Fog lights on or off during the day/twilight/evening?

[HR17]

I've been dazzled by them before - try an unlit, undulating B road in the rain. Its not an old "chestnut". Check out the quotes from the highway code earlier in this post. Its quite simple. Those members who are cops corroborate this too.
The argument that we rarely get proper fog nowadays is mental. Like we rarely get proper summers/winters/etc etc. We rarely crash our cars nowadays, but we still have things like ABS, seatbelts, airbags, headrestraints etc. just in case. I have windscreen wipers on my car in case it rains.

 

[crockers]

To be honest, id just give you all a 30 quid ticket

How often do you actually do that?

 

[MOCAŠ]

When I am on the dark country roads I tend to use them as "ditchfinders" usually in conjunction with my high beams. Both get turned off when get an oncoming vehicle though.

I used to do exactly that when driving my Fiat Uno, and I found that the foglights really helped mark out the edge of the road. That was around 20 years ago, though.

I've never felt the need to use them in this way on any of the MBs I've owned (W168, R170, W202, R171) and my eyesight hasn't become any better over the past 20 years, so I suspect it has a lot to do with the quality of the headlamps.

 

[crockers]

When I am on the dark country roads I tend to use them as "ditchfinders" usually in conjunction with my high beams. Both get turned off when get an oncoming vehicle though.

I found using decent bulbs in headlights far better...IMHO

 

[Rory]

Think it's always said that, but 'reduced visibility' is defined later. Current wording is

"You MUST use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet). You may also use front or rear fog lights but you MUST switch them off when visibility improves (see Rule 236)."

I would suggest that that's guidance, not a definition. Anyway, the Highway Code in itself, isn't legally binding.

The law says "seriously reduced visibility" and makes no reference to what that means.

 

[p1nny]

If it were upto me, the morons using fog lights would be pulled over and shot so they could not defile the gene pool any further!
I drive ALOT of back roads so in the dark and rain they are a pain in the ****! getting worse the older and more useless my eyes are getting!

 

[MOCAŠ]

It is unlawful to use 'fog lights' unless visibility has been reduced to less than 100m by fog or falling snow .

You can be charged if caught using them at other times .

Pontoneer/Apial: where is it specified that they can only be used in fog or falling snow, as opposed to any other situation whereby visibility is reduced to 100m or less?

The legislation on this is laid down in the Road Vehicles Lighting Regualtions (reg 27), which specifies the following:

Front fog lamp (may not be..)
(a) Used so as to cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other persons using the road.
(b) Used so as to be lit at any time other than in conditions of seriously reduced visibility.
(c) Used so as to be lit when a vehicle is parked.

Rear fog lamp (may not be..)
(a) Used so as to cause undue dazzle or discomfort to the driver of a following vehicle.
(b) Used so as to be lit at any time other than in conditions of seriously reduced visibility.
(c) Save in the case of an emergency vehicle, used so as to be lit when a vehicle is parked.

 

[MOCAŠ]

I would suggest that that's guidance, not a definition. Anyway, the Highway Code in itself, isn't legally binding.

The law says "seriously reduced visibility" and makes no reference to what that means.

True, but if you were stopped for using them inappropriately, it's probably the yardstick the police would use to determine whether or not visibility was seriously reduced. You could argue it in court, but what other accepted definition of "seriously reduced visibility" is there?

 

[kwakdonut]

I would suggest that that's guidance, not a definition. Anyway, the Highway Code in itself, isn't legally binding.

The law says "seriously reduced visibility" and makes no reference to what that means.

Hmmm try again - the Highway Code contains many provisions of the Road Traffic Act which, in itself, is law, although the Highway Code itself isn't.

 

[verytalldave]

Pontoneer/Apial: where is it specified that they can only be used in fog or falling snow, as opposed to any other situation whereby visibility is reduced to 100m or less?

The legislation on this is laid down in the Road Vehicles Lighting Regualtions (reg 27), which specifies the following:

Front fog lamp (may not be..)
(a) Used so as to cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other persons using the road.
(b) Used so as to be lit at any time other than in conditions of seriously reduced visibility.
(c) Used so as to be lit when a vehicle is parked.

