NACRO

I'd say having lights on during daylight hours isn't as bad as sticking on your fogs. I often put mine on if I'm making progress to give other idiot road users a clue that I'm actually there (of course this assumes they will be using their mirrors). In the vain hope they won't pull out on me when I'm overtaking.
Of course in the UK if you overtake people they take it as a deadly insult and do their level best to stop you.

carl

What's also amusing is how many people flash you if you drive at night in a well-lit built-up area with just the sidelights on.

v5 man

iTrader: (4)

Dark Blue Mark, you obviously dont drive a bugeye, lights sh!te, fogs on do widen beam and make it more comfortable on pitch black country lanes.
Im surprised though at the amount of light weights not coming forward and admitting driving with their fogs on, 9 out 10 scoobs i see at night have em on!!!

RB5320

carl - that could be because it's illegal.

Steve

MattW

Carl - dont be a prat. Sidelights only at night is dangerous. You blend in to the streetlights, house lights etc.

However it is not illegal.

You MUST
use headlights at night, except on restricted roads (those with street lights not more than 185 metres (600 feet) apart and which are generally subject to a speed limit of 30 mph)

however

You should also
use dipped headlights, or dim-dip if fitted, at night in built-up areas and in dull daytime weather, to ensure that you can be seen


And regarding fogs


You MUST NOT
use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users
use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves to avoid dazzling other road users.
Law RVLR reg 27


[Edited by MattW - 10/16/2003 10:16:29 AM]

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Well they can blind you.... simply as they are most ofen not adjusted correctly - as the beam level does not need to be checked for MOT, so any To55er can drive around with incorrectly adjust front fogs - worst offenders are the ones who fit after market ones.

Also fogs causes more glare off widscreens/mirrors/glasses etc.

55watts x 2 of mis-directed light is rather annoying to say the least.

carl

Odd how "Roadcraft" (which the police use for driver training) says "Consider whether you need dipped beams in built-up areas at night..."

messiah

The only time I use my fogs when not required is when there's a ***** in front or behind dazzling me with theirs.

and if they're in front - then they're getting full beam too.

bast@rds!

RB5320

carl - I should have added an "as far as I know". But my understanding is that side lights are parking lights, not driving lights. You either need lights on or you dont, ie if the visibility is low enough to require lights put your headlights on. This was confirmed to me by a friendly traffic cop, who says he generally takes a dim view (sorry ) of people with side lights only (unless it's a volvo or similar where they come on automatically).

Steve

carl

No, sidelights mark your position to other road users, headlights are for seeing where you're going. That's why sidelights are called 'side markers' in the USA.

When it's foggy/drizzly, it may not be possible for another road user to see your sidelights, which is why you should use dipped beam.

If we go by your theory, what do you think the sidelight position on the column stalk is for on a classic Impreza? It's not for parking lights, as there's a separate switch on top of the steering column for that (puts the sidelights on but not the number plate light). "

[Edited by carl - 10/16/2003 11:38:17 AM]

J_Dan

A mate of mine was pulled over once... Copper says "Why havent you got your windscreen wipers on ??" replys "its not raining" Copper "Exactly, and its not bloody foggy either so switch your fog lights off!"

Jerry*

Totally agree with most of the stuff posted on this thread...

Worst ones for me are Pug drivers.. The vast majority of Pug 206, 306 and 406 drivers around my area have them on most of the time...and Pug fogs are generally really bright... tw*ts !!

Worst for me has to be Fiat fog lights... Puntos and Cinquecentos/Seicentos have the silliest fogs around.. they really do dazzle you...

I too believe that its the typical "f**k you" attitude of many drivers out there..

Have to admit though that there are a fair few Scoob drivers around here that commit the crime too though..

Its not big and its not clever !!

I think that there should be a adverts on TV similar to the drink drive ones that remind us of the laws and of the potential dangers.. fog lights, blown bulbs, using mobiles whilst driving, lane discipline, mirror signal manoeuvre etc.. I think it'd work, and I think its needed because the general standard of driving is pretty cr4p from a lot of peeps. Surely cr4p driving causes more accidents than speeders etc..

NACRO

Personally I reckon some random roadside kneecappings by the police would get the message home.

RB5320

well, you've got me there. I will withdraw gracefully from this discussion.

Steve

Scooby-Doo

The quality of sidelights vary and coming from an ex motorbike point of view I would pefer cars to use dipped lights rather than sides.

Better add the tw@ts in Renualt 5 Turbos that had sidelights on and yellow fogs.

carl

Agreed -- the standard Scoob ones are no better than candles. The Philips Blue Vision sidelights are much brighter.

carl

So I was waiting to be picked up outside the airport yesterday, and along came a car with only one working headlight. I thought "I bet that's a really tatty car". Surprise, surprise, when it got closer it was revealed to also have a big dent in the boot. Some people just don't give a f**k about their cars. I wouldn't mind betting the dampers were shagged, the brakes worn down to the linings and the tyres bald. Do we really want cars like that on the road?

