David Templeton wrote:
> On my way home from the office tonight I was in the '3 and it was still an
> hour before dusk, so still quite light. But driving on some tree shaded
> roads I figure I would drive with just the running lights, to save on gennie
> power. Ten out of the eleven cars that passed me in the opposite direction
> put their high beams on as if my highs were on.
>
> Clearly this wasn't the case, and I think they were indicating my lights
> should be on. Couple of thoughts came to mind:
>
> - When did it become a bad thing to run with only running lights?
>
> - why are cars still equiped with the ability to run running lights only if
> it is such a bad thing?
>
> - was I in the wrong and should have flipped the main beams on?
>
> Just thoughts and questions formulated on the quiet country road home.
>
David,
Here is a reply from an astronomy professor I had years back.
If it is dark enough to run your running lights, why not use the main
beams? The point he was trying to make was the main beams could identify
you better to on-comming traffic and therefore be safer. It always
bugged him why cars had running/parking lights. Little did he know that
I was commuting to class using the 3a and since it has a small profile,
made sense to use the main beams.
I might add that this guy was one of the best overall "teachers" I met
during my "learning" years. Just about everything he said made some sort
of sense. I never used parking/running lights after that class!
Also note that in this country it is the law to run your main beam on a
motorcycle and the reason is very obvious!
Bob Labuz
1958 TR3A
1974 T140V
1998 T-Bird
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