Fog Lights - What ARE the correct rules?

[thatone1967]

Driving home yesterday on the M3, late afternoon, through "fog".
Visibility was down to judging the motorways exit signs, approximately 1 mile, so I would say fogs are not needed, although many people would say otherwise.. 1 other driver even felt the urge to flash his fogs at me as he drove past. I assume I am correct, or am I missing something?

[7mike]

HW Code rule 456: Fog lights Must be used at the slightest hint of mist. Furthermore they must remain on for at least the next seven days just in case the fog returns.

I may have just made that up




Seriously: see Rules 114, 226, 236

[Eggman]

I only put my rear fog lights on if I can't see other people's tail lights, which means I need them about once every 2 or 3 years.

Front fog lights are only required if you can't see using your headlights - probably less than once every 5 years.

[Don]

You MAY switch on foglights, if your car is fitted with them, if visibility falls below 100 meters. When visibility improves beyond 100 meters you MUST switch them off. Failure to do so is an offence - fine of about £30 IIRC.

[vonhosen]

Under Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 it is an offence for fog lights to be used so as to be lit at any time other than in conditions of seriously reduced visibility.

[7mike]

Years ago i did the IAM test partly in very thick fog. As part of the commentary I pointed out to the examiner that i would not be using rear fogs as I was happy the two following vehicles were close enough to see me. Seeing as they were so close i didn't see any logic in masking my brake lights.

[gdaybruce]

Eggman said:

I only put my rear fog lights on if I can't see other people's tail lights, which means I need them about once every 2 or 3 years.

Front fog lights are only required if you can't see using your headlights - probably less than once every 5 years.

I noticed recently that on my daughter's Focus you cannot have the rear fogs on without the front ones as well, but you can have the fronts without the rears. This is because it is a two stage switch: stage one brings the fronts on and pulling the switch out to its second stage brings the rears on.

[tr7v8]

gdaybruce said:

Eggman said:

I only put my rear fog lights on if I can't see other people's tail lights, which means I need them about once every 2 or 3 years.

Front fog lights are only required if you can't see using your headlights - probably less than once every 5 years.

I noticed recently that on my daughter's Focus you cannot have the rear fogs on without the front ones as well, but you can have the fronts without the rears. This is because it is a two stage switch: stage one brings the fronts on and pulling the switch out to its second stage brings the rears on.

Yup same as my Porsche & apparently a lot of VAG cars, crap design basically.

[Eggman]

I suppose this design does support the (legitimate, imo) use of foglights to spot neighbours' cats lurking under cars or see the edges of very narrow rural roads, but unfortunately it doesn't discourage their use for 'cruisin' past McDonalds, yo'.

I'd support the use of fixed penalty notices to do that - the amount I saw last night whilst driving down from Scotland would have yielded enough revenue to put a dole bludger on the moon.

[thatone1967]

Eggman said:

I suppose this design does support the (legitimate, imo) use of foglights to spot neighbours' cats lurking under cars or see the edges of very narrow rural roads, but unfortunately it doesn't discourage their use for 'cruisin' past McDonalds, yo'.

I'd support the use of fixed penalty notices to do that - the amount I saw last night whilst driving down from Scotland would have yielded enough revenue to put a dole bludger on the moon.

I wonder if I am the only person who just googled "Dole Bludger"... (someone what nervously due to being at work)

[daz6215]

vonhosen said:

Under Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 it is an offence for fog lights to be used so as to be lit at any time other than in conditions of seriously reduced visibility.

So whats serious then?

[Podie]

tr7v8 said:

gdaybruce said:

Eggman said:

I only put my rear fog lights on if I can't see other people's tail lights, which means I need them about once every 2 or 3 years.

Front fog lights are only required if you can't see using your headlights - probably less than once every 5 years.

I noticed recently that on my daughter's Focus you cannot have the rear fogs on without the front ones as well, but you can have the fronts without the rears. This is because it is a two stage switch: stage one brings the fronts on and pulling the switch out to its second stage brings the rears on.