Rear fog lamp (may not be..)
(a) Used so as to cause undue dazzle or discomfort to the driver of a following vehicle.
(b) Used so as to be lit at any time other than in conditions of seriously reduced visibility.
(c) Save in the case of an emergency vehicle, used so as to be lit when a vehicle is parked.

Dont know about anyone else, but my W203's front foglights come on automatically when I unlock the car.
Which would contravene (c) above.

 

[renault12ts]

Dont know about anyone else, but my W203's front foglights come on automatically when I unlock the car.
Which would contravene (c) above.

Do they stay on?

 

[Howard]

Only for a few seconds to allow you to walk from your front door to the car . then they go off again don't they ? they don't stay on permanently ?

Designed for americans who might trip in the dark on their own driveway and attempt to sue everyone ....

 

[MOCAŠ]

Dont know about anyone else, but my W203's front foglights come on automatically when I unlock the car.
Which would contravene (c) above.

No, because the provisions only apply when the car is on a public road, and follow-me-home lights are designed to be used when parked facing your front door. If you park in your garage/on the street/etc, the facility can (and should) be deactivated.

 

[Rory]

Hmmm try again - the Highway Code contains many provisions of the Road Traffic Act which, in itself, is law, although the Highway Code itself isn't.

erm...you wrote the same thing as I said!

 

[Rory]

No, because the provisions only apply when the car is on a public road, and follow-me-home lights are designed to be used when parked facing your front door. If you park in your garage/on the street/etc, the facility can (and should) be deactivated.

Nope. They're not fog lamps when used like this. Same as when used as cornering lamps.

They become legal as they're covered by the EU whole vehicle type approval regulations and that over-rides the specific UK laws. It's this approval which, very technically, makes it illegal to retro-fit such things after the car has left the factory.

 

[NormanC]

Basically front fog lights should only be used to increase visibility and this means you need to have your headlights off when using front fogs.

The problem with using headlights in thick fog is, because they're mounted fairly high you are actually looking along the beam. This means that what you see is mainly your own light being reflected from the water particles in fog. In effect, you are being dazzled. If you really want to see the problem try using high beam in fog - your visibility is greatly reduced compared to dip beam.

Because fog lights are mounted low you look down into the beam and not along it. This means that you are not dazzled by light reflected from water particles meaning that you can see a lot more.

The same dazzling effect can occur in falling snow which is why foglights are suggested then.

I find I am frequently dazzled by people using foglights at inappropriate times and I believe that this is because fogloghts are not self-levelling, are very difficult to adjust and they are never checked for adjustment, not even during an MoT. This means that they can point virtually anywhere and the user is either not aware or just doesn't care!

 

[Rory]

Basically front fog lights should only be used to increase visibility and this means you need to have your headlights off when using front fogs.

I haven't driven a car for many years where the foglamps provided any useful forward visibility. On most cars now you can use the adjuster on the dash to dip the headlamps, and I found that useful when driving in thick fog in the dark a couple of weeks ago. Cars with Xenon headlamps and therefore without manual adjustment must be a nightmare in such circumstances, I imagine.

I find I am frequently dazzled by people using foglights at inappropriate times and I believe that this is because foglights are not self-levelling, are very difficult to adjust and they are never checked for adjustment, not even during an MoT. This means that they can point virtually anywhere and the user is either not aware or just doesn't care!

I get annoyed by people using them, but I don't recall ever being dazzled. As I mentioned earlier, daytime running lights on the latest MBs look at least as bright as foglamps.

 

[NormanC]

. Cars with Xenon headlamps and therefore without manual adjustment must be a nightmare in such circumstances, I imagine.

Thats what we have foglights for!

 

[BTB 500]

Because fog lights are mounted low

On quite a few vehicles they're not - they are level with the headlights. I assume the beam alignment is different though.

 

[Mcnasty]

If you park in your garage/on the street/etc, the facility can (and should) be deactivated.

What a load of tosh!