FOG LIGHT MENACE

[PEDMEISTER]

I would be interested to know if there are other motorists out there who are heartily sick & tired of idiots who drive around with their front fog lights blazing? This appears to be a practise that has crept into increasing use over the last five years or so. It is an EXTREMELY BAD habit. Can somebody please explain, why it makes your car look 'cool' to drive around with your fog lights on & you sidelights on? What is this all about?! Fact 1:- Fog lights ARE NOT alternative driving lights. They should NEVER be used except in appropriately foggy conditions. Fact 2:- It is an offence to drive around with front fog lights illuminated in anything other than fog bound conditions. It can result in a £30.00p Fixed Penalty ticket.

Fact 3:- Fog lights are not designed to produce a cone of light in the same way a headlight does. Fog lights are actually quite crude, they produce considerable glare. This glare can potentially dazzle oncoming drivers. Fact 4:- An auxillery driving light MUST be mounted in the same horizontal plain as the headlights in order for it to be utilised as such. The 'spotlights' mounted beneath the bumpers on modern cars ARE NOT 'spotlights,' they are FOG LIGHTS.
I am hacked off by the number of buffoons who insist on driving around with fog lights glaring. It is selfish to other road users, & potentially dangerous.

Why are the worst offenders nearly always driving one of the following:- Vauxhall Nova SRi(WITH MAX POWER or 'NO FEAR' sticker on display), Vauxhall Corsa (Oh please!) Ford Focus,(WANNA BE COLIN McCRAY SYNDROME PERHAPS?) Ford Fiesta, BMW 3 Series (usually a combination of sidelights only with fog lights-HOW COOL. NOT!!!!). I would be most interested to hear others views regarding this menace.

Oh yeah, nearly forgot, if I catch you doing it in the county of Merseyside, I WILL issue you with a £30.00p fixed whizzer for being so STUPID & SO UNCOOL. Be warned, MAX POWER & BASS TUBE BRIGADE..........


Cheers,

Pc Pedmeister

[PEDMEISTER]

trackcar said:

I hate foglight abusers, if i were trafpol I'd be pulling every last one of them in for a talking to! Mind you i actually saw a trafpol the other day with his front fogs on and he managed to drive all the way around a roundabout and exit it without signalling once makes you wonder.

I'm afraid to say regarding the above, this does not surprise me in the slightest. The Police Force/Army/Navy/Air Force, is only as good as the society they recruit from. My own view is that there is a general lack of discipline in society, many people have slack attitudes & this is reflected directly by their behaviour.Eg UNDERTAKING/TAILGATING/USING MOBILE PHONE WHILST DRIVING ETC.ETC.) I believe most people are well aware that it is de facto, an offence to drive with front fogs on. However, we now live in the ME & I society. I WILL decide which laws I obey, because it suits ME to do as I like!

If I had a pound coin everytime I have pulled a motorist regarding fog lights and heard, "I DIDN'T REALISE IT WAS AN OFFENCE."(usually accompanied by a VERY sheepish look)or "I'VE ONLY JUST GOT THE CAR & DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE ON." (also accompanied by that sheepish "ACTUALLY I AM LYING THROUGH MY BACK TEETH OFFICER," look on the counternance)I would be living in another country (IE One which offers QUALITY OF LIFE as opposed to this overcrowded, gridlocked little island) & driving an Aston DB9!!

Guys, what views do you have on the growing trend of traffic light contravention? I work in the county of Merseyside, in the last five years or so, there has been a huge increase in the number of people who steam through red T-light signals. I am NOT a HOB ie Traffic Officer (perish the thought!) I am a Response Officer and answer calls for service. Traffic is not really my bag. However, I am regularly issuing E/FPN for 3 pts & £60 fine in respect of the aforementioned offence. Is this problem just a local one, or is this a growing trend country wide?
I await your comments with interest gents!

Cheers!