Its officially winter - the fog light brigade are out

G

Graham_07

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Ok, maybe this belongs in "car & motoring" but I'm ranting so here it is. Drove 40Km last night between 7-8pm on a lovely clear night. Spent most of the time blinded front and back by fogbound idiots who persist in driving with foglights on in clear conditions. So many cars have them now that it can't be a "hey look at me I have fog lights & you don't" attitude. Is it sheer laziness? Or inattention? There is a bulb on the dash which tells you its on so you can't say I didn't know. Or is it just plain old disrespect for those who nearly have to wear ray bans to avoid being permanently scarred from the glare? In the end I started counting and out of 20 cars passing 8 had foglamps on ( not a scientifically arrived at sample but there you go) Please please turn the darn things off unless they're needed.
 
Are you talking about fog lights or the spotlights on the bottom of the bumper? I haven't noticed fog lights (recently...), but I did notice the spotlights on a good few cars recently, with the dipped headlights on, in a lit up area, on a clear night.
 
I think it's no more than just laziness really - I mean how many people drive with their full beams on facing oncoming traffic even though they also have a dash light reminding them?
 
Mostly,just another case of "look at me"

The fact it is unpleasant, uncomfortable & in some circumstances dangerous for other road users is of no concern to them.
 
Jock04 said:
The fact it is unpleasant, uncomfortable & in some circumstances dangerous for other road users is of no concern to them.
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Unpleasant & uncomfortable, yes, but not nearly as dangerous as that other winter hazard of cars driving without any lights when it is getting dark in the evenings, or when there is heavy fog during the daytime.
 
Rear fog lamps should be rarely used, only when it's actually foggy.

Front fog lights are yellow in colour, most jap imports have them not many cars for the irish market have these.

Front white/clear lights are called spot lights/ driving lights, when focused correctly these will only make the road directly in front of the car brighter.

I drive with my park lights on all the time, when it gets a bit darker I put on the spot lights and then when it's gets another bit darker I put on my dipped beams. This would be the correct course of action.

Only if lights are out of focus will they annoy on comming traffic or the main beams are on.

Spot light's when focused and the genuine part for the bumber (either bought as part of the car or genuine spare part fitted after) are not the problem.
It's usually out of focus spot lights or non-genuine incorrectly fitted spot light that are the problem.
 
ubiquitous said:
Unpleasant & uncomfortable, yes, but not nearly as dangerous as that other winter hazard of cars driving without any lights when it is getting dark in the evenings, or when there is heavy fog during the daytime.
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Agreed, I have, for many years, adopted the "Volvo" approach of running lights on at all times most especially in daytime rain or poor visibility.
 
Mr2 said:
Rear fog lamps should be rarely used, only when it's actually foggy.

Front fog lights are yellow in colour, most jap imports have them not many cars for the irish market have these.

Front white/clear lights are called spot lights/ driving lights, when focused correctly these will only make the road directly in front of the car brighter.

I drive with my park lights on all the time, when it gets a bit darker I put on the spot lights and then when it's gets another bit darker I put on my dipped beams. This would be the correct course of action.

Only if lights are out of focus will they annoy on comming traffic or the main beams are on.

Spot light's when focused and the genuine part for the bumber (either bought as part of the car or genuine spare part fitted after) are not the problem.
It's usually out of focus spot lights or non-genuine incorrectly fitted spot light that are the problem.
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I would disagree with a lot of the above- (as per the RSA article) the lights at the front are fog lights and not "spot lights"; they are white in most instances and most new cars now are marketed as being fitted with said "fog" lamps, not "spot" lamps. These fog lights (front or rear) should never be turned on when driving conditions are good and there is no fog. There are very few days in the year when it is actually necessary to use fog lights in my experience.
 
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Unfortunately the following relates to the UK only.

Daft motorists who use their fog lights in clear conditions in Coventry are facing a fine in a clampdown by traffic police.
Officers based at Fletchamstead Highway police station say that the blinding lights are being misused, and it is proving dangerous to other drivers.
A £30 fine will be imposed on drivers who break the law by going around with their fog lights on.

Acting Sergeant Nigel Fairburn said:
"We have been receiving complaints from members of the public who have been dazzled by motorists using their front fog lights when there is absolutely no need.​

"The legislation states they are only to be used in conditions where visibility is serious impaired – generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet).​

"We will be issuing fixed penalty fines of £30 to drivers who leave their front fog lights on despite the clear conditions.​

"We believe that some motorists, especially young ones, are confused about their front fog lights and their use.​

"Basically, if the lights are on a separate switch with a warning light on the dashboard, these are fog lights, and should only be used in extreme conditions.​

"If they come on when you flick on the main beam switch then they are driving lights not fog lights and will disappear when the lights are dipped or switched off.​

"Also drivers should ensure they remember to switch off rear fog lights after use as they can mask the brake lights of the car as well as dazzling motorists travelling behind​
 
I agree, hate those spot lights - very dazzling! On my car, a Ford, I must turn the switch (with the fog light icon on it!) on to activate them and they're not yellow...
I never do it as my Dipped headlamps are fine in built up areas or following traffic. Don't understand why people need those extra spots aswell!?

