Question for MadCop et al.......
Discussion
Madcop,
Can you tell me the exact law regarding use of Fog Lights and any penalties than one can incur through improper use?
I know he Highway code says Only to be used if visibility is less than 100meters but recently I have seen Police Cars, Ambulances, etc using them in broad daylight and there is just no need! They weren't rushing to a job, they were pootling along behing me on a few occasions.
I stopped to ask two traffic cops sitting near the Cinema in Saltcoats the other day, but after 15 seconds of talking to them, they seemed more interested in finding a fault with the works van I was driving than answering my question which is typical of the statistic run country we live in today!
Cheers
Stuart!
Can you tell me the exact law regarding use of Fog Lights and any penalties than one can incur through improper use?
I know he Highway code says Only to be used if visibility is less than 100meters but recently I have seen Police Cars, Ambulances, etc using them in broad daylight and there is just no need! They weren't rushing to a job, they were pootling along behing me on a few occasions.
I stopped to ask two traffic cops sitting near the Cinema in Saltcoats the other day, but after 15 seconds of talking to them, they seemed more interested in finding a fault with the works van I was driving than answering my question which is typical of the statistic run country we live in today!
Cheers
Stuart!
Fog lights should only be used in conditions of seriously reduced visibilty, fog or falling snow.
It is an offence to have them on in any conditions other than that. If you see marked Police vehicles with them on, then they are committing offences if the conditions are not as above.
Those that have them on when they are attending an emergency, although not complying with the law are in my view sensible. The reason being that it is better to have as much visible and audible warning displayed if you are travelling fast as you possibly can.
Fog lights although misused in this way are in my view acceptable. A court may well decide otherwise, but, who is going to bring such a case anyway?
I would imagine that a court would pass sentence of absolute discharge in those circumstances as the use was to increase the safety margins of a vehicle which was a potential danger to others.
Cruising with them on is an outright offence unless in the conditions described above.
The penalty for doing so is normally a non-endorsable FPT at £30. It is possible that being reported for the offence could lead to a court hearing in which the fine would be at the discretion of the magistrates.
I do not know what the maximum fine is, but there are no points attached.
>> Edited by madcop on Sunday 19th January 21:18
It is an offence to have them on in any conditions other than that. If you see marked Police vehicles with them on, then they are committing offences if the conditions are not as above.
Those that have them on when they are attending an emergency, although not complying with the law are in my view sensible. The reason being that it is better to have as much visible and audible warning displayed if you are travelling fast as you possibly can.
Fog lights although misused in this way are in my view acceptable. A court may well decide otherwise, but, who is going to bring such a case anyway?
I would imagine that a court would pass sentence of absolute discharge in those circumstances as the use was to increase the safety margins of a vehicle which was a potential danger to others.
Cruising with them on is an outright offence unless in the conditions described above.
The penalty for doing so is normally a non-endorsable FPT at £30. It is possible that being reported for the offence could lead to a court hearing in which the fine would be at the discretion of the magistrates.
I do not know what the maximum fine is, but there are no points attached.
>> Edited by madcop on Sunday 19th January 21:18
Here's a thoroughly riveting story:
Driving home from work last night on the A13,due to rain and road works couldn't see which white lines were the right ones, turned on fogs for 5 mins (all the while feeling dirty and guilty and bad), then turned them off again.....
Didn't kill any small furry animals, didn't feel compelled to murder my granny, didn't blind anyone to the extent that they exploded in a ball of flames.
Half the time you've got your RVM dipped anyway and fogs are generally only as bright as headlights and they mostly point downwards...don't see the problem with the actual lights, I'd be inclined to suggest that most people have a problem with the fact that the numpties driving with them are doing so because they think it's cool.
Of course people who leave their back fogs on are whores and deserve to be killed butthat's another topic entirely.
Dave
Driving home from work last night on the A13,due to rain and road works couldn't see which white lines were the right ones, turned on fogs for 5 mins (all the while feeling dirty and guilty and bad), then turned them off again.....
Didn't kill any small furry animals, didn't feel compelled to murder my granny, didn't blind anyone to the extent that they exploded in a ball of flames.
Half the time you've got your RVM dipped anyway and fogs are generally only as bright as headlights and they mostly point downwards...don't see the problem with the actual lights, I'd be inclined to suggest that most people have a problem with the fact that the numpties driving with them are doing so because they think it's cool.
Of course people who leave their back fogs on are whores and deserve to be killed butthat's another topic entirely.
Dave
madcop said: Fog lights should only be used in conditions of seriously reduced visibilty, fog or falling snow.
It is an offence to have them on in any conditions other than that. If you see marked Police vehicles with them on, then they are committing offences if the conditions are not as above.
Those that have them on when they are attending an emergency, although not complying with the law are in my view sensible. The reason being that it is better to have as much visible and audible warning displayed if you are travelling fast as you possibly can.
Fog lights although misused in this way are in my view acceptable. A court may well decide otherwise, but, who is going to bring such a case anyway?
I would imagine that a court would pass sentence of absolute discharge in those circumstances as the use was to increase the safety margins of a vehicle which was a potential danger to others.
Cruising with them on is an outright offence unless in the conditions described above.
The penalty for doing so is normally a non-endorsable FPT at £30. It is possible that being reported for the offence could lead to a court hearing in which the fine would be at the discretion of the magistrates.
I do not know what the maximum fine is, but there are no points attached.
>> Edited by madcop on Sunday 19th January 21:18
so mad its ok for me to put mine on when im driving as fast as i can?
madcop said:
outlaw said:
so mad its ok for me to put mine on when im driving as fast as i can?
