Parking lights

bottletops

Why do cars still have parking lights on them???

There is a push at the moment to have ppl use their dipped lights all the time. Research has shown this reduces the number of collisions.

Problem is, a lot of people think this means putting on the parking lights. Why do cars even have parking lights any more? Wouldn't it be better to not have parking lights so people just put on the dipped lights like they should??

Cookie_Monster

What about for parking???

homer90

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

What about for parking???

beat me to it .......

Vain

bottletops wrote: »

Why do cars still have parking lights on them???

There is a push at the moment to have ppl use their dipped lights all the time. Research has shown this reduces the number of collisions.

Problem is, a lot of people think this means putting on the parking lights. Why do cars even have parking lights any more? Wouldn't it be better to not have parking lights so people just put on the dipped lights like they should??

Parking lights are when you park your car lets say on a dark road and you don't want to come out to see it in a ditch with another car, then you leave on your parking lights so people can see your car.

Type 17

Sidelights are different than parking lights* - the OP is actually querying the reason for sidelights.

It would be a good idea to have no sidelight position on the headlight switch - then people would use dips or nothing, with the front sidelight bulbs remaining to mark the corner of the vehicle in the event that the dip beam bulb has blown. The amount of people who think that sidelights are acceptable in fog, rain and/or twilight is frightening.

*For the record, Parking lights are the ones that come on when the ignition is off and the indicator stalk is left in the left or right position (needs sidelight switch to be on in some cars) - just a front & rear bulb on one side and no licence plate lights, to save the battery overnight.

Berty

Type 17 wrote: »

Sidelights are different than parking lights* - the OP is actually querying the reason for sidelights.

It would be a good idea to have no sidelight position on the headlight switch - then people would use dips or nothing, with the front sidelight bulbs remaining to mark the corner of the vehicle in the event that the dip beam bulb has blown. The amount of people who think that sidelights are acceptable in fog, rain and/or twilight is frightening.

*For the record, Parking lights are the ones that come on when the ignition is off and the indicator stalk is left in the left or right position (needs sidelight switch to be on in some cars) - just a front & rear bulb on one side and no licence plate lights, to save the battery overnight.

+1

ninty9er

Vain wrote: »

Parking lights are when you park your car lets say on a dark road and you don't want to come out to see it in a ditch with another car, then you leave on your parking lights so people can see your car.

I've removed the "sidelight bulbs" on the front of my car to make my parents use the dips when they're driving it. Well I say removed...more failed to replace!

As for parking in a dodgy spot...isn't that what hazard lights are for!?

Alanstrainor

I have to agree with most of the above, it's just insane when you see people at night with nothing more than their parking lights on in almost complete darkness. I think people have gotten confused, they think full beams = dipped head lights, dipped head lights = parking lights and parking lights = .....nothing,

patrickc

or they use their parking lights and their front fog lights.. :mad::mad:

ninty9er

patrickc wrote: »

or they use their parking lights and their front fog lights.. :mad::mad:

While it's not best practice, at least they can be seen in the rain and dark!

patrickc

ninty9er wrote: »

While it's not best practice, at least they can be seen in the rain and dark!

it cant be that good for their visibility, and can be blinding, anyhow not going into that foglight debate

Berty

You know when its dark and you see somebody driving at you with no lights on.

How do they know what speed they are doing considering the dash in completely black.

People who just have their sidelights on can see their dash so they figure their lights must be on.

Boils my blood.

MarkR

I've wondered that too, but some cars dials light up without lights being on.

Wishbone Ash

bottletops wrote: »

Why do cars still have parking lights on them??? ........ ................. Why do cars even have parking lights any more? .................

Because, under Irish law, it is a requirement that mechanically propelled vehicles are equipped with them while on a public place.

Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles Regulations 1963)

Obligatory lighting.

9. (1) (a) Every vehicle, other than a trailer, to which this Part of these Regulations applies shall at all times while used in a public place be equipped with side lamps, head lamps, rear lamps, stop lamps, and identification mark lighting, all of which shall comply in all respects with this Part of these Regulations.

