Use Of Foglamps When There Is No Fog..aarrgghh!

[bondms]

are we talking front Fog lights here...................or Front driving lamps, there is a difference, and once won the argument with a Policeman, when i showed him my User manual.which stated front driving lamps!!!

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Was this your Lexus manual or for a different car? My manual calls them front fog lights.

[bondms]

I know the Highway Code isn't a statement of law, but the following might be of interest:

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/21.shtml#211

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/21.shtml#201

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/08.shtml#94

Notice that the 100m rule seems to apply more specifically to headlights rather than fog lights. The rule for fog lights appears to be more vague (i.e. when "visibility is reduced").

[ColinBarber]

I read that as:

you MUST use headlights when visibility is reduced (100m or less) and you CAN use fog lights as well. But when visibility is above 100m then you MUST turn off foglights and you CAN turn off headlights.

[bondms]

Since it annoys some people and is discouraged by the Highway Code I no longer drive with my front fog lights on unless visibility is poor. I can't, however, understand why people get upset by this. The front fog lights are the same power rating as the dipped headlights and, if you drive up to a wall, you can see that they don't light up any higher than the normal dipped headlights, so they shouldn't be any more blinding. Use of rear fog lights, on the other hand, is a different story. I don't find these particularly blinding, but they do hide brake lights, which can be dangerous.

Does anyone know what 100m visibility actually means? Even on a clear (i.e. fog free) night you can't see something 100m away unless it is illuminated somehow. There must be a legal definition that includes the size, colour and illumination of the benchmark object.

I believe the Highway Code used to say that hazard warning lights should only be used when stationary but it has now been updated to also allow use on motorways to warn of slow moving traffic ahead. It seems that this guidance was changed to reflect what people did rather than the other way round. Perhaps the next update will allow driving with fog lights on in clear weather

[Monster-Mat]

wasnt in the Lexus Handbook, but another car manufacturers

[Jiberjaber]

If you can see from one marker post to another on the motorway, you shouldnt have your fog lights on....

In case your not sure what a marker post is, heres one:

It's a ling white thing with a bit of read and blue on it and a marker post number on it. There placed every 100m along the near side of every motorway.

[bondms]

I read that as:

you MUST use headlights when visibility is reduced (100m or less) and you CAN use fog lights as well. But when visibility is above 100m then you MUST turn off foglights and you CAN turn off headlights.

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Yes, I've read it again and I think you're right. At least that makes some kind of sense.

[Matthew_McNally]

I can't, however, understand why people get upset by this.  The front fog lights are the same power rating as the dipped headlights and, if you drive up to a wall, you can see that they don't light up any higher than the normal dipped headlights, so they shouldn't be any more blinding.

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so - by your own calculations, driving with fogs on results in twice as much light.

multiply that by all the people driving with them on.

and you don't think thats blinding?

mix in the idiots with badly adjusted headlights - and it can be hard to see.

I have driven roads where I literally could not see pedestrians because of the volume of light coming from the cars on the other side of the road.

As I have said many times on these forums - its not that YOUR foglights are blinding - its the cumulative effect of all the morons who do it that is blinding.

[bondms]

If you can see from one marker post to another on the motorway, you shouldnt have your fog lights on....

In case your not sure what a marker post is, heres one:

It's a ling white thing with a bit of read and blue on it and a marker post number on it.  There placed every 100m along the near side of every motorway.

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That sounds like a good guide. Cheers.

[bondms]

I can't, however, understand why people get upset by this.  The front fog lights are the same power rating as the dipped headlights and, if you drive up to a wall, you can see that they don't light up any higher than the normal dipped headlights, so they shouldn't be any more blinding.

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so - by your own calculations, driving with fogs on results in twice as much light.

multiply that by all the people driving with them on.

and you don't think thats blinding?

mix in the idiots with badly adjusted headlights - and it can be hard to see.

I have driven roads where I literally could not see pedestrians because of the volume of light coming from the cars on the other side of the road.

As I have said many times on these forums - its not that YOUR foglights are blinding - its the cumulative effect of all the morons who do it that is blinding.

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I completely agree about badly adjusted headlights. They can be very dazzling.

I'm not convinced that twice as much light necessarily equates to twice as blinding though. The area that the light is coming from is also doubled so no single part of your vision is actually brighter.

[mudzs]

Also do fog lights not point straight ahead were as dipped beam is like it states dipped :duh: .

[Jiberjaber]

....stuff...

I completely agree about badly adjusted headlights.  They can be very dazzling.

I'm not convinced that twice as much light necessarily equates to twice as blinding though.  The area that the light is coming from is also doubled so no single part of your vision is actually brighter.

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It's not just about hte output of the lamps, you have to take into account the intensity of the light.