I've owned some pretty crappy cars in my time (with dents in too.. ) but they've always had working lights all round, decent tread, working brakes, etc.

SteveF

I'm feeling really old now - as I seem to be the only one who remembers the old public service 'adverts' which the BBC used to show just befor eit closed down at night - These included one featuring Peter Purves (ex- Blue Peter) - telling you not to use your fog lights in the rain -"Beware of rear dazzle" or something like that

Steve

jonc

I also so find it's normally drivers of French cars that normally have their fogs lights on. So I sometimes just put my mainbeams on with my fogs lights on. OK 2 wrongs don't make a right, but as I can't see whats ahead clearly because of their fogs, I need more light too see . Otherwise I have to find some sort of solution to point my xenon lights into them and burn their retinas out!

Another gripe are poorly adjusted dipped beams that point towards the night sky! Again usually French cars....

blair

This pisses me off as well. I recon there are two groups of numpties driving around with fog lights on when it isn't foggy.

1)The f*ckwits that think driving with foglights on when it isn't foggy makes them look cool

2) The f*ckwits that have no idea there foglights have been on since it was foggy that time in March 2001.

Each needs a different approach to fix

For the second set all that is needed is that when you turn the ignition off and restart the car, the fog lights are "reset" and only come back on if you actually switch them back on

For the first set 3 points a £30 fine and a good kicking should soon stop them

LanciaChris

Sure some of you people arent mistaking fog lights for driving lights? Granted obviously not on the back (not to say i havent seen cars with driving lights fitted on the back!), but a lot of cars have driving lights on the front that i consider invaluable when driving down unlit roads at night as they provide the extra light that could mean the difference between seeing your doom approaching and not. Of course, in built up areas with plenty of light etc. its entirely pointless.

messiah

after my last post on this thread, I need to make a correction. I do drive on one road in particular with my fog lamps on when its dark. The road in question goes from our house to my other half's mother's house and has no lighting, road markings or kerbs whatsoever - the fogs on does help me keep the car out of the dyke on either side of the road.

A couple of years ago, a bloke in a beamer clipped the grass verge and flung the beamer into a field. Poor bugger was trapped in the car all night until someone went passed in daylight and saw him there...

[Edited by messiah - 10/16/2003 3:02:09 PM]

Abdabz

Blimey 50+ replies - clearly an emotive subject for some! Shame no-one replied to say they deliberately drive with them on and try to explain why.
On a dark country road I too have occasion to put all my lights on, but as soon as anything comes towards me its back to dipped headlights only.
Never have I found a car with "driving lights" - lancias maybe different - but Im curious as to the sign on the button/switch... two wavey lines in front of the bulb?? I dunno...
Anyhoo respect to those who take whatever action they see ness to get their point across, and respect to those too chilled out to care...
I will continue on my mission to rid the world of Fog Light Misdemeanours, Non Signalling Motorway Manouverers, Tail Gaters, Middle Lane Hoggers and Indistructable Motorbiker Idiot Folk...

Come join me in my quest....

CooperS

My flatmate runs with his fogs on in his 206.

He gets in, turns on the sidelights and then purposefully turns on his fogs.....

Me : "WTF are you putting your fogs on for? there's no fog"

Him : "I think they may my car look better"

Me : "It makes you look like a tw@t"

He turned them off

CooperS

Another thing about fog lights that p!sses me off royale is when you're on the motorway for example, and some clown is running with his rear fogs blaring, and as you drive past you can see the light on their dashboard jumping out at you shouting 'YOUR FOG LIGHTS ARE STILL ON YOU PRAT!' and they don't seem to be able to see anything below the top of the steering wheel

RRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!! !!!!!!!

Rant over

blair

LOL !

The world needs to have more conversations like this !

PeterPerfect

Don't beat around the bush

Dracoro

The driving lamps argument is irrelevant as they should only come on with full beam surely.

DrEvil

I flashed (with my front fogs) a Saxo boy (not THE saxo boy) on the M1 once.. instead of turning his fogs off, he pulls over to let me past.. DOH!

Proby521

iTrader: (1)

aww this post is still going. I saw a guy on the M6 yesterday morning in a Seat Leon, it was pitch black still at that time. He had sidelights on, and his FOG LIGHTS on.I flashed my rear fogs at him, and he flashed his MAIN beam back. Obviously, he knew why I was doing it. Then at the next junction, I saw him in my mirror, indicating to pull off, he then irratically starting flashing his main beam at me, as he still drove along with sidelights and his FOGS. Pratt.