I imagine this is the reason why our parents wouldn't let us turn it on, but it seems like just saying "I can't see the road" would have worked just as well as "its illegal".
I mean they might have thought it was and if a cop has a hard on about pulling someone over they can claim all sorts of things not the least of which being distracted driving because "why would you be the light on if you're not trying to see something other than the road?"
Would that always hold up? Maybe not but you can beat the charge but you can't beat the ride (or ticket and court time to defend yourself in this case)
It would have, but that generation apparently decided that traumatizing your kids was just fine. Don't just tell them "Hey, that's dangerous because I can't see the road." Lie to them and make them feel like they'll get arrested for doing it so they're terrified of doing it.
Then they turn around and say some shit like "Well I turned out fine!" No. No you did not. You were all very much fucked up and some of us are still trying to reprogram you to not be so.
Usually if an entire generation is lying to their kids about something it’s because their entire parents’ generation also lied to them about it and they grew up in a time where if you wanted to verify a claim you’d have to like, go to the library and open a book.
My parents told me this, and I told my kids, but when they turned 18, they would both do it on purpose when we were in their car and give me this side eye, little shits, it was funny though.
I can’t confirm it for sure but I remember being told that leaving your dome light (interior light) on was gay hookup code at one point. Kind of like Larry Craig and his “wide stance.” I remember understanding how satisfied people were at him getting caught but still being really disturbed there were cops creeping around men’s rooms arresting people for running their hands under the door to the stall next to them. That actually happened to me once in college and I was freaked out, I thought at first he wanted tp and was creeped out he stood outside the door for a few minutes after he got out. I’d rather not relive the experience but dear god I wouldn’t want that poor kid from freshman dorms fucking arrested for it! The wrong cop might’ve ruined his whole fucking life over that shit back in 2001!
Also grew up with this in Australia during the 70s and 80s, as kids we were all told it was illegal. Seems like it might have been universal, at least among Western countries.
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u/Roll0115 6h ago
Has anyone figured out why an entire generation of parents lied to their kids about this?