I don't know, but I've been told that the european "city" lights were
originally created during WWII.  The story goes that initially the
headlights of the cars were covered but for a small 1" slit to allow enough
light to see and be seen by but not so much that the city became an obvious
target for Bombers flying overhead.  By the end of the war a small 5-10W
bulb in each light housing had replaced the covers so that when a car
arrived in the city it could turn it's headlights off and still be seen.
Then turn them on again when it left, without messing around with the
covers.  Of course this could be urban legend, but it's a good story
anyway....

Cory
'90 Syncro Westfalia

> That is exactly correct, at least it was when I lived in Paris quite a few
> years ago.  Most of the city streets are well lighted, and there's enough
> traffic that the headlights wouldn't do much anyway.  Eliminating the
glare
> makes city driving much easier.  Of course headlights are allowed on
darker
> side streets.
>
> John Philcox
> '85 GL
> Newport, RI
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Sean B." <SBirkner@WESTFIELD.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Friday, March 30, 2001 5:05 PM
> Subject: Re: headlight advice/f AKA City Lights
>
>
> > Let me preface this by saying that the following is conjecture based on
> > heresay.
> >
> > I believe these lights are used by law instead of headlights within the
> > city limits in a great many european cities. I think the reason for this
> is
> > so drivers aren't blinded by the lights of oncoming vehicles (it also
puts
> > to rest the question of "Did that guy have his high beams on?"). The
> lights
> > are there more to show other drivers where you are than to light the way
> in
> > front of you (evidently they think the streets are lighted well enough
> that
> > you don't need headlights in the city).
> >
> > Sean B.
> > '90 V'gon, "Happy Bus", soon to be pseudo Wolfy
> > Torrance, CA
> > http://vgonman.vwtrek.com