<VV> Need an interpreter, please (city lights)

[Thomas Stingl]

Chris wrote:
> I hear that in some states that you can get a ticket for driving a
> ticket with the pakring lights on (only). Parking lights mean parked car.

Yes, this of course is the case in Germany. If you turn on the lights
when car is going, it has to be main beams, else your next Polizist
will take some cash (not much ;-).

Andy wrote:
> "City Lights" refers to a practice in Europe and Great Britain (now extinct,
> I believe) of driving with no main beams on at all, just these "City Lights".
> The thought being that with the typically brightly lit city streets there,
> main beams aren't needed (saves the battery, don't you know <G>)

This of course was the habit in France (which have well illuminated highways
anyway thanks to superfluous nuclear power at night ;-) and some others
countries more to the south (where Police has better things on mind than
keeping an eye on every light bulb of your car).

So far this concerned the "old" parking lights.
Now the modern, additional city lights purpose comes with the increasing
introduction of laws that car lights have to be switched on even during
daylight, this started in Scandinavia and is claimed to reduce accidents.
In Germany until now this is only prescribed for motorbikes.
The modern city lights so provide an opportunity for the car makers to
fancy the car appearance, and it indeed shall save the battery, too. And
it enables blind folks to drive their car, or so. I am not really a fan
of daylight driving with lights on. It's also better for the motorbikers
if they keep their distinguishing mark.

Thomas

-- 
Thomas Stingl  ts1 at corvair.de  Karlsruhe, Germany
Swiss Corvair Club / Subchapter Germany
1961 Rampside   ULTRA EuroRep/Ambassador