Date: Sun, 1 Apr 2001 18:14:50 -0700
Reply-To: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Subject: Re: headlight advice/f AKA City Lights
In-Reply-To: <00af01c0ba0c$0c1ee8a0$a0670641@boulder1.co.home.com>
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The 5W bulb that is used in the European park lamps can be seen, but you
CAN'T see with them. When they are turned on there is a glow to the light,
but that is really about it. I can't say that I have driven all over
Europe, but I have driven in Germany and in every city every one uses
headlights when driving. I am sure the Police would have great fun with you
if you drive with your standing lights on. The Golf and T3s that I had
driven (two of which will be here on the 9th!!!) had three "modes" of
standing lights. If you turned your light switch in the park or full on
position (with engine off) both standing or park lights would come on. If
the light switch was off and the engine was off you can turn on one side or
the other with the signal light indicator. Left would turn only the left
park lights on and vice versa. Typically you saw the first or last car in a
line of cars parked on the side of the road with the park lights on. It was
always the light that was towards traffic. I almost never saw any cars
parked with both park lights on.
David Marshall
Fast Forward Autobahn Sport Tuning
4356 Quesnel Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3
mailto:info@fastforward.ca http://www.fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775 FAX: (250) 992 1160
• Vanagon Accessories and Engine Conversions
• Transporter, Unimog and Iltis Sales
• European Lighting for most Audi and Volkswagen models
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Cory Zumbrennen
Sent: March 31, 2001 9:57 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: headlight advice/f AKA City Lights
I don't know, but I've been told that the european "city" lights were
originally created during WWII. The story goes that initially the
headlights of the cars were covered but for a small 1" slit to allow enough
light to see and be seen by but not so much that the city became an obvious
target for Bombers flying overhead. By the end of the war a small 5-10W
bulb in each light housing had replaced the covers so that when a car
arrived in the city it could turn it's headlights off and still be seen.
Then turn them on again when it left, without messing around with the
covers. Of course this could be urban legend, but it's a good story
anyway....
Cory
'90 Syncro Westfalia
> That is exactly correct, at least it was when I lived in Paris quite a few
> years ago. Most of the city streets are well lighted, and there's enough
> traffic that the headlights wouldn't do much anyway. Eliminating the
glare
> makes city driving much easier. Of course headlights are allowed on
darker
> side streets.
>
> John Philcox
> '85 GL
> Newport, RI
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Sean B." <SBirkner@WESTFIELD.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Friday, March 30, 2001 5:05 PM
> Subject: Re: headlight advice/f AKA City Lights
>
>
> > Let me preface this by saying that the following is conjecture based on
> > heresay.
> >
> > I believe these lights are used by law instead of headlights within the
> > city limits in a great many european cities. I think the reason for this
> is
> > so drivers aren't blinded by the lights of oncoming vehicles (it also
puts
> > to rest the question of "Did that guy have his high beams on?"). The
> lights
> > are there more to show other drivers where you are than to light the way
> in
> > front of you (evidently they think the streets are lighted well enough
> that
> > you don't need headlights in the city).
> >
> > Sean B.
> > '90 V'gon, "Happy Bus", soon to be pseudo Wolfy
> > Torrance, CA
> > http://vgonman.vwtrek.com
