Fog Lights !
Author
Discussion

bigmac

Original Poster:

51 posts

264 months

Friday 9th December 2005
quotequote all
Does anybody know the correct use of fog lights?

It has been a bit of a foggy day in Berkshire and as usual half the cars on the road are driving around with light-house strength fog-lights (or are they spot lights?.
Only seems to take the slightest whif of mist for this to happen. Or sometime no mist at all (I think some people (often in 4x4's) think they look cool).

Am I right in thinking people should not drive around with spots or fog lights on unless *really* foggy so as not to dazzling other drivers. If so what counds as really foggy?

Fog lights are only there so that other people can see youpeople to see you. I find I can see less in fog when I use the elises driving lamps.

BTW does the ellise have fog lights? third button down I guess! What lights up when this is pressed?

bogie

17,100 posts

303 months

Saturday 10th December 2005
quotequote all
the Elise dosent have front fog lamps - they are driving lamps and come on with main beam.

As for use - there is no hard n fast rule Im afraid, other than obviously not having them on when its clear..but I agree..the slightest amount of mist (or rain!) and there are numpties with front and rear fogs on dazzling everyone...if you can see for 500m in front you dont need fogs on FFS !! ...personally I only put them on, when its bad enough so Im struggling to see the car in fronts normal lights at around 100m ish...so generally...I think in the last 10 years/350K miles of driving...ive used them about 3 times ...it never gets that foggy !

bigmac

Original Poster:

51 posts

264 months

Saturday 10th December 2005
quotequote all
Cheers Bogie - I agree completely with your reply. Partly I think the Police are to blame for
not pulling people up over the use of powerfull lights. Too busy administering speed cameras I suppose...

Still... that makes me wonder what the third button near the lights does... Maybe I'm going nuts. I thought
it was fog lights (I drive an S2 111S). A little experimentation is in order this morning...

GTRene

22,712 posts

255 months

Saturday 10th December 2005
quotequote all
Here in the Netherlands are hard rules about using foglights or other extra lights! when its not heavy snowing or heavy fog you may not use those kind of extra lights! when you do they hold you and you get a fine? you have to pay...front on its 50,-euro back fog lights unesesary on thats 75,-euro
even when those extra lights mostly under the bumper line are no foglights but just extra sidelights or so, its forbidden here in the Netherlands(like many things are)

PB9

175 posts

253 months

Saturday 10th December 2005
quotequote all
3rd button => rear fog lights on elise

as people have said the from are driving lights and come on with full beam.

JimmyHibbs111S

11 posts

251 months

Saturday 10th December 2005
quotequote all
Yep, very rarely do you really need your fogs lights IMO.

Worst thing about the Elise in this sort weather is that you are sat staring right in to everybody elses fog lights, coupled with the fact the the Elises headlights aren't all that great anyway!!

Ah the things we put up with, Lotus should maintain all of our cars for free as compensation IMO.

bogie

17,100 posts

303 months

Saturday 10th December 2005
quotequote all
oh yes - as above - 3rd button is rear fogs...never used them in 4 years/75K miles in the Elise!

bigmac

Original Poster:

51 posts

264 months

Saturday 10th December 2005
quotequote all
I've read a few comments about the elise's head lights not being that great.
I think they are fine especially with driving lamps/full beam.

Mind you I guess it depends on what you get used too. Up until I bought the
bestie a couple of years ago I was driving around in a (er-hem) clapped out
Montego (well I was saving the pennies for a proper car...) which had no
reflective coating left on the head light's reflectors.

Could barely see the kerb!

bogie

17,100 posts

303 months

Saturday 10th December 2005
quotequote all
yeah - they are crap compared to a modern car with self adjusting HID xenons...........

bob_defly

5,924 posts

262 months

Sunday 11th December 2005
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Any way of switching on the driving lamps without main beam would be useful!?

Then I could see the road properly and the numpties would just think they are normal fog lamps!

beachbum

2,610 posts

262 months

Sunday 11th December 2005
quotequote all
Rear fog lights are supposed to be used, should visibility drop to 100m or less. Or that is what I was told by a "friendly" plod.

Arno

349 posts

309 months

Monday 12th December 2005
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bob_defly said:
Any way of switching on the driving lamps without main beam would be useful!?


No can do (without rewiring) and it's a very bad idea as the friving lights on the Elise *are* main beam lights, so they give out a much longer reaching beam than foglights and will blind other drivers.

Bye, Arno.

lotustuart

1,465 posts

262 months

Monday 12th December 2005
quotequote all
beachbum said:
Rear fog lights are supposed to be used, should visibility drop to 100m or less. Or that is what I was told by a "friendly" plod.


Correct. You are not allowed to use your fog lights front or rear unless visibility drops below 100m.

I know this from past experience, I was young and thought it was cool to have them on on my Zetec S Fiesta, £40 fixed penalty later I was fully aware of the law!!