Don't let me stop you outlaw!
serously i never use the front one ony time i swich em on is m0t time to see if the bulbs need changing
how ever i dont rely find front fog ligts annoying on motors
what wind me up is twats with head light beams pointing at the tree tops
in all the years i been driving iv yet to be blinded by frount fog ligts.
madcop said: Fog lights should only be used in conditions of seriously reduced visibilty, fog or falling snow.
It is an offence to have them on in any conditions other than that. If you see marked Police vehicles with them on, then they are committing offences if the conditions are not as above.
Those that have them on when they are attending an emergency, although not complying with the law are in my view sensible. The reason being that it is better to have as much visible and audible warning displayed if you are travelling fast as you possibly can.
Fog lights although misused in this way are in my view acceptable. A court may well decide otherwise, but, who is going to bring such a case anyway?
I would imagine that a court would pass sentence of absolute discharge in those circumstances as the use was to increase the safety margins of a vehicle which was a potential danger to others.
Cruising with them on is an outright offence unless in the conditions described above.
The penalty for doing so is normally a non-endorsable FPT at £30. It is possible that being reported for the offence could lead to a court hearing in which the fine would be at the discretion of the magistrates.
I do not know what the maximum fine is, but there are no points attached.
>> Edited by madcop on Sunday 19th January 21:18
Cheers MadCop, Finally a Clear answer on a cloudy subject.
The only reason I ask is that I constantly, on a daily basis, see police cars driving around with sidelights and foglights on
Not much of an example to set. I agree though that when heading to a call, they should use foglights, but then, some people don't notice that big blue flashing on the top of the car, and 2 in the grill, so what good would a couple of Fog lights do?
tvradict said: but then, some people don't notice that big blue flashing on the top of the car, and 2 in the grill, so what good would a couple of Fog lights do?
Ahhhhhh Yes!! They notice the fog lights though
and then write in and complain that the Police car was committing an offence 
(Not suggesting you don't see the ones flashing on the top though tvraddict
)
tvradict said: I agree though that when heading to a call, they should use foglights, but then, some people don't notice that big blue flashing on the top of the car, and 2 in the grill, so what good would a couple of Fog lights do?
There was a study done a few years back that found that people's eyes, and therefore their attention, were drawn quicker to white lights than blue ones (or green, or yellow, or red). Hence the wig-wag headlamp flashers now fitted on most emergency vehicles...which do seem to do the job better than the blue grille-strobes IMHO..
Ummm... I'm ambivalent on this one. What's the definition of a (forward-facing) fog light? Does it have to be yellow? You used to be able to buy after-market fog-lights (yellow) and afternmarket auxiliary driving lights (white). My car has white forward facing lights set low in the bumper and angled to give a broad spread of light for a short distance in front of the car. I consider them to be driving lights, not fog lights, and find them most useful on unlit roads to watch the verge. I use them all the time under such conditions. Am I going to be nicked for so doing?
Oh, and people who drive with rear fog lights in clear visibility
- but what about heavy rain and spray? I WANT people to see me in such conditions, and normal rear lights are often simply invisible. Am I going to be nicked for that too?? 
Oh, and people who drive with rear fog lights in clear visibility
- but what about heavy rain and spray? I WANT people to see me in such conditions, and normal rear lights are often simply invisible. Am I going to be nicked for that too??
jatrichardson said:My car has white forward facing lights set low in the bumper and angled to give a broad spread of light for a short distance in front of the car.
Do you switch them on manually, or do they come on automatically with high beam? When they're on, what symbol lights up on the dash?
I consider them to be driving lights, not fog lights, and find them most useful on unlit roads to watch the verge.
What actually they are would depend on your answers above. What you consider them to be is immaterial!
I use them all the time under such conditions. Am I going to be nicked for so doing?
If it turns out they're fog lights then 'yes'.
If they're driving lights, then 'no', but only because I hope you're turning your full beam off when approaching another car - otherwise 'yes'.
Oh, and people who drive with rear fog lights in clear visibility
Depends on the visibility. Low enough and fog lights are advisable.
Its pretty annoying when the numpties turn on their rear fogs at the first sign of rain, thus obscuring their brake lights in the glare
pdv6 said:[/iIts pretty annoying when the numpties turn on their rear fogs at the first sign of rain, thus obscuring their brake lights in the glare
If you think it's bad when you're in a car, you should try making out the difference between fog and brake lights, on a motorbike whilst peering through a rain-covered visor and filtering at the same time i.e. my average rainy day commute.
madcop said:
tvradict said: but then, some people don't notice that big blue flashing on the top of the car, and 2 in the grill, so what good would a couple of Fog lights do?
Ahhhhhh Yes!! They notice the fog lights though
(Not suggesting you don't see the ones flashing on the top though tvraddict
Me? Complain? Never.....
TVRAddict, I notice your question was specifically about fog lights, what about driving lights, the rules for these are different and some cars are fitted with driving lights, some with fog lights.
My wifes Pug 206 has auxilliary front lights fitted (as standard) which appear to be driving lights from the beam pattern and the dashboard indicator is of lamps angled down, yet the Pug web-site refers to them as fog lights I wish somebody could tell me what they are!!! Just to be safe we do not use them at all. They can be switched on with the side or headlights and do not go off when switching from main beam to dip or vice versa.
My wifes Pug 206 has auxilliary front lights fitted (as standard) which appear to be driving lights from the beam pattern and the dashboard indicator is of lamps angled down, yet the Pug web-site refers to them as fog lights
I wish somebody could tell me what they are!!! Just to be safe we do not use them at all. They can be switched on with the side or headlights and do not go off when switching from main beam to dip or vice versa.
whoozit said:If you think it's bad when you're in a car, you should try making out the difference between fog and brake lights, on a motorbike whilst peering through a rain-covered visor and filtering at the same time i.e. my average rainy day commute.
Um - nobody is forcing you to filter in the rain in poor visibility. It's your choice...
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff