These 'cornering' fog lights

[Drive Blind]

WTF are they all about?

Coming home tonight I was followed for part of the journey by a car equipped with these fog lights that come on when the car is going round a corner.

Whose idea was this? About as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike.

Also by the letter of the law are they not illegal? I think the highway code says fog lights should only be used when visibility is below 100m?

[craig7584]

I wondered what all that was about. Thought I'd seen a few golfs with dodgy electrics recently!

[Kozy]

It's so the wkers don't have to manually switch them on. Duh!

[edo]

a single fog light coming on when you turn the wheel or indicate is not a cornering light, its a load of old y marking bks and to quote Theo Paphitis is about as much use as a kipper with a pair of knickers

[GenePoolReject13]

I think they are supposed to eluminate the edge of the road when cornering so that you can see any potholes, debris and the kerb better. I've never had them on a car and can't say I would find them useful. A safety feature for the sake of having something new I think. They look daft and didn't half confuse me the first time I saw them on a merc.

[Fleckers]

in croydon everyone must be swerving left and right as their fog lights are always on

[robsco]

There's a lot of Seats and VWs using them I've noticed, but yes, they're very silly.

[JD]

Why are they so rubbish?

[Judd97]

Had them on a Skoda hire car recently. I thought they were a genius idea. So simple. No extra weight or wiring. They appeared to be speed sensitive as I couldn't seem to get them on above about 35mph. One wasn't aware of them - just that out of the corner of your eye you were aware of the kerb. Especially useful when manoeuvring at night in small spaces, round parked cars, kerbs etc.

[Vipers]

Another gizmo we don't really need, and cost a bomb when they go wrong.

My headlight wiper motors on my Volvo, estimate to replace both motors, £600.........

[boobles]

I have just had this conversation with a work colleauge who's car does this every time he corners.
Apparently it's so you can see the curb & this avoids curbing the alloys.

[Gun]

JD said:

Why are they so rubbish?

Because they're totally pointless. I wonder how many people have been pulled over by the police because of these?

[ShiggyBiggs]

Are they legal?

[Tuvra]

JD said:

Why are they so rubbish?

I have driven two identical Mercedes', one with and one without these foglights, they trully are useless, I didnt even know the first car had them until I seen a reflection in a shop window. They do highlight a little bit more of the road, it was only noitcable after I had noticed the car had them.

It cant do much good for the fog light bulb flicking on and off like that??

[Vee]

Kozy said:

It's so the wkers don't have to manually switch them on. Duh!

Quality . . . are all your contributions so insightful ?

I thought that they were for other road users rather than the car driver. Xenons make it more difficult to see indicators flashing.

[Monkeylegend]

I have had them for several years,a standard feature on the E Class.They work when the headlights are on. Pointless during the day but very useful at night when you are turning into driveways or dark corners. For those of you who don't believe this, try them.

Never been pulled by the police, never failed an MOT so I would probably think they are legal. Can't see Merc advertising and selling a feature for many years that falls foul of the law. Or would they.............?

Edit: Just noticed the OP's posting name, would not be of any use to you at all, so can understand your comments

[Bill]

Judd97 said:

Had them on a Skoda hire car recently. I thought they were a genius idea. So simple. No extra weight or wiring. They appeared to be speed sensitive as I couldn't seem to get them on above about 35mph. One wasn't aware of them - just that out of the corner of your eye you were aware of the kerb. Especially useful when manoeuvring at night in small spaces, round parked cars, kerbs etc.

Likewise in a Seat hire car, and it was genuinely useful for negotiating tight tracks at night.

[PHmember]

Gun said:

Because they're totally pointless. I wonder how many people have been pulled over by the police because of these?

Going on the amount that get stopped for improper use of 'normal' fog lights I'd say fk all.

[Tyre Tread]

boobles said:

curb

Its kerb not curb. That's kerb. OK?

KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB KERB

[Alex@POD]

I much prefer the ones you find on the Discovery or Clio, integrated in the headlight.

And as for their usefulness, I once had to turn down a side road in a completely unlit area, and until I was facing down that road I had to hope I didn't turn in too tight as I was practically driving blind.

I think they are a good idea and a lot less likely to piss you off when they go wrong like the "moving" headlights you find on sme models...