I think I dragged this thread a bit off topic. To return to the originators question; Yes I think having a night rating is a good thing, first on the general principal that more (properly delivered) training makes you a better pilot all the time and second practical reason that if you do get stuck (headwinds ATC delays etc)and it is getting dark you have some options. However I do feel that in general the flight training establishments do not put enough emphasis on the pilot decision making elements of operating small singles at night, particularly for low houred PPL's. Night flight has to be undertaken with a robust understanding of the increased risks. Whether or not, and under what circumstances, a pilot chooses to to accept those undeniable risks is ultimately up to them. I personally no longer choose to accept the risks of single engine night flight (as a 6000 +hr ATPL) in my little Grumman AA1B but that is my decision and was not meant to imply anyone who did fly at night was stupid, only to point out the facts of the acccident statistics and what I thought were the risks factors.