MrRA

Pulled up to the house earlier and my father's VW Golf was sitting on the drive with its near-side sidelight on. I tell my father to which he replies 'It's the parking light. Must have put it on by accident.'

Now of every car I've ever owned the parking lights have always been both sidelights front and rear, minus interior lights.

Anyway, a difference of opinion ensues with me saying that it's wrong that only one sidelight was on as to me it is not logical.

Has anyone else come across this on a car they have owned?

NXG

A lot of cars, most german included, let you put just one side on, as when you park half on, half off the road it clearly shows the edge of the obstruction. Saves battery life as well....

NXG

BTW, it's done with the indicator stalk when the ignition is off.

davegtt

No, as far as Im aware the parking light leaves only one side of the cars lights on. On all cars! Certainly did with my Renault 5's, Ford Cougar, not sure what else Ive ever used it on tbh. I was taught this in 1997 when I started driving.

CrisPDuk

Dave most modern cars do indeed have it, but as NXG rightly states, prior to the mid '90s, it was a peculiarly German thing.
The first car I saw it on was my first Mk1 Golf.

RESSE

iTrader: (1)

Many years ago I owned a poverty specification B registration VW Polo Formel E.

You could flick the indicators onto "left" or "right" (with the ignition switched off) and the corresponding front and rear side lights would come on. If I remember correctly, you could leave these parking lights on all night?

Excellent facility.

RESSE

iTrader: (1)

First I have heard of this - anyone more information/views?

"It is a legal requirement to have your parking lights lights on and that means offside and nearside, not just one side, where there speed limit is above 30mph. It doesn't matter if there are street lights or not.

All vehicles MUST display parking lights when parked on a road or a lay-by on a road with a speed limit greater than 30 mph.
Law RVLR reg 24"

?????????????????????

davegtt

That cant be right can it? If so it certainly is never enforced

MrRA

I had an ST170 Focus a few years back and both sidelights came on when the parking lights were activated.

My Impreza brings both sidelights on also.

To me, it defies logic as to why you would only have one sidelight on. Surely the more lights that are on the more visible a car will be and will present a more defined shape.

I've been driving along in the night many times and thought that a bike was coming towards from a distance, yet it has turned out to be a car when we've passed each other.

austinwrx

german cars going back 20 yrs have done this.

makes sense just one side- if yr parked in a long bay of cars etc.

WRX_Dazza

mark 3 cortinas had this too, i was forever going over to my nighbour and telling her, shed left them on (on her driveway) !!!
yes, its just set by the indicator stalk (she obviously used to indicate into the drive and not cancel them properly!!

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

This is it basically, if you leave the indicator in the left or right position and the key out of the ignition it will leave the light on to the side the indicator is pointing.

Tony