S
 
ubiquitous said:
Unpleasant & uncomfortable, yes, but not nearly as dangerous as that other winter hazard of cars driving without any lights when it is getting dark in the evenings, or when there is heavy fog during the daytime.
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Agreed. Was almost knocked down about 8pm last night by a Micra with no lights on.

The danger of un-necessarily lit fog lamps should not be under-estimated though.
 
I think there great. I put mine on a lot. I do require them to drive safetly home, I don't know what it's like in the cities but I drive from the outskirts of a big town to my house 15 miles away. In the rain, fog, darker evenings, etc, dip beams are not enough. This way I haven't hit many pot holes, knocked anybody down etc. I get my light focus regulary checked and the rest of my lights.
 
Mr2 said:
I think there great. I put mine on a lot. I do require them to drive safetly home, I don't know what it's like in the cities but I drive from the outskirts of a big town to my house 15 miles away. In the rain, fog, darker evenings, etc, dip beams are not enough. This way I haven't hit many pot holes, knocked anybody down etc. I get my light focus regulary checked and the rest of my lights.
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Have been told on several occasions by members of the gardai that they are illegal to have on apart from when its it foggy.

I purchased a set of HID Xenon lights and fitted them to my car and got them focused correctly and find them fantastic on country roads.
 
Sorry Mr2 but I don't see what focus has got to do with fog lights, which are fixed and not "focusable" AFAIK. Driving with fogs may be great to help you see the road ahead but they are a nuisance for other drivers and road users when used in other than foggy conditions. In my experience appropriate speed and use of regular main/ dipped beams is adequate for normal driving conditions. Seems pretty clear from the extracts posted above.
 
I have to say I find the Xenon light's great as well but I know when I meet a car with them on I get blinded by them, that's a real cutting bright light.

Carpenter: shows what you know if you think that there fixed and cannot be moved.
 
Mr2 said:
I think there great. I put mine on a lot. I do require them to drive safetly home, I don't know what it's like in the cities but I drive from the outskirts of a big town to my house 15 miles away. In the rain, fog, darker evenings, etc, dip beams are not enough. This way I haven't hit many pot holes, knocked anybody down etc. I get my light focus regularly checked .
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Do you get your eyesight regularly checked as well?

If so, you should have no need for foglights.
 
Mr2 said:
I think there great. I put mine on a lot. I do require them to drive safetly home, I don't know what it's like in the cities but I drive from the outskirts of a big town to my house 15 miles away. In the rain, fog, darker evenings, etc, dip beams are not enough. This way I haven't hit many pot holes, knocked anybody down etc. I get my light focus regulary checked and the rest of my lights.
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That's odd, as I too have to drive on a very dark country road (riddled with potholes! )to get home but I still don't need my 'fogs' - only my dipped & headlights, which I obviously dip for oncoming cars...
 
Mr2 said:
Carpenter: shows what you know if you think that there fixed and cannot be moved.
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I know they should only be used when driving in fog and that's all I need to know about the fog lights on my car.
 
Mr2 said:
I think there great. I put mine on a lot. I do require them to drive safetly home, I don't know what it's like in the cities but I drive from the outskirts of a big town to my house 15 miles away. In the rain, fog, darker evenings, etc, dip beams are not enough. This way I haven't hit many pot holes, knocked anybody down etc. I get my light focus regulary checked and the rest of my lights.
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They are illegal to use outside of foggy conditions. I have a similar journey to you and am confident enough not to have to use them. If it your way home you should be familiar enought to know where the pot holes etc. are!!

From the Rules of the Road (italics my emphasis):

When to use headlights

If conditions require you to use headlights to drive safely, you must use them. Use dipped headlights at night or main beam headlights as appropriate. When in doubt, turn them on. Make sure that the red lights and number plate lighting at the back of your vehicle are working.

Use dipped headlights:
just after the beginning (dusk) and before the end (dawn) of lightingup hours,
as long as they are needed to let you see clearly,
when stopped in traffic,
when meeting other traffic,
in built-up areas where there is good street lighting,
on continuously lit roads outside built-up areas,
when following behind another vehicle,
where there is dense fog, falling snow or heavy rain,
when daylight is fading, and
generally to avoid inconveniencing other traffic.
It is good practice to use dipped headlights or dim/dip lights, where fitted, instead of only sidelights in built-up areas where there is good street lighting.

Use main beam headlights in situations, places and times outside of those listed above.
Use fog lights only during dense fog and falling snow. You must turn them off at all other times.
What to do if you are dazzled by another vehicle's headlights

According to the preamble of the Rules of the Road, where the term 'must' is used, it refers back to sections of the Road Traffic Acts.
 
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