Fog lights - why in the rain?

[obi_waynne]

What is wrong with people? How many cars have you seen with their fog lights on in the rain?

I can almost understand it if it has been foggy and people have forgotten to turn it off. But when it is raining? COME ON! What is wrong with them all?

 

[HDi fun]

What worries me far more is the sheer number of cars you see being driven in rain or fog WITHOUT any lighting at all!!!

 

[lutonmatt]

agree if its foggy ok put it on but remember to turn it off
but was following one car once at night a dry night and they had there fog light on and i could not see anything due to the light being so bright

 

[Poddy]

down in 'farmer country' near where i live all the farmers fog lights on there 306 d turbos are always on, even in daylight

 

[WLBjork]

What worries me far more is the sheer number of cars you see being driven in rain or fog WITHOUT any lighting at all!!!

Ditto.

Also, at dusk, in the dark and in other conditions of poor visiblity.

I would say that I see far more people driving with too little lighting than too much lighting.

 

[fezzafii]

I put the fronts on on motorways with lots of spray due to my sidelights being crap and want to be seen. My fogs are less dazzling than headlights.

 

[pgarner]

if your headlights are more dazzling than the fogs then theres something wrong with them. also you wont get the same forward range of light for them.

im still going with the normal ive got a car and i want everyone to see me attitude. its bad enough having the fronts on in a little rain but its the ones who put on the rears as well

 

[fezzafii]

As I say its not the forward range I need, I can see everyones rear lights. I was just under the impression that as thier lower down they wouldn't dazzle other drivers as much, as I have noticed this with other cars behind me. I much prefer someones front fogs to headlights.

I'll have to have a proper look at a distance to see if the fogs are more dazzling. Cheers for the heads up pgarner.

 

[herb]

has no 1 on here driven in rain that is coming down thick and fast and your wippers are virtually doing nothing. and visibility is just as bad as if it was foggy??

i have and i have used my fog lights in this situation!!

 

[old-git]

I put the fronts on on motorways with lots of spray due to my sidelights being crap and want to be seen. My fogs are less dazzling than headlights.

I suggest that you get your headlights checked for alignment as driving with fogs only is an offence and you are risking an on-the-spot £30 fine.

 

[HDi fun]

I suggest that you get your headlights checked for alignment as driving with fogs only is an offence and you are risking an on-the-spot £30 fine.

I thought that front fogs can be used in place of dipped beams for the following reason.

The reason being that the fog lights cast a lower beam which is less likely to be reflected at the driver by the (very heavy, because you won't need fog lights otherwise) fog.

Anyone got a copy of RVLR?

 

[WLBjork]

has no 1 on here driven in rain that is coming down thick and fast and your wippers are virtually doing nothing. and visibility is just as bad as if it was foggy??

i have and i have used my fog lights in this situation!!

You can use fog lights if visibility is below 100m (about 3 streetlights) no matter what the cause.

Rule 226.

 

[HDi fun]

But what about extinguishing dipped beams?

 

[old-git]

I thought that front fogs can be used in place of dipped beams for the following reason.

The reason being that the fog lights cast a lower beam which is less likely to be reflected at the driver by the (very heavy, because you won't need fog lights otherwise) fog.

Anyone got a copy of RVLR?

RVLR states:

Where a pair of front fog lamps is used in conditions of seriously reduced visibility in place of the obligatory dipped beam headlamps-

However, it doesn't appear to explain what seriously reduced visibility actually is, so this could be down to interpretation by the police officer.

 

[WLBjork]

RVLR states:

Where a pair of front fog lamps is used in conditions of seriously reduced visibility in place of the obligatory dipped beam headlamps-

However, it doesn't appear to explain what seriously reduced visibility actually is, so this could be down to interpretation by the police officer.

Highway Code rule 226 specifies reduced visibility to be below 100m. Presumably this is enshrined somewhere.

 

[HDi fun]

It's all down to interpretation then. How serious is serious? How reduced is reduced?

There are some drivers who never look more than about 5 meters ahead anyway it seems. These must be the berks who never light up until it's pitch black night time. WHy would they? They don't look more than 5 yards so why would anyone need to see them from more than 5 yards away?

 

[steve1985]

There is no need for your fogs to be on unless as we all agree it is extremly foggy. With people having them on come rain or shine I do not understand that at all. '' Do they think it's cool or something''
People who forget to turn there lights on, I just don't understand. Surely even before you get in your car you know weither you need your lights on or not but even if you don't you should realise that you can't see your speedo and that should trigger a light bold in your head and think "lights"

 

[herb]

There is no need for your fogs to be on unless as we all agree it is extremly foggy. With people having them on come rain or shine I do not understand that at all. '' Do they think it's cool or something''
People who forget to turn there lights on, I just don't understand. Surely even before you get in your car you know weither you need your lights on or not but even if you don't you should realise that you can't see your speedo and that should trigger a light bold in your head and think "lights"

see post #9 for the answer for people having there fog lights on in rain
well im 1 of these people who dont put their lights on at dusk(dont hate me people) reasons being if i can see fine why do my lights have to be on?
and as for not seeing the speedo my dials are lit up without the lights being turned on

 

[Bertrum]

see post #9 for the answer for people having there fog lights on in rain
well im 1 of these people who dont put their lights on at dusk(dont hate me people) reasons being if i can see fine why do my lights have to be on?
and as for not seeing the speedo my dials are lit up without the lights being turned on

There is a legal definition of when you should be putting your lights on, its not down to personal preference unfortunately.
Its 30mins before LUT for the evening and 30mins after LUT for the morning.

LUT = Lighting up time

Now whats this i hear you ask? Its listed in all newspapers in the weather section but as a general rule of thumb as soon as you see streetlights lit that when they should be on.
if you are stopped and found to be "unlit" within this LUT then a £30 fine is yours.

 

[herb]

There is a legal definition of when you should be putting your lights on, its not down to personal preference unfortunately.
Its 30mins before LUT for the evening and 30mins after LUT for the morning.

LUT = Lighting up time

Now whats this i hear you ask? Its listed in all newspapers in the weather section but as a general rule of thumb as soon as you see streetlights lit that when they should be on.
if you are stopped and found to be "unlit" within this LUT then a £30 fine is yours.

i honestly didnt know anything about this lut good bit of new knowledge there!! and not using this as an excuse but i honestly dont read news papers so i would have no idea what time the lut is being imposed.
but as a thumb rule i do use street lamps as a indication as when to put my lights on its just before it even gets dark people have there lights on and they flash me and i dont see the point in having them on if everything is clearly well lit up with natural light!!

 

[Bertrum]

With EU legislation creeping in it wont be long before all cars are fitted with permanent dipped beam lights. Day or Night.

In my opinion this is a good thing. I almost always drive with lights on. That could have something to do with being a biker aswell. Mandatory lights on bikes has been around a while and it HAS reduced accidents.

I still dont agree with foglights. If they were that necessary then all cars would have them.

 

[HDi fun]

Dipped beams used all the time is good. Over time cars will be fitted with an additional frontal lighting system to provide DRLs optimized for the purpose.

Audi is there already with the LED clusters - big patch of visible marker lights.

 

[Bertrum]

The audi running lights are a good idea but i think they are slightly too bright. And they do look a bit chav in my opinion.