Fog Lights - What ARE the correct rules?
Discussion
Pints said:
WhoseGeneration said:
insanojackson said:
good, it takes a second to turn them off and a little light on the dash tells you they are on.
Nope, in one of my cars, the telltale lights, for front and rear foglights, are in the switches which are on the o/s lower level of the dash moulding, way below eyesight when looking forwards.Although advanced drivers, (like myself) would have already checked if their rear foglights were off, (and all other lights were working), by the pre-journey walkround before setting off.
Edited by mp3manager on Saturday 22 January 19:54
mp3manager said:
Pints said:
WhoseGeneration said:
insanojackson said:
good, it takes a second to turn them off and a little light on the dash tells you they are on.
Nope, in one of my cars, the telltale lights, for front and rear foglights, are in the switches which are on the o/s lower level of the dash moulding, way below eyesight when looking forwards.Although advanced drivers, (like myself) would have already checked if their rear foglights were off, (and all other lights were working), by the pre-journey walkround before setting off.
Edited by mp3manager on Saturday 22 January 19:54
I was waiting at some traffic lights where the roads on opposing sides met at a crest which was the cross road. I can't turn the dipped beam DRLs off and it was appeared from reflections that they would be shining straight in the eyes of the bod sitting opposite. So wound down the load adjuster to max depression, finger slid off and turned the front fogs on, the switch being directly below the load adjust thumb wheel.
How I felt a numpty, trying to help and only making it worse.
F i F said:
mp3manager said:
Pints said:
WhoseGeneration said:
insanojackson said:
good, it takes a second to turn them off and a little light on the dash tells you they are on.
Nope, in one of my cars, the telltale lights, for front and rear foglights, are in the switches which are on the o/s lower level of the dash moulding, way below eyesight when looking forwards.Although advanced drivers, (like myself) would have already checked if their rear foglights were off, (and all other lights were working), by the pre-journey walkround before setting off.
Edited by mp3manager on Saturday 22 January 19:54
Or perhaps that's too much trouble for some drivers.
mp3manager said:
F i F said:
mp3manager said:
Pints said:
WhoseGeneration said:
insanojackson said:
good, it takes a second to turn them off and a little light on the dash tells you they are on.
Nope, in one of my cars, the telltale lights, for front and rear foglights, are in the switches which are on the o/s lower level of the dash moulding, way below eyesight when looking forwards.Although advanced drivers, (like myself) would have already checked if their rear foglights were off, (and all other lights were working), by the pre-journey walkround before setting off.
Edited by mp3manager on Saturday 22 January 19:54
Or perhaps that's too much trouble for some drivers.
However on all my vehicles F&R fogs automatically extinguish when the ignition is turned off, so to do the walk round you have to turn them on, make check, then off and walk round again if being anal about it.
You've missed the point of the interchange all nested at the top. The comment was made that a light on the instrument binnacle tells you, the resulting short discussion was to point out that this isn't always the case, and in the example I mention it is impossible to tell from switch position, and the switch and embedded led is nicely hidden behind the wheel rim and the wiper washer stalk.
The only way to check it is to move one's head right up against the window so as to see round the wheel, then lower it considerably to get a sightline under the stalk.
HTH
F i F said:
Personally I do that every day, AND before any journey where it is or will become dark, DVD knows that, and that includes a brake light check. Obviously it's too much trouble for many judging by the state of things.
However on all my vehicles F&R fogs automatically extinguish when the ignition is turned off, so to do the walk round you have to turn them on, make check, then off and walk round again if being anal about it.
As a truck driver, I make several walkround checks every single shift. A journey many, many times longer than walking round a car.
F i F said:
You've missed the point of the interchange all nested at the top.
Sorry. 
F i F said:
The comment was made that a light on the instrument binnacle tells you, the resulting short discussion was to point out that this isn't always the case, and in the example I mention it is impossible to tell from switch position, and the switch and embedded led is nicely hidden behind the wheel rim and the wiper washer stalk.
The only way to check it is to move one's head right up against the window so as to see round the wheel, then lower it considerably to get a sightline under the stalk.