(b) Where one or more trailers are attached to the vehicle, the provisions of paragraph (a) of this sub-article shall apply subject to the following modifications:—

(i) the requirement that the vehicle be equipped with stop lamps and identification mark lighting shall not apply;

(ii) the requirement that the vehicle be equipped with rear lamps shall not apply where the conditions specified in paragraph (a) of sub-article (8) of this article are complied with.

I accept that what you really mean is "why is it a legal requirement.................?"


Here are the specifications for side lamps (under the same SI):

10. (1) Side lamps, in the case of a vehicle to which this Part of these Regulations applies, shall consist of two lamps fitted to the vehicle and shall comply with the provisions of this article.

(2) Each lamp when lit shall be capable of showing to the front of the vehicle a white light visible at night time in clear weather for a distance of 500 feet.

(3) The lamps shall be as nearly as possible of the same power, each lamp being of a power not exceeding 7 watts.

(4) The lamps shall be so constructed as to show a diffused light.

(5) The lamps shall be fitted as nearly as possible at the same height and no part of the illuminated surfaces of the lamps shall be more than 5 feet from the ground.

(6) The lamps shall be fitted on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, as nearly as possible equidistant from that axis, and each lamp shall be so fitted that no part of the vehicle extends laterally on the same side as the lamp more than 16 inches beyond the illuminated surface of the lamp.

(7) The lamps shall, having regard to the lay-out of the vehicle, be as nearly as possible in the same longitudinal position in relation to the vehicle.

*Kol*

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I have to agree with most of the above, it's just insane when you see people at night with nothing more than their parking lights on in almost complete darkness. I think people have gotten confused, they think full beams = dipped head lights, dipped head lights = parking lights and parking lights = .....nothing,

I think that you are right. People dont realise how littl light those pddly bulbs produce. I feel like flashing (my lights) at people who have them on. They are useless in bad weather conditions.

NiSmO

This post has been deleted.

Type 17

NiSmO wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Didn't you know, it flattens your battery!

Berty

NiSmO wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

A sidelight costs around 20c to buy. The Audi is supposed to be one of the hardest to fit in my experience and it still only takes a screwdriver and around 2 minutes split across each light.

Wishbone Ash

*Kol* wrote: »

People dont realise how littl light those pddly bulbs produce

What I can never understand is they surely they must see how useless they are on other vehicles and why not realise that their own sidelights emit just as little.

quirke_folder wrote:

A sidelight costs around 20c to buy

€7 for a sidelight bulb in my car!

Berty

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

€7 for a sidelight bulb in my car!

You should not use your sidelights in that case. Just drive around in the dark so you wont have to replace them.

Of course a standard clear halogen is around 20c. Mine costs about €6 a pair and LED sidelights cost around the same and sometimes more as long as they are white and not strobes(OF COURSE).

Mine are an 80/20 blue/white lens providing 90% more light than a standard sidelight and a near to pure whiter light than a halogen.

Better light and they match my dipped and main so cost a lot more than 20c.

testicle

Type 17 wrote: »

*For the record, Parking lights are the ones that come on when the ignition is off and the indicator stalk is left in the left or right position (needs sidelight switch to be on in some cars) - just a front & rear bulb on one side and no licence plate lights, to save the battery overnight.

I don't think this works on all cars...

Berty

testicle wrote: »

I don't think this works on all cars...

Worked on my Audi 06
Worked on my Passat 05
Didnt work on my laguna 04
Didnt work on my focus 05
Cant remember any of the cars before that.

Wishbone Ash

quirke_folder wrote: »

You should not use your sidelights in that case. Just drive around in the dark so you wont have to replace them

1. It's illegal.

2. An annoying message and 'beep' comes up on the dash until it is replaced.

Wishbone Ash

testicle wrote: »

I don't think this works on all cars...

German cars in my experience.

testicle

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

German cars in my experience.

aye

superjosh9

yawwwwnnnnnnnnnnn...

I drive with a desk-lamp plugged into my cigarette lighter through the sunroof, and I have it mounted on the bonnet with sellotape. And I have no brake lights, but a candle on the shelf which flickers when I slow down.