if that what ET is looking for?

I find it incomprehensible that we are the only intelligent life form in the universe, or that we may be the most advanced?

I do hope we find intelligent life up there, given there is bugger all down here on planet earth!
Rhrosty.

Many people believe that there exists an all-wise, all-benevolent and all-powerful deity. Some also believe that this all-wise, all-benevolent and all-powerful deity has a sidekick. The question they don't ask is, "Why would an all-wise, all-benevolent and all-powerful deity need a sidekick?"

Of course the answer to, "why would a UFO need lights at all?" is that if they saw what happens on this planet they would not be delighted.

As far as I am concerned, any talk of aliens and UFO's is just as crazy as talk about invisible gods, fairies and goblins.

Yet, those that have faith that there are aliens and their spaceships tootling around our world feel just as strongly about their beliefs as any religious person, so who are we to say they are wrong, and yet allow the religious 'beliefs' to go on unchecked?