HTH
Ignorance isn't really an excuse. A driver should know what switches are and are not activated on their vehicle.The only way to check it is to move one's head right up against the window so as to see round the wheel, then lower it considerably to get a sightline under the stalk.
HTH
If they can't see, they can feel. Manufacturers spend millions designing interiors. All switchgear have an on/off position, which can be determined by feel, as well as sight.
mp3manager said:
If they can't see, they can feel. Manufacturers spend millions designing interiors. All switchgear have an on/off position, which can be determined by feel, as well as sight.
In this case that really isn't the situation, sorry but there is no difference between on/off position that can be determined by feel.the main problems in thick(ish) fog are reflected glare from own front lamps and the windscreen. when i was young my father had cars whose windscreens could be opened to look straight out into the fog, needed an extra car blanket though. i also once drove across Bodmin moor at about 10mph in an old Ford with my head out the door window so i could see better. Drive a caterham !!
roger
roger
I have always gone by the idea that fog lights should only be used if they're a benefit to yourself or other road users.
Rear fog lights: Like others have said, I look at the tail lights of other cars and work out if a fog light is necessary based on that. It's very rare, and as that poster said, where I live (Hampshire) it averages about 4 or 5 times a year.
Front fog lights: These are designed to illuminate the edges of the road in close proximity to your car, so to answer the OP's question, they're pointless on the motorway if traffic's flowing at a reasonable speed. I must confess, like the poster above I live in an area with no road markings or catseyes and lots of pot holes, but I've never found front fogs of any use at all. That comments confuses me. All front fogs do is illuminate the sides of the road 5-10 feet in front of the car, which is easily visible with normal headlights, and pretty pointless at anything above about 20mph. In terms of frequency, I use front fogs about once every 4 or 5 years if the fog's extremely bad and I'm down to a 2nd gear crawl.
Rear fog lights: Like others have said, I look at the tail lights of other cars and work out if a fog light is necessary based on that. It's very rare, and as that poster said, where I live (Hampshire) it averages about 4 or 5 times a year.
Front fog lights: These are designed to illuminate the edges of the road in close proximity to your car, so to answer the OP's question, they're pointless on the motorway if traffic's flowing at a reasonable speed. I must confess, like the poster above I live in an area with no road markings or catseyes and lots of pot holes, but I've never found front fogs of any use at all. That comments confuses me. All front fogs do is illuminate the sides of the road 5-10 feet in front of the car, which is easily visible with normal headlights, and pretty pointless at anything above about 20mph. In terms of frequency, I use front fogs about once every 4 or 5 years if the fog's extremely bad and I'm down to a 2nd gear crawl.
Sleepers said:
Depends on the car...
One of my cars has 'projector' lights which are useless on dipped whereas the 4x4 with 'old skool' lights is brilliant on dipped ;-)
Interesting - I had an old 2Gen Subaru Legacy and I swapped the old style headlight units (which were terrible) for the Japanese market projectors (not HIDs) and they made a massive improvement. All down to the individual designs, I guess.One of my cars has 'projector' lights which are useless on dipped whereas the 4x4 with 'old skool' lights is brilliant on dipped ;-)
Perhaps the 4x4 is better because the lights are starting out higher?
masermartin said:
Interesting - I had an old 2Gen Subaru Legacy and I swapped the old style headlight units (which were terrible) for the Japanese market projectors (not HIDs) and they made a massive improvement. All down to the individual designs, I guess.
Perhaps the 4x4 is better because the lights are starting out higher?
Point is... if I need to see where i'm going I'll press a simple button to turn on some more lights. Considering the majority of drivers are complete cocks I'll do what I like. There's more tractors than cars where I am so I really don't think they give a toss about my fogs. Perhaps the 4x4 is better because the lights are starting out higher?
Sleepers said:
Yup, driving standards are so poor that I find if you don't join in with the majority and try to be a good little careful driver you get cut up and shat all over... Unfortuately the roads are taxed NOT policed...
What a load of rubbish. Care to explain what you mean as it sounds to me that you are advocating driving as poor as those you complain about. Cut them up before they cut you up? Just drive wiser and chill out a little. And front fogs on all the time??? It's one of the indicators that I use to indicate an increased awareness that the driver of said car may well be an idiot.
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