Parking lights - The most stupid invention ever.

What 'tard came up with the concept of parking lights?

"Oh, I'm going to leave my vehicle with the engine off. I think I'll leave the lights switched on so everyone can see it. Doesn't matter that the battery might get drained."

I've had parking lights on all of my bikes and several of my cars. And I've NEVER (intentionally) used them.

I rode the VFR to work yesterday. The GF wanted me to make sure everything was OK on it before she started riding it.

Nice bike, handles well... although it's been neutered by having it's power restricted.

The problem is that when you lock the handlebars, the gap between 'locked' and 'parking lights' is minuscule.

Hence I ended up leaving all of the lights on all day.

5:30pm I come out of work, sit on the bike and press the start button... nothing.

I managed to push start it, but there was only enough power being generated to make it tick over (rather badly). The battery wasn't charging and there wasn't enough electricity to rev the engine. Hence it was kind of stuck in limbo.

I ended up pushing it to the entrance to the industrial estate and calling the breakdown service (They start with R, have a letter in the middle and end in C)

Whilst waiting for them, I have to watch various staff members driving by grinning (gits!). Although a couple did stop, and one of them pulled over and tried to jump start the bike from his car (nearly worked too).

Anyway, the breakdown guy arrived (I can't sing their praises highly enough). Messed with the bike for a couple of minutes and had it all running. Top stuff.