>>> I LIKE RUNNING BOARDS <<<
I really like running-boards, especially tread-brite ones.
The fault of most is the wimpy bracketry that comes with them and then people's lack of even properly using that.
Forget all those wimpy little hangers and devise good strong ones that are strongly attached to the trucks BODY --- NOT THE FRAME --- and big fat girls can climb all over them with no issues.
On looking at the particular ones shown on the black 4-door truck, there are two minor alterations that could really improve their appearance.
First, the front and rear individual pieces need to be re-worked into one continuous board, with no eyesore gap at the cab/bed juncture.
Second, the perpendicular flange that dictates how low they ride should be shortened considerably, thus bringing the height of the board closer to the bottom edge of the rocker-panels; such a change will make the boards look more like they belong there and complement the overall lines of the truck.
A big DRW truck looks naked without a set of running-boards.
As to the lights/wires situation, any issues there are directly the fault of the owner's lack of attention to detail; if one's running-board lights have issues, then most likely any other wiring on the truck is also having issues.
One BIG advantage of running-boards that many overlook is the protection they provide from road debris that is flung from the tires.
Without them, little rocks soon sand-blast the paint away from the lower six-inches of the body and bigger stuff will even make dings higher up on the sides.
They also prevent road-spray from keeping the sides so filthy.
Needless to say, it looks much better without all that stuff hanging around. 
bull-stout now. 
