[s-cars] Bulbs for clear sidemarkers

[Charlie Smith]

> First, Russ asked:
> >
> > Speaking of running lights, anyone tried wiring the 5 watt
> > running light in the euro S4/S6 high beam reflector to the US
> > parking lamp or turn signal circuit?  Any opinions?

Then Lee Levitt answered>
>
> Um, yes.
>
> The 5 watt running light is barely visible...I can't imagine why Audi
> speced it this way...it's pretty much useless. You can run it with the
> parking lights, but it will do nothing but put a smile on another S-Car
> owner's puss.

Ah, but you miss the whole point.

It was custom (and maybe the law) in Europe to drive in towns at night
with just the parking lights on ...  thus the small bulbs in the bottom
of the headlight reflector, to slightly illuminate the 7" headlight
when driving in town at night.  If you drove in towns with your whole
headlight turned on - even the low beam - other drivers would flash their
lights at you!  I know for a fact that drivers in Germany and France
followed this custom.

I'm afraid that this is fading into the mists of time, right along with
the yellow headlight bulbs that were used in France.  Can someone tell
me when France stopped requiring yellow headlights?  When you wander in
French towns or Paris you still see a few yellow headlights, but they
become fewer and fewer.

   - Charlie