Has everyone forgotten how to turn on their fog lights?

[arbseven]

I ask the question because driving back and forth on the M4 on Christmas Day and Boxing Day through drizzle and in much of the journey in fog - some cases thick fog, I noticed that only a handful of people bothered to turn on their rear fog lights. There were several sections where visibility was such that the usual grey/white car disappeared not far in front.

Those that did included a 3 series BMW, a Volvo EV, a couple of Fiesta and one of the several coaches on the road.

What was worse was the large number (estimated by a quick count - it is boring driving the M4) about 30% who didn’t have rear lights on at all. Given the “normal” choice of white and grey as car colours, this meant coming up on cars out of the fog.

This included the usual Audi and Tesla drivers who believe the M4 is a race track and swerving in and out of traffic is a necessity and right!

Maybe the government should stop putting phases like “drug driving kills” on the boards or “Merry Christams” and put up “turn your sodding lights on”.

Thoughts?

[Lo-Fi]

They'd only forget to turn them off again...

[mickythefish]

Was thinking same thing. Yet when's it raining people put them on. It scares me how poor driving standards are nowadays on the basics as well.

[alabbasi]

I live in Texas, even though there's hardly any fog EVER, fog lights are routinely turned in. If it's a Japanese car, it would be the front fog lights only. On Europen cars, they would have the front and rears on.
Just to make sure that everyone can see them while they're camped in the overtaking lane.

Rant over.

[Evanivitch]

arbseven said:

I ask the question because driving back and forth on the M4 on Christmas Day and Boxing Day through drizzle and in much of the journey in fog - some cases thick fog, I noticed that only a handful of people bothered to turn on their rear fog lights. There were several sections where visibility was such that the usual grey/white car disappeared not far in front.

Where? I was back and forth much, but not all, the M4 of South Wales last few days and there was certainly mist but at no point was there fog. Yet the amount of people driving unnecessarily with fogs on...

"Use fog lights only when visibility is seriously reduced and below 100 metres (328 feet)"

[Maracus]

Lo-Fi said:

They'd only forget to turn them off again...

^^^ this ^^^

[fflump]

It was the same on the M6 in thick fog over Shap probably 10% of cars had their rear fogs on. Some appeared to only have their fronts on inexplicably.

. One throbber in an old Merc SL did not even have his lights on.

[LimaDelta]

Thank 'Auto' lights.

Most newish drivers (or older drivers of newish cars) probably don't even know how to. Lights just come on by themselves, just like the wipers.

[arfur]

LimaDelta said:

Thank 'Auto' lights.

Most newish drivers (or older drivers of newish cars) probably don't even know how to. Lights just come on by themselves, just like the wipers.

Was on the M6 yesterday up to Stoke and back to Cov

It wasn't the lack of fog lamps (to be fair it was not quite at fog lamp levels of fog) but I'd say something around 25% didn't even have lights on. Front DRLs on of course but assuming that the other lights would come on automatically .. well they don't in fog/mist .. ffs use the switch.

I have wondered for a while now that it would make sense for rear lights to be on all the time when a car has the DRLs switched on .. At least then there would be some rear lights.

[R0G]

Around Leicester all we had was mist not fog so why are the idiots putting on fog lights?

If at one lamp post and the driver can see the next one then its mist not fog!

Same goes if the normal rear lights from the vehicle in front can be seen easily

[Hol]

alabbasi said:

I live in Texas, even though there's hardly any fog EVER, fog lights are routinely turned in. If it's a Japanese car, it would be the front fog lights only. On Europen cars, they would have the front and rears on.
Just to make sure that everyone can see them while they're camped in the overtaking lane.

Rant over.

That will be some British middle lane moron on holiday.

[menousername]

arfur said:

Was on the M6 yesterday up to Stoke and back to Cov

It wasn't the lack of fog lamps (to be fair it was not quite at fog lamp levels of fog) but I'd say something around 25% didn't even have lights on. Front DRLs on of course but assuming that the other lights would come on automatically .. well they don't in fog/mist .. ffs use the switch.

I have wondered for a while now that it would make sense for rear lights to be on all the time when a car has the DRLs switched on .. At least then there would be some rear lights.

Here in the SE I would say closer to 50%.

My favourite is when you see someone in a grey car blending into the grey dull foggy morning and it has not occurred to them to pop any lights on

[V88Dicky]

alabbasi said:

I live in Texas, even though there's hardly any fog EVER, fog lights are routinely turned in. If it's a Japanese car, it would be the front fog lights only. On Europen cars, they would have the front and rears on.
Just to make sure that everyone can see them while they're camped in the overtaking lane.

Rant over.

Interestingly, some of the worst fog I’ve had the displeasure of driving through, was on the I40 West out of Amarillo.

Proper pea soup stuff, so we’re sat there in lane 1 at probably less than 60, and there’s still 18 wheelers going past us at over 70, with their hazards on. It must be a trucker thing over there?

[Glosphil]

arfur said:

LimaDelta said:

Thank 'Auto' lights.

Most newish drivers (or older drivers of newish cars) probably don't even know how to. Lights just come on by themselves, just like the wipers.

Was on the M6 yesterday up to Stoke and back to Cov

It wasn't the lack of fog lamps (to be fair it was not quite at fog lamp levels of fog) but I'd say something around 25% didn't even have lights on. Front DRLs on of course but assuming that the other lights would come on automatically .. well they don't in fog/mist .. ffs use the switch.

I have wondered for a while now that it would make sense for rear lights to be on all the time when a car has the DRLs switched on .. At least then there would be some rear lights.

Some cars do have rear lights on with front DRLs. My 2018 Leon for one.

[Batfoy]

mickythefish said:

Was thinking same thing. Yet when's it raining people put them on. It scares me how poor driving standards are nowadays on the basics as well.

I've used them in the rain when it's been biblical but for normal wet weather, no.

[swisstoni]

LimaDelta said:

Thank 'Auto' lights.

Most newish drivers (or older drivers of newish cars) probably don't even know how to. Lights just come on by themselves, just like the wipers.

Yes I think this is the main reason. Some may even make a mental note to look up what those funny icons mean on the light controls when they get home, but never do.

[carinaman]

menousername said:

Here in the SE I would say closer to 50%.

My favourite is when you see someone in a grey car blending into the grey dull foggy morning and it has not occurred to them to pop any lights on

That was me on the motorcycle on a moorland road yesterday. One of those US Ford pick ups. I think it had the DRLs on when it passed me as I was at a junction. No lights on the rear it was just a different shade of grey silhouette in the slightly different shades of grey mist, road and sky.

[andy43]

swisstoni said:

LimaDelta said:

Thank 'Auto' lights.

Most newish drivers (or older drivers of newish cars) probably don't even know how to. Lights just come on by themselves, just like the wipers.

Yes I think this is the main reason. Some may even make a mental note to look up what those funny icons mean on the light controls when they get home, but never do.

We have two 2021 cars, neither have an ‘off’ for the lights. Theres auto, side or dipped so they stay on auto and do their own thing. Chances of people even thinking about extra lights for certain weather when that’s what they’re used to? Zero.

[Dogwatch]

Some years ago I was stopped behind some woman at traffic lights with rear fog ablaze from previous day's fog so asked her if she could turn it off. Seems that hubby had turned it on and she had no idea where the switch was. Evening traffic on a slope down to the lights so quite painful to be stuck behind.

[Caddyshack]

The people that leave them on or use them when you can clearly see the cat in front need to be shot. I passed one today and flashed my rear fog on and off but I suspect they either didn’t notice or still left theirs on.