Wednesday 9 January 2008

I can see the light

Is it just me or is it no longer a legal requirement that cars need two lights these days? Staggering back from the gym last night there were five or six cars in the space of five minutes all with only one light working.

I even saw a police van the other day with just the one. Although, to be fair, it would take a very brave person to tap on the window and say "Excuse me officer but did you know ....". I would imagine they'd be searching your boot quicker than you can say "but I was only trying to help".

Seriously though I've seen loads of cars recently with just the one - call me a traditionalist but I like to see where I'm going and more to the point who's coming. It's worth a quick check I reckon - rear lights too - and courtesy of a shop window how about those brake lights?

The other thing about lights is the switching them off bit. I walked past a car parked outside a row of houses the other night and they'd obviously arrived at dusk and jumped out leaving their sidelights on. Having drained my battery on numerous occasions half of me wanted to knock on doors and say "Excuse me, but did you know that...". Although the other half of me was thinking you'll just look like a lunatic - keep walking.

Anyway knowing my luck it would be the police van man. "Pop open the boot, son."

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Jon Cuthill is a presenter on BBC Radio Solent. You can listen to him every weekday from 9am-12.30pm, or listen again online at his website.

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