Yup same as my Porsche & apparently a lot of VAG cars, crap design basically.

Yep. Annoying.

[Deva Link]

Eggman said:

Front fog lights are only required if you can't see using your headlights - probably less than once every 5 years.

It been years since front fogs provided any usable forward illumination.

I can tell you, living in a village which exits on to a fast bypass, that in foggy weather cars with front fogs illuminated are visible momentarily before their headlamps can be seen. There's very, very little in it though, and I think the only purpose front fogs have is aesthetic.

[vonhosen]

daz6215 said:

vonhosen said:

Under Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 it is an offence for fog lights to be used so as to be lit at any time other than in conditions of seriously reduced visibility.

So whats serious then?

RVLR doesn't define. Highway code states less than 100m.

[7db]

Worth bearing in mind that you don't have to put them on just because it's reduced visibility: put them on when the other vehicle is yet to acquire you. Turn them off if they are dazzling.

You don't just turn your full-beam on and leave it on.

[shovelheadrob]

Driving back from Scotland the other day it amazed me how many drivers think that fog lights are neccessary even though they deem it safe/clear enough to drive at 70+mph. Personally I use mine (rear) when I feel that the reduced visibility requires a slower speed to reduce your reaction distance, unless there is a vehicle behind, where it would mask brake/indicators as previously mentioned. The front fogs get used mainly on country roads where they help pick out the side of the road & cut underneath the fog, if you actually turn off dip beam as well you do not get the reflected glare from the fog (after dark)

[JM]

gdaybruce said:

Eggman said:

I only put my rear fog lights on if I can't see other people's tail lights, which means I need them about once every 2 or 3 years.

Front fog lights are only required if you can't see using your headlights - probably less than once every 5 years.

I noticed recently that on my daughter's Focus you cannot have the rear fogs on without the front ones as well, but you can have the fronts without the rears. This is because it is a two stage switch: stage one brings the fronts on and pulling the switch out to its second stage brings the rears on.

I drove a mates Iveco van a while back and had to use the fog lights, just rear ones on the van, but I couldn't turn them off, without turning the headlights off. Seems like a pretty stupid design, presuming it wasn't a fault.

[Eggman]

shovelheadrob said:

The front fogs get used mainly on country roads where they help pick out the side of the road & cut underneath the fog, if you actually turn off dip beam as well you do not get the reflected glare from the fog (after dark)

This is exactly the 'once in 5 years' scenario that I referred to above. If you don't have fog lights when it's like this you'll be reduced to looking out of the side window to follow the white line. Either way, you won't be doing much over 10mph. When conditions aren't like this they're not really needed.

btw: Now that two of us have said it in this thread, 'Driving back from Scotland' looks like some kind of euphemism, e.g. 'I suggested driving back from Scotland but she went mad about it'.

[Magic919]

I wish they would automatically extinguish at 35mph. Anyone driving that fast can't need them on.

[Doniger]

Eggman said:

shovelheadrob said:

The front fogs get used mainly on country roads where they help pick out the side of the road & cut underneath the fog, if you actually turn off dip beam as well you do not get the reflected glare from the fog (after dark)

This is exactly the 'once in 5 years' scenario that I referred to above. If you don't have fog lights when it's like this you'll be reduced to looking out of the side window to follow the white line. Either way, you won't be doing much over 10mph. When conditions aren't like this they're not really needed.

btw: Now that two of us have said it in this thread, 'Driving back from Scotland' looks like some kind of euphemism, e.g. 'I suggested driving back from Scotland but she went mad about it'.

I've never been to Scotland or therefore driven back but will add a voice to the school of thought that you only need front foglights when your dipped beams are reflecting back at you so much you can't see anything. Turn them off, fogs on, and hey presto - you can see again.

Rear fog light is different...the theory is probably the same but you have to adapt to the fact that most people are idiots and drive too fast through mist/fog, so my rule of thumb is if the headlights behind are dim, my tail lights must be even dimmer if he/she can even see them - so rear foglight on until they're within sight again, at which point it goes off so as not to dazzle them.