Do Fog Lamps Save Lives?

[219]

But are normal tail lights really that bad in fog - the fog slows you down to the point where so you don't need to see as far as you normally would and even with a larger gap the normal tail lights are visibile. Also the speed differentials are less in fog, so you are unlikely to come up quickly behind someone (unless they are braking - in which case their brake lights do the job).

High intensity rear lamps do make your vehicle visible from a greater distance in fog or snow etc .

However , since all drivers should at all times be travelling at such a speed that they can stop safely in the distance they can see to be clear ahead of them ( thus being able to avoid an unlit stationary obstruction ; visualise a skip lying in the road with no warning lights ! ) , rear foglights would , in theory , not be neccessary . In practice , a large number of drivers do not slow down sufficiently in fog so the lights do give added protection .

 

[bluevenetian]

Passengers have surived after a jet aircraft has ditched in the sea. Comoros Islands 1996 when a hijacked Ethiopia Airlines ran out of fuel.

 

[219]

which still begs the question, how come nobody was wearing a device designed to help in those exact events.

I would imagine the Hudson river incident , which IIRC was the result of engine failure due to bird strike just after take off , happened so quickly that there probably wasn't time for passengers to put on lifejackets even if they had wanted to ?

 

[oldcro]

I had just over a 20 year gap between passing my bike test and then passing my car test. It wasn't just the changes that you pick up preparing for a new test after so long but how much detail you forget.

I think some sort of 5 or 10 year mandatory refresher test should be introduced. Even if it was just the theory test it would be IMHO quite beneficial in ensuring people kept up to date.

I have just read the latest version of the Highway Code (had not thought of looking on the internet) and it does NOT say rear fog lights are compulsory in poor visibility. All it says about fog lights is that they can only be used in poor visibility situations.

Now please point out where the law states the use of fog lights in poor visibility is compusory, because I cannot find such a law. In fact there has never been such a law.

This link might help
Driving in adverse weather conditions (226-237) : Directgov - Travel and transport

I am insulted when told I am wrong when in fact I am right, and then to suggesting I need refresher training is down right rude.

 

[stevesey]

High intensity rear lamps do make your vehicle visible from a greater distance in fog or snow etc .

However , since all drivers should at all times be travelling at such a speed that they can stop safely in the distance they can see to be clear ahead of them , rear foglights would , in theory , not be neccessary.

In practice , a large number of drivers do not slow down sufficiently in fog so the lights do give added protection.

Indeed - rear fog lights (particularly on the motorway) do draw us into going faster than we should - becuase we feel we can see further (but that's only the cars, not other objects). In the light of the OPs question - it could be possible that they have cost lives because of this (a point for discussion - rather than a statement I am making).

visualise a skip lying in the road with no warning lights!

Or as happend to me one coming around a curve in fog to find a truck at 90 degress to the road, reversing into a narrow driveway, the angle meant it had no visible lights (to me) - just a dark shape when I first saw it. I was able to stop without issue and with room to spare - although I had moderated my speed because of the fog I didn't feel I was going particularly slowly.

 

[Dryce]

I have just read the latest version of the Highway Code (had not thought of looking on the internet) and it does NOT say rear fog lights are compulsory in poor visibility. All it says about fog lights is that they can only be used in poor visibility situations.

Now please point out where the law states the use of fog lights in poor visibility is compusory, because I cannot find such a law. In fact there has never been such a law.

This link might help
Driving in adverse weather conditions (226-237) : Directgov - Travel and transport

I am insulted when told I am wrong when in fact I am right, and then to suggesting I need refresher training is down right rude.

As far as I'm concerned my post was in no way targeted at insinuating that you specifically should take a refresher rather that everybody should based on my own experience of a 20+ year gap.

And yes. Very interesting. I had read the bit marked as 226 a while back and consider myself fairly careful at reading and understanding legal and technical - and I completely missed the asymmetry of the 'must'.

So thank you for pointing out my error.

And that perhaps reinforces again my point about general refresher training.

However that still doesn't change my negative response to your proposal of switching off fogs when trailed by a vehicle in low visibililty - it simply means my belief that it as also against the rules was mistaken.

 

[CE230]

SHould I caarry I life preserver in case I crash in to the sea or a river?

 

[flango]

Passengers have surived after a jet aircraft has ditched in the sea. Comoros Islands 1996 when a hijacked Ethiopia Airlines ran out of fuel.

There have been more than that as well, what I said was there has never been a ditching of a jet at sea where everyone has survived. Everyone surviving and no fatalities is the definition of a successful ditching.

 

[oldcro]

Deleted

 

[oldcro]

As far as I'm concerned my post was in no way targeted at insinuating that you specifically should take a refresher rather that everybody should based on my own experience of a 20+ year gap.

And yes. Very interesting. I had read the bit marked as 226 a while back and consider myself fairly careful at reading and understanding legal and technical - and I completely missed the asymmetry of the 'must'.

So thank you for pointing out my error.

And that perhaps reinforces again my point about general refresher training.

However that still doesn't change my negative response to your proposal of switching off fogs when trailed by a vehicle in low visibililty - it simply means my belief that it as also against the rules was mistaken.

My point was if a car is following closely and you can see it clearly your rear view mirror the your fog light can dazzle the driver, and that IS against the law.