Re: Eurolights question

[Tom Nas <tnas@euronet.nl>]

ti@amb.org (Ti Kan) wrote:

>Tony Lum writes:
>> I think it was discussed a long time ago, but would anyone care to
>> enlighten me as to the use of the tiny light bulb below the H4 bulb in the
>> Hella Euros I managed to snag?  I believe they're referred to as "city
>> lights".  I'm of a mind to install them this weekend and was wondering what
>> to do with the little buggers.

>The city lights can be spliced into into your parking light/side marker
>light circuit.  I guess in some parts of the world the city streets are
>so well lit that it is customary to drive with only the "city lights"
>on, just so that your car is visible to others, but there is no need
>for full headlights to light the road...

It used to be like that, yes. And city lights used to be for use at dusk,
when regular headlights would be overkill but it would be nice to be able
to see fellow road users a little earlier.

Nowadays, these lights are referred to as 'parking lights', they come on
when you shut the engine off with the turn signal stalk still switched on.
On the side the turn signal stalk is switched to, one 'parking light' and
one taillight come on to mark your car when parking in a badly-lit area.
They've come in handy on a number of occasions for me (once, in the dark
and the rain, I crashed my moped into an unlit car parked _on the road_
just behind a turn, just five metres from a safe parking spot. I've been a
firm believer in parking lights ever since.)

In Holland it's prohibited to _drive_ with the 'city lights' on- though I
don't think you'll actually be ticketed for it.

Tom
Zeist, The Netherlands
87 90q NG engine