Why does`nt a boffin invent a system where you can park up at night without running the power from the battery, the Police used to enforce the parking at night, lights on rule, but not so much nowadays.
Solar panels on the cab or trailer, or an independant power supply, Dragons Den anyone?
I seen a wagon in bellshill parked up and he had 2 of those lights you see on traffic cones in roadworks must have nicked them 
Surely manufacturers could put parking lights on like they have on cars but only draw a small amount of power?It would b charged up again th next time you start up.I think every vehicle should be like volvo cars where the lights come on automatically once started up aswell.
Bud143:
< snipped > I think every vehicle should be like volvo cars where the lights come on automatically once started up aswell.
Why?
The main reason cars, like Volvos, which have constantly on running lights, stand out is because most other cars don’t. As soon as everyone starts using constantly on running lights, it becomes the norm and its the occasional one without lights which will stand out.
toby1234abc:
Why does`nt a boffin invent a system where you can park up at night without running the power from the battery, the Police used to enforce the parking at night, lights on rule, but not so much nowadays.
Solar panels on the cab or trailer, or an independant power supply, Dragons Den anyone?
Because the only way to store electrical power is in batteries.
We have batteries, but side lights on all night will drain them because we have so many lights now. Two or three in each rear light unit plus top outline markers, several sidemarkers on each side, trailer front markers, unit tail lights, sidelights and top markers. Then, if thats your bag, another half a dozen or more extras because you like them.
What we could do with is a parking light system which only lights up one side (switchable) with minimum lights, say one front, one rear and one side marker on an artic. A set of LED bulbs would do it, on separate circuits.
merc0447:
I seen a wagon in bellshill parked up and he had 2 of those lights you see on traffic cones in roadworks must have nicked them
They could be, but you can buy similar things in places like Halfords and other accessory shops. You need a separate, very simple, key to switch those roadwork ones on and off.
I quite often see some parked up at nights and the only lights on are the two at the very top of the cab, what’s that all about?
I thought all vehicles came with lights that light up what is in front of you when it is dark? 
Simon:
What we could do with is a parking light system which only lights up one side (switchable) with minimum lights, say one front, one rear and one side marker on an artic. A set of LED bulbs would do it, on separate circuits.
On most cars, if you put an indicator on with the ignition off you get a front and rear ‘parking light’. I’ve never tried, but I assume that we don’t have that on Lorries - maybe that would be the answer?
bubsy06:
I thought all vehicles came with lights that light up what is in front of you when it is dark?
They do, for when you are driving along and need to see what’s in front of you.
But this is about the lights you are required to show on an unlit public road, which includes laybys, when you are parked up for the night. If you are parked up on a lighted street, you don’t need to have parking lights on, I think.
As Toby mentioned somewhere in his ramble, it’s a legal requirement but very rarely enforced.
Because simon there would be no excuse for not being seen.With lights on what ever vehicle you are in you have more chance of being seen.
Ask why trucks don’t have all-LED marker/parking lamps.
Minimal current draw and no need to replace unless smashed?
No money for dealers coming out to start trucks with flat batteries and charge £100 to change a bulb, perhaps.
A good few years ago a bloke from my work (didnt know him) rode a moped into the back of an unlit lorry. I think there should be a simple circuit set up, all you need is a light in each corner. You could always buy some LED bike lights. I don’t know how good the reflectors are on the rear of a truck, maybe give em a clean before bed? The roadwork lights are a good idea but are open to theft. I imagine them handy to have in the cab incase of a late night break down.
grumpybum:
Simon:
What we could do with is a parking light system which only lights up one side (switchable) with minimum lights, say one front, one rear and one side marker on an artic. A set of LED bulbs would do it, on separate circuits.On most cars, if you put an indicator on with the ignition off you get a front and rear ‘parking light’. I’ve never tried, but I assume that we don’t have that on Lorries - maybe that would be the answer?
That would do it.
I’ve never tried it either, so I don’t know.
I had a good look through the handbook for my last wagon. It was the first time I’d driven an Actros in a very long time, so I thought I’d see what everything did and what tricks might not be obvious by just looking (I’d also forgotten my book and was bored. Not that a truck handbook helped much with the boredom 
). I don’t remember seeing anything about that kind of set-up for parking lights.
I did find out that if you press both mid-axle switches on a 6 x 2, you can lift the middle axle for a limited time, whatever weight you’ve got on the pin, 2 t or 20t.
dew:
I quite often see some parked up at nights and the only lights on are the two at the very top of the cab, what’s that all about?
i think its only on hazard tankers but i may be wrong, one of the tanker boys should be able to give the full answer
Tarrman:
A good few years ago a bloke from my work (didnt know him) rode a moped into the back of an unlit lorry. I think there should be a simple circuit set up, all you need is a light in each corner. You could always buy some LED bike lights. I don’t know how good the reflectors are on the rear of a truck, maybe give em a clean before bed? The roadwork lights are a good idea but are open to theft. I imagine them handy to have in the cab incase of a late night break down.
lol might have helped if he had put his headlight on and opened his eyes
Bud143:
Because simon there would be no excuse for not being seen.With lights on what ever vehicle you are in you have more chance of being seen.
Sorry mate, but there is research which proves you wrong.
When every vehicle has driving lights on all the time, you stop noticing them.
I don’t have a link to this research to hand and there is other research which argues you are right. But there is no research which states categorically that you are right.
Records in Scandinavian countries which have gone to constantly on driving lights show that there was an initial dip in day time accident rates, once daytime running lights became law. But after a few months, accident rates returned to the average of before daytime running lights.
This is egging me on to restart the rant about over-using amber beacons
I’ve a couple of sets of bike lights, there led and the batteries last an age, I use them mainly when lighting up wide loads but also use them to save mysen the bother of worrying if I’ll wake up to a ticket. One on trailer and one in windscreen sorted.
Why is it a legal requirement?
It cant be to stop people crashing into them as walls and trees dont legally require lights at night.
What about a split charge system like in campervans? With ignition off, lights could draw power from the secondary battery and when you start back up in the morning, no flat main battery and then the secondary on charges back up with the alternator.