Fog Lights v Driving Lights ?

omega man

IMO If front fogs bother you its probably because you have sensitive eyes, you are tired (perhaps driving to long?) or you are starring at the oncoming car lights (in which case you dont have your eyes on the road). Ok, hands up, its probably more of an image thing than good visability to have front fogs on. Lets face it, as a previous poster said they are crap for fog anyhow!
I for one will continue to use them until im told otherwise and i doubt that will happen.

overdriver

Well, there's also the fact that a lot of them aren't properly aimed.
So why will you continue if you know it causes other drivers problems, particularly, when you admit they do little else?

omega man

overdriver wrote:

Well, there's also the fact that a lot of them aren't properly aimed.
So why will you continue if you know it causes other drivers problems, particularly, when you admit they do little else?

Dark cars with no lights on in poor visability bother me greatly but i cant change that. I will continue as i cant see how front fogs can distract other drivers with normal to good eyesight or those who dont stare at oncoming car lights or those who aren't too tired to drive. I would also rather protect myself against the possibility of some idiot hitting me and using the 'couldn't see you coming' excuse. On a side note the brochure of the car i bought has a picture of the car with its front fogs on! There didn't appear to be any fog. Many 'sport' car models include front fogs as its perceived to be a 'sporty' image. Before you complain, i dont follow that line but i give it as an example of where the motor industry uses front fogs as a feature or extra, not as a requirement. Im not trying to be argumentative here, im merely giving my honest point of view.

lightening

omega man wrote:

I will continue as i cant see how front fogs can distract other drivers with normal to good eyesight or those who dont stare at oncoming car lights or those who aren't too tired to drive.

Well, they do.

omega man wrote:

I would also rather protect myself against the possibility of some idiot hitting me and using the 'couldn't see you coming' excuse.

As pointed out already, the oncoming traffic are less lightly to see your indicators when the fog lights are on. This is dangerous. That's the reason its illegal to have them on.

omega man wrote:

On a side note the brochure of the car i bought has a picture of the car with its front fogs on! There didn't appear to be any fog.

Or any oncoming traffic, its in a photo studio or a closed off road. They have the foglights on to make it look "cool"

Calibos

It is such a generalisation that front fogs are blinding. Nissan Micra Front fogs are blinding. I have Never been blinded by the fogs on Any other make or model.

So lets stop all this, "TURN OFF YOUR #$%@ing FOGS'......to........"MICRA OWNERS, TURN OFF YOUR #$@%ing FOGS"

glynf

I have a solution-as fogs are rarely used anyway:

Why not fit some of these babys instead, so the next micra driving at you with fogs blazing and sad looking blue driving lights, let rip with 3000w of
Illumination...

want2play

Alun wrote:

Sigh .. the relevant part of the legal statute regarding vehicle lighting (and I don't mean that useless rag, the RotR) has been quoted here many times, and one thing it definitely isn't is 'vague'. I can't be bothered quoting it yet again, look back in this and any of the other 'rant' threads and you'll find it.

Well here's what was quoted on this 'rant';

Originally Posted by Wishbone Ash
Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) Regulations 1963

44. (1) Every lamp (other than a lamp referred to in sub-article (3) of this article) which is fitted to a mechanically propelled vehicle or trailer and which, when lit, shows a light to the front of the vehicle shall be so fitted that—

(a) no part of its illuminated surface is more than 4 feet or, in the case of a goods vehicle registered before the 1st day of January, 1952, 4 feet and 6 inches from the ground, and

(b) (except in the case of a fog lamp) no part of its illuminated surface is less than 1 foot and 8 inches from the ground.

(2) In sub-article (1) of this article, "fog lamp" means a lamp fitted to a vehicle so as, when lit, to show a light to the front of the vehicle and intended for use only in fog or while snow is falling.

If they are below 1 foot 8 inches from the ground they are, by definition fog lights (see highlighted above). If they are placed above 1 foot 8 inches then they cannot legally be referred to as fog lights.

It's all as clear as mud if you ask me. My reading of the regulations is as follows:
Only a fog lamp, and no other lamp, may be placed less than 1' 8" above the ground but I can't find anywhere a stipulation that says fog lights must be less than 1' 8". As far as I can make out they could be up to 4' high but no higher.
Also the does the phrase "intended for use only in fog or while snow is falling" actually place a prohibition on their use at other times? Does intended use imply an offence if used otherwise?

Yeah crystal clear

Gregor Samsa

Maybe it's just me, but I think the text "and intended for use only in fog or while snow is falling" pretty clearly rules out their use as a fashion accessory.

It BeeMee

omega man wrote:

I will continue as i cant see how front fogs can distract other drivers with normal to good eyesight or those who dont stare at oncoming car lights or those who aren't too tired to drive.

You don't have to stare at an oncoming car to know there's one there. The human eye will react to light coming into it even from the side. This makes it more difficult to see the road on your own side. Sometimes I find I have to turn on my full headlights in order to get a clear view of the road ahead.

On a wet night it's even worse. The reflection off the road is nearly as bright as the lights themselves, so you end up with a pool of light coming towards you.

omega man wrote:

I would also rather protect myself against the possibility of some idiot hitting me and using the 'couldn't see you coming' excuse.

You could consider driving with dipped headlights?

omega man wrote:

i dont follow that line but i give it as an example of where the motor industry uses front fogs as a feature or extra, not as a requirement.

Of course it's not a requirement : the manufacturer obviously considers the lights already installed to be adequate for the purpose for which they are intended ie to see where you're going


PS Omega_man : not picking on your post, just it was the handiest to quote from

Alun

want2play wrote:

Also the does the phrase "intended for use only in fog or while snow is falling" actually place a prohibition on their use at other times? Does intended use imply an offence if used otherwise?

Yeah crystal clear

Look a little further down in section 49 of the same regulations and it clearly states ...

(8) Where a vehicle equipped with a fog lamp within the meaning of article 44 of these Regulations is used in a public place, such lamp shall be used only in fog or while snow is falling.

Sounds pretty clear cut to me. You can read it in all it's glory in http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZSI189Y1963.html. Enjoy

Seth Brundle

Alun wrote:

Look a little further down in section 49 of the same regulations and it clearly states ...

This law has been quoted several times in this thread IIRC. People don't want to read the law!

overdriver

No, they want to "look cool".
:rolleyes: