Monday, July 22, 2013

Friday Night Battery Killing Lights

Now I understand why the salesman warned me six years ago about this parking light switch thingy. About using it prudently due to the fact that firing up the parking lights can drain the battery of power in less than two hour's time! Also why there are multiple instructions to be found on the internets as to how one may go about disabling its function. This, boys and girls, is the parking light switch. It is conveniently, maybe a bit too conveniently, located top and center just behind the steering wheel. I have thus far never used this feature for its intended purpose, which is to turn on the parking lights while the engine is off. However I did inadvertently manage to flip it to the on position last Friday morning while cleaning out my car. And didn't notice. Until after 11pm Friday night when I discovered the car was totally unresponsive due to the drained and dead condition of the battery due to the fact that my fancy parking lights had been on. Fortunately there was a party in progress next door. I knocked on the gate. Then asked three questions. Did anyone present possess jumper cables? Did they know how to operate them? And finally, were they sober enough to safely jump my car? Two enthusiastic young men and one woman responded in the affirmative. By the light of a smart phone the task was accomplished. Ten minutes later I was taking a leisurely drive around town to charge up the battery. I am now considering disabling this switch but probably won't. Because I am a thrill-seeking person and enjoy living dangerously? Not even close. Because I endeavor in all areas of my life to only do new and different stupid things, not repeat such actions from the past. I'm in it for the learning opportunity.  

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