Lights off at petrol stations?

mrk · 4 Sep 2009 at 10:52

"On" position? who uses that these days, "Auto" is the new on

[TW]Fox · 4 Sep 2009 at 10:52

It's half a lazy thing rather than an anal thing - I just.. stop the car and take the keys out. I don't go and use the off switch on the lights for the same reason I dont press the off switch on the radio or switch the satnav off.

[TW]Fox · 4 Sep 2009 at 10:52

mrk said:
"On" position? who uses that these days, "Auto" is the new on

Auto on E39's goes directly to on so you miss that vital dusk period of angel eye posing. Unacceptable in my eyes

mrk · 4 Sep 2009 at 10:54

I thought you never posed with angel eyes though

Ring Peace · 4 Sep 2009 at 11:10

Why are they called angel eyes? Angels are men with wings and no genitalia I have no idea what their eyes are like.

I now use a local garage where they come out and fill your tank for you, costs a penny a litre extra but I can live with that.

PiKe · 4 Sep 2009 at 11:12

Because they're like halo's.

mrk · 4 Sep 2009 at 11:16

Carry on!

iaind · 4 Sep 2009 at 11:22

PiKe said:
Because they're like halo's.

But halos arent eyes...

[TW]Fox · 4 Sep 2009 at 11:23

Who cares

PiKe · 4 Sep 2009 at 11:27

Maybe they're named after the song by Wet Wet Wet then.

I pay the price for cheap advice
Sick of leaving in the morning
With the night you gave away
So now I'm gonna take out all I can get
With those angel eyes

?

iaind · 4 Sep 2009 at 11:29

PiKe said:
Maybe they're named after the song by Wet Wet Wet then.

I pay the price for cheap advice
Sick of leaving in the morning
With the night you gave away
So now I'm gonna take out all I can get
With those angel eyes

?

Given BMW's penchant for random naming conventions, it wouldnt suprise me if this was true

Howard · 4 Sep 2009 at 11:30

markweatherill said:
All the Japanese cars I've owned allow dipped, main, side lights to be on whether the key is in or out.
I think my Fiat was different.

Yeah mine are like that

Simon · 4 Sep 2009 at 12:07

[TW]Fox;14812630 said:
Surely every car turns the headlights off and leaves just sidelights on if you remove the keys with the headlights in the on position? Every car I've owned does? You have to have the ignition in the position before starting the engine, or the engine on, in order for the main headlights to work?

Headlights come on whenever i turn them on, same with sidelights. They are not linked to the engine running or the presences of an ignition key. I can leave the headlights on get out with the key and lock the car if I want, the lights will stay on until the battery is dead.

If I open my door with the key in, i get a beeping. If i take the key out I will get another beeping noise indicating I have left the lights on.

For those reasons I think most people with Japanese cars tend to turn the lights off then remove the ignition key before opening the door to get out. Otherwise it sounds like you are having a rave on the forecourt.

[TW]Fox · 4 Sep 2009 at 12:09

I can't remember how the FTO worked but if your lights were on in the Mondeo or any of the BMW's if you take keys out it kicks down to sidelights and stays on unless you are using the Auto function.

miniyazz · 4 Sep 2009 at 12:17

[TW]Fox;14812630 said:
Surely every car turns the headlights off and leaves just sidelights on if you remove the keys with the headlights in the on position? Every car I've owned does? You have to have the ignition in the position before starting the engine, or the engine on, in order for the main headlights to work?

As said, mine stay on.

ScoobyDoo69 · 4 Sep 2009 at 12:27

In the Subaru the lights go off completely without the ignition on. There's a switch for parking lights though..

However, I can't say I've ever had a problem with leaving my lights on when filling up the Peugeot, but I've had someone come outside and tell me to turn my Subaru off, just as I had my hand on the pump she came out and shouted you have to turn it off! The turbo timer then shut the car off. She wouldn't then stop apologising for being rude lol.

Overlag · 4 Sep 2009 at 13:12

thecremeegg said:
I work at a petrol station and probably 1 in 100 cars leave lights on of any description....

i leave mine on all the time. Like fox says, the headlights go off when you take the key out, so only the sidelights stay on. Whats the big problem?

the problem for fox was the fact they are angle eyes so the idiot at the desk probably thought they were his headlights. I sometimes pop over to our garage and we never stop people filling up with lights on, but then we have ANPR cameras so you know exactly who stole fuel and so do the police within minutes.

iaind · 4 Sep 2009 at 13:17

Not all garages are that sophisticated though, a lot of smaller ones will have fairly crumby old CCTV systems, recording to VHS and camera casings full of cobwebs and moisture - headlights (not sidelights) could feasibly make the number plate unreadable (this happened in the place I worked in on more than one occasion).

The cashier could have been told this and was enforcing it to the letter

4T5 · 4 Sep 2009 at 13:19

The Longer this thread goes on the more I understand why she told Fox to turn his lights off.
I bet you use this Garage All the time & She knows you don't she.

Biohazard · 4 Sep 2009 at 14:53

iaind said:
Not all garages are that sophisticated though, a lot of smaller ones will have fairly crumby old CCTV systems, recording to VHS and camera casings full of cobwebs and moisture - headlights (not sidelights) could feasibly make the number plate unreadable (this happened in the place I worked in on more than one occasion).

Was the garage built on a hill/slope?