Lover of lights

My car and I are entering into a real dialogue now. This afternoon when I fired it up there was a warning message that the rear seat wasn't clipped back (I had it down yesterday to lug products from Ikea) and there was then a message that the right-hand dipped-beam bulb had failed. Clearly Saab avoid using nearside and offside because some folk insist on driving on the wrong side of the road and thus they might become confused as their offside is actually the nearside. As an aside to these sides - the majority of the world's population lives in countries which drive on the correct side of the road. You might not have been aware of that.

Anyways. After a couple of errands in town I headed out to Halfords. The sun was casting salmon shadows across the clouds and the reflection on the Medway as I crossed it at Allington was delicious. I nearly stopped for some blippage but I reasoned that I'd be able to grab it after getting the bulb sorted. In this regard I was in error.

I am a dexterous chap. I can ice cakes and type and fold napkins into a range of interesting shapes but I cannot change headlamp bulbs. I don't know if my hands are too fat or my fingers too short but it's a skill I've given up trying to acquire. This is okay because the gadgy at Halfords will do it for a few bob. 

However, this is the time of year when bulbs blow. The reason, and I had time to think this through, is simple. If we assume an MTBF of, say, 1000 hrs that isn't consumed at a linear rate. Many of us drive with lights on all the time but those who only use lights when it is dark will run them more at this time of year than at the height of summer. Ergo more likelihood of failure in winter and also more likelihood that bulbs will be replaced - the sun doesn't rise until 08:00 and disappears at 16:00 so many folk will be commuting in the dark at both ends of the working day. Thus there was a queue of people waiting for the gadgy who can fit bulbs. We all sat around clutching the bulb and waiting. There was actually a team of gadgies but there was still a wait. The young lady at the counter before me was there for windscreen wipers (even I can do them!) and also because the radio that the gadgy had recently fitted wasn't working correctly. I almost asked whether it was stuck on Radio 2 but she had that pinched look of someone who feels uncomfortable complaining even when it is justified - I didn't think she'd welcome my quip so I left her quipless.

And I waited. As I waited the clock ticked past 16:00 and the beautiful display was extinguished as the moon chased the sun from the sky. The gadgy came, a bloke with hands like an eight of Cumberland sausages, and did the deed in a moment. I drove home in the dark with the benefit of two working headlamps. You have to love those lights.........