Date: Mon, 08 Apr 2002 23:23:41 -0400 From: "Kenneth S." <nimrodnopsams.com> Subject: Re: Fog lights usage source
John Evans wrote: > > "H." <musicboxnopsamrider.co.uk> wrote in message > news:3i63bucnmv6h3l3iet9oo965jiv9vn4afvnopsamcom... > > >I'm almost reluctant to post this, as I have a question regarding fog > lights > > >and their usage. I've seen threads here before on this topic, and have > done > > >a quick google search and can see that this topic sparks off almost > > >religious responses from some. I'm not looking for that! > > > > > >My question is specific. Here in Ireland, and I believe the UK, it is > > >illegal to drive with fog lamps on when visibility is greater than a > certain > > >distance (100 feet I think). I am looking for a source which definitively > > >says why. Does such a source exist? > > > > > >(Background: far away, on another group a debate is going on about fog > > >lights and their usage. I believe that they should be used in fog, > period, > > >but would like a little more than my opinion). > > > > > > John, I don't know about you, but people with front fogs on drives me > > up the wall! Anyway, personal preferences aside, as Martin pointed > > out, the Highway code states that bit about not using fogs other than > > when in poor conditions, however, there are two caveats to that - > > > > Firstly, despite being recently updated, the Highway code was > > originally written when cars simply didnt have front fogs, so they > > just sue the sweeping term "fog lights", and thus to get around this, > > most aftermarket manufacturers, and to be honest a not insignificant > > number of car manufacturers describe the front lights as "Driving > > Lamps" This seems to give a number of drivers the idea they are safe > > to use under normal night (or even day) time conditions. > > > > Secondly, there is an unusual (or not so depending on how cynical you > > are) loophole in UK law...... which is....... there isn't one! The > > Highway Code is officially seen as "Good Driving Practice", it is NOT > > law, or legislative in any way. However, in a court case, either party > > can use the Highway Code as a form of evidence, to prove or disprove > > poor driving - Thus lets say you drove into someone because you were > > blinded by their front fogs, they couldn't be prosecuted for "Driving > > with front fogs on", but the Highway code suggestions of only using > > them in poor conditions would be brought up by the prosecution in > > order to obtain a conviction of Dangerous Driving. > > > > IMHO, driving with fogs on is downright dangerous in clear conditions, > > and the real fools are those who driving with JUST sidelight and fogs, > > no dipped beam - if you look at the orientation of the light pattern, > > fogs tend to push light out to the sides of the car, not forwards, so > > those driving with side and fog lights cannot actually see as far down > > a road at night as someone driving with just dipped beam! > > > > It's a mad world isn't it? > > > > Hope that helps, feel free to shout at me if that didn't make sense! > > H. > > No, no urges to shout right now - but whenever I get into a discussion about > this (particularly when the opposition drags up the term "driving lights" I > do get annoyed. But at the same time, just because I say so doesn't mean I'm > right. What I'm *really* looking for is a study of some sort that points to > fog lights being a danger of sort when used incorrectly. Surely some car > manufacturer/safety body/government agency somewhere has looked at this? > > /John I've never noticed any problems with other cars having their front fog lights on. Furthermore, they do seem to provide added visibility even in non-foggy conditions. Far more of a problem, I'd say, are the high-intensity, bluish lights used on so many high-end cars or the lights used on SUVs, which are mounted so much higher that essentially they are on high beam all the time. Last night I was followed most of the way home by a BMW SUV that had high-intensity lights. Does anyone sell after-market rear smokescreen generators?
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