Technology1 min ago
American Dome Lights
9 Answers
I'm just reading yet another American crime novel (Q is for Quarry, by Sue Grafton) in which the detective "reached up, unclipped the cover of the dome light, and unscrewed the bulb" before opening the door. They usually (but not in this case) mention that this is a trick taught to them by a deputy sheriff.
Now, every car I've ever driven, since my first Mini in 1972, had a 3 position switch for the courtesy light: on, off and automatic.
So what's going on here? Either:
a) For some reason American cars don't have this switch.
b) American detectives are either morons or just prefer to do things the hard way.
c) The average American crime writer has never actually been in a car.
Which is it?
Now, every car I've ever driven, since my first Mini in 1972, had a 3 position switch for the courtesy light: on, off and automatic.
So what's going on here? Either:
a) For some reason American cars don't have this switch.
b) American detectives are either morons or just prefer to do things the hard way.
c) The average American crime writer has never actually been in a car.
Which is it?
Answers
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.The novel was written by a woman, so technical details about machines and electronics should be taken with a pinch of salt. Like a man having a pivotal plot device in a novel hinging on the garment care label of a shirt.
Also with interior vehicle lights the cylindrical bulb is held in place between two sprung terminals, not screwed.
Well the average American seems to expects that everything in the car should be automatic, some even seem to expect that the car should drive itself and that they don't need to take any care with driving. So you might find that the cars don't have switches fitted to their dome lights anyway.
You might even find that switches are not fitted by the manufacturers on the basis of ''if it's not fitted then nobody can claim it caused an accident'', I am sure that if it was possible for an American driver to spill hot coffee on theirself while turning the light on while parked, then somebody would manage to do it and then claim $1,000,000 compensation for it.
You might even find that switches are not fitted by the manufacturers on the basis of ''if it's not fitted then nobody can claim it caused an accident'', I am sure that if it was possible for an American driver to spill hot coffee on theirself while turning the light on while parked, then somebody would manage to do it and then claim $1,000,000 compensation for it.