Is 'on' off or on?
2 Answers
on means on, mostly appearing on the light control lever on the left side of the steering wheel. There is also an off on the control lever, which corresponds to the meaning of off. Generally speaking, there is a lever on each side of the steering wheel, the right one is for wiper control, and the left one is for light control, including the switching between high and low beams. The high and low beams are toggled up and down, while the turn signals are toggled front and back. High beams should only be turned on when there are no streetlights or when visibility is poor. In most cases, low beams should be used, such as on roads illuminated by streetlights, when two vehicles meet, when the vehicle in front is leading the way, or when road conditions are good and visibility is clear.
In my driving experience, "on" means to turn on. I remember hesitating about the meaning of this word when I first started driving, but now I understand that in vehicle controls, "on" represents the activated state. Whether it's the headlight switch, the air conditioning start button, or the radio knob, flipping the switch to the "on" position activates the device. For example, with car lights, "off" means the lights are off, and "on" means the lights are on and illuminated. This design originates from international standards to make driving more intuitive. I often encounter beginners getting confused, which increases the risk of accidents; once, I forgot to turn the lights "on" during rain, resulting in blurred vision and nearly causing an accident. So, checking whether the light switch is "on" has become my safety habit. During vehicle maintenance, I also remind myself to ensure the switches are functioning properly, not letting small issues compromise driving safety.
