Side/fog lights at night, no headlights????

[Big E 118]

I've noticed there seems to be quite a few cars that drive at night with a side light/fog light combo on, no headlights.

Is this the old "fog light all the time" brigade trying to stand out now that 50% of the population have fog lights on?

Interestingly I was stuck in a traffic jam the other day behind a police car, there was a car coming the other way without headlights (about 10pm) and just fogs on, it stopped right next to the police car and I was expecting to see the cops window go down and have a word, nothing!

I'm presuming you legally have to have headlights on at night, not just any lights?

[Big E 118]

jonstable said:

Under streetlights at night, you only have to have sidelights on. Obviously not foglights though under normal conditions.

Didn't know that, always assumed you would have to have your headlights on when dark.

Does that include lit motorways?

[Big E 118]

Tsippy said:

fking annoying aren't they? It's nice to blind them back with a combo of main beam and spot lights though..... the selfish tttish fking fktards

Ha! You've noticed them as well then.

Anyone know why though? If I'm going out at night I wouldn't think, ah it's dark so I'll just put on my fog lights and then my side lights instead of just flicking on my headlights.....

[Big E 118]

streaky said:

HC113 states: "use headlights at night, except on a road which has lit street lighting. These roads are generally restricted to a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) unless otherwise specified.

A valid interpretation of that would seem to be that where there is street lighting and a signed limit greater than 30, the use of headlights is not obligated.

Streaky

So as above, on a lit motorway at night you are only legally required to have sidelights on as it doesn't state otherwise?

Considering most other traffic would have headlights on it would be pretty easy to miss a car in your rear view mirror that only had sidelights on, especially in reduced visibility (rain etc.)

[Big E 118]

Well I guess that clears up my original point about plod not having a word with the car next to them (even though they had fogs on, probably had better things to do) as it was a 30 zone, although it was in a small village and I doubt said car with side lights just flicked them on just for the 200 yards of 30 zone!

[Big E 118]

Tuscan Rat said:

This is why I love PH...a while back I came on here and mentioned that I had, had a blitz on fog lights in Tooting High street and got a right slagging, given the usual have the Police not got anything better to do rant !!!!

No matter what you do someone on PH will disagree!

I think police should have a crack down on people with fogs on and I'm sure they'll find a lot of other infringements with the type of people they stop. Saying that I won't slag off plod for not stopping someone as I'm sure they have to prioritise what they spend they're time on and I'd much prefer them to be catching violent criminals than ps who have to drive everywhere in a blaze of light!

[Big E 118]

Mr Will said:

Interestingly enough, sidelights are normally just as bright as tail lights and nobody complains about not being able to spot them.

The only reason they are more difficult to spot is the large number of cars using dipped-beams (or fog lights!) affecting your night vision and "drowning out" the dimmer lights. We'd actually be better off if we gave up the "I'm brighter than you" arms race and went back to doing what the law allows and using nothing but sidelights but the chances of that happening are between slim and none.

Agreed sidelights are fine for cities but can you imagine driving around the countryside/small towns and having to alternate between sides, dipped headlights and full beam? Considering a large number of people seem to struggle with lights on or off at appropriate times another option would just cause way too much confusion!