German Engineering: Lesson Learned

I drove to work today as I have to leave straight from the office to go to volleyball tonight. I parked, got out of the car and put my duffel bag in the trunk. I noticed that the left taillight was on. Now my trunk has too much crap in it so I spent a minute looking for any wires that might have gotten pinched. I saw none.

I'm going to have to do something to prevent the battery from dying. I'm thinking pulling the bulb at this point. Hey! It was early. I decided to call my roommate first who was a mechanic to see if he has any better thoughts. He had none.

To make the call I had to get out of the parking garage. So on the way back down, after a bagel and some caffeine, it dawns on me that pulling the bulb isn't going to work as juice is still flowing. I'm going to have to yank the fuse. Well, when I get back to the car I notice that the left front signal light is also on!!!

That's just too coincidental. It's not a short in the trunk, it is something else. A little investigation and notice that the turn signal lever had been bumped down. My best guess is that I hit it with the duffel bag getting out of the car. So with the car turned off and the signal lever down the left turn signal lights were on. Not blinking, mind you, just on. Put the lever back into the neutral position and all is well again.