You dips have the same power output bulb maybe, but the light is spread across a larger area. The fogs are concentrated (focused) in a smaller area. Hence they are more powerfull for a given area they cover.

Get two maglite tourchs (samel size, bulb and batteries)

set one focused wide (large coverage of light (= normal headlights)

set one focused narrow (small coverage of light (= fog lights)

look into both at the same time (from a safe distance) and you will see one is brighter and more concentrated than the other.

Hope that helps explain it :)

[javadude]

Off topic I know but think of all the standard headlights, HID lights, badly adjusted headlights and fog lights on cars then think "cyclist with no lights". The word suicide comes to mind. :duh:

[ricky_is200]

I have been stopped and fined once before for driving with fog lights on in light rain in central London.

This was actually at about 12am at night, on the day that George Bush visited us and caused massive road diversions in and around central London.

It took me like 2 hours (compared with 35 min usually) to drive to work, all that time I had my fog lights on. I even stopped on 2 sepearate occasions to ask some police officers how I can get to work.

It was only when I was leaving London at night that I got stopped going by Big Ben, and fined etc.

I kicked up a huge fuss, wrote a letter, and got to see the Station top dog guy. I was saying that the law is inconsistent (would I have been stopped/fined if I was a middle aged woman etc.), and that the fog lights (in my car at the time) pointed downwards, and would not really cause dazzle (IMHO).

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So what exactly was it you were complaining about?

You were knowingly breaching the highway code driving with your fog lights in good visibility. I can't believe you had the cheek to complain about being stopped.

[SHAHZ]

The BMW disease has spread to other cars:D

[Monster-Mat]

my only issue is incorrectly adjusted lights and rear fog lights..............

i dont give a toss about front fog/driving lights if adjusted correctly............

look at it this way, if someone is prepared to drive at night in the winter with badly adjusted headlights, and rear fogs on because they have forgotten..........to turn them of from the last fog patch 3 months prior

what is the rest of the car like, and what else is there concentration on..............

[Jiberjaber]

As aslightly more light hearted addition.....

http://www.selfmadejournalist.com/newhighwaycode.htm

Highway Code to be re-issued to match current driving practises :)

[Jiberjaber]

Off topic I know but think of all the standard headlights, HID lights, badly adjusted headlights and fog lights on cars then think "cyclist with no lights". The word suicide comes to mind.  :duh:

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It doesn't matter if you have lights on or not when you on a bike and in front of a lot of light...

I was knocked of my bike (with lights on) when I was younger by a car that crossed over the road in front of me. He didnt see me cause the tanker behind me was fully lit up, it was only when he pulled off to go down a slip road that the driver crossing in front of me saw me and by then it was too late.

[wills]

Am i the only person who finds that the MK II rear fogs are dazzling (i know cos i have one), I get flashed even in mild fog cos they are so bright............oh and BTW why do the yanks heve their brage lights wired up to where the fogs are ...........IMHO they look much better , is there any way of hooking them up or is this illegal as well??

cheers will

[ColinBarber]

Am i the only person who finds that the MK II rear fogs are dazzling (i know cos i have one), I get flashed even in mild fog cos they are so bright............oh and BTW why do the yanks heve their brage lights wired up to where the fogs are ...........IMHO they look much better , is there any way of hooking them up or is this illegal as well??

cheers    will

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Rear fog lights are dazzling that is why you shouldn't be using them in 'mild fog' :P

[Gord]

had to use the fog lights last night, wosket and myself could only see 10ft in front of us

[Kazi]

I must agree with others, it does ***** me off. But then sometimes I do it myself!! :P

[Kazi]

I was knocked of my bike (with lights on) when I was younger by a car that crossed over the road in front of me. He didnt see me cause the tanker behind me was fully lit up, it was only when he pulled off to go down a slip road that the driver crossing in front of me saw me and by then it was too late.

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Wounded!!

[White1D]

I recently upgraded my normal Headlights to HID's and they are 100% brighter than my normal Fog Lights.

I turn on my Side lights, then Head Lights and now the new bulbs are in are a Crisp White/Blue shine.

When I then turn on my fog lights, its like a dull yellow shine compared.

In my opinion, my headlights are now much brighter than my fog lights, and I agree you can see a vehicle with HID's coming a mile off - e.g. new BMW's, Merc's Omega's, Audi Punto's and some VW's etc.

[Matthew_McNally]

In my opinion, my headlights are now much brighter than my fog lights, and I agree you can see a vehicle with HID's coming a mile off - e.g. new BMW's, Merc's Omega's, Audi Punto's and some VW's etc.

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if you have a proper HID kit fitted - they will be self levelling, and the height of the beam will be automatically adjusted specifically to prevent the lights dazzling other road users.

if they don't do that - then the HIDs are ilegal