Side lights

[sigma]

were side lights originally fitted as parking lights ?.

[deggers316]

yes
if your car was parked on the road at night all side lights had to be left on causing no end of starting probs in the morning with the old style batteries of that time,(i had myself a few times)
i believe that practise stopped about 1969 ish
some cars had a switch that only left two side lights on as indeed some cars have today probably for foreign use also you could buy a clip on light that hooked over your drivers window showing red at one side and white at the othe other

[sigma]

Thanks deggers, the reason I asked was because it gets me that people drive round on just side lights which were originally intended to illuminate the car when parked.Maybe the manufacturers should arrange the circuit so they can only be used when the ignition is off.