Fog Lights!

AlbacoreA said:
Front fog lights are meant to aimed low under the fog and to the side to light the road and kerb side, road markings. They are not intended to be aimed into the fog as it just reflects bright lights.

If they are angled upwards at incoming drivers they are set wrong.
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Set correctly or not it's still pig ignorant to have them on when they are not required or when in traffic.
 
I dunno how they "dazzle". On the cars that have had them I mostly never used them as the beam didn't light anything other than the side verges or very short in front. Mostly useless. They are set low in the bumper for that reason. They were never super bright. I'd say they aren't even that useful in normal fog. Only in extremely heavy fog have I found them useful. Or snow.

I say most people don't know where they are because they try them in normal conditions and can't see what they are doing.

Perhaps on new cars with led or xenon they are super powerful or something. I not driven anything like that. Maybe they are set up as pseudo spot lights. But that's a different thing entirely.

Rear light is super bright. But it's purpose is entirely different.

Open to correction. I'm no expert.
 
AlbacoreA said:
I dunno how they "dazzle". On the cars that have had them I mostly never used them as the beam didn't light anything other than the side verges or very short in front. Mostly useless. They are set low in the bumper for that reason. They were never super bright. I'd say they aren't even that useful in normal fog. Only in extremely heavy fog have I found them useful. Or snow.

I say most people don't know where they are because they try them in normal conditions and can't see what they are doing.

Perhaps on new cars with led or xenon they are super powerful or something. I not driven anything like that. Maybe they are set up as pseudo spot lights. But that's a different thing entirely.

Rear light is super bright. But it's purpose is entirely different.

Open to correction. I'm no expert.
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The front fog lights I'm thinking about are the ones set low in the bumper.

Full beam headlights shining towards other drivers, dazzling for sure. But fog lights?

I'm struggling to figure out how they could dazzle, perhaps someone could expand on that.
 
Are we confusing fog lights with driving lights??
Fog lights are normally yellow in colour and set low in the bumper and only illuminate a small area to the front of the car and tend not to be as bright a light as to dazzle on coming traffic I've found them more to be seen with rather then to see with
Driving lights or what used to be called spot lights again can be positioned low in the bumper but light up a much further section of the road ahead similar to dipped head lights and can if not properly adjusted dazzle on coming traffic like badly adjusted headlight
At least that's my understanding of the differences between the two
 
AlbacoreA said:
On the cars that have had them I mostly never used them as the beam didn't light anything other than the side verges or very short in front. Mostly useless. They are set low in the bumper for that reason. They were never super bright. I'd say they aren't even that useful in normal fog. Only in extremely heavy fog have I found them useful. Or snow.
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I agree that they are only useful in heavy fog or snow. But that doesn't mean they can't dazzle or distract other road users. Outside of heavy fog/snow dipped headlights are the job.

Some drivers seem to think that a slight bit of fog means Christmas has come and they can light up all their shiny toys and play with them.
 
Always thought front fog lights were white and rear ones red !

I Also always thought rear fog lights were brighter to be more visible in foggy conditions otherwise why would you need them over and above the other lights on the car.? I find rear fog lights very blinding in other cars when left on when there's no fog.
 
ClubMan said:
They're white on very many vehicles, including my own.
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Yes I'd reckon you are correct there, and thinking about it now it's probably why more people are dazzled by modern front fog lights in white compared to the older yellow ones
 
I suspect many have spot lights not true fog lights. A fog light that aims up would be pointless.

Many modern Led lights are just too bright as a sweeping generalization.
 
AlbacoreA said:
I suspect many have spot lights not true fog lights. A fog light that aims up would be pointless.

Many modern Led lights are just too bright as a sweeping generalization.
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To be honest, some dipped headlights seem far too bright to me. I've often cursed drivers who seem to have their high beams on causing me to be dazzled, only to realise that they only have their dipped lights on! And I'm not talking about boy/girl racers who have fitted custom bright bulbs or anything. :confused:
 
ClubMan said:
To be honest, some dipped headlights seem far too bright to me. I've often cursed drivers who seem to have their high beams on causing me to be dazzled, only to realise that they only have their dipped lights on! And I'm not talking about boy/girl racers who have fitted custom bright bulbs or anything. :confused:
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That just means they have fat kids, weighing down the back of the car. :)
 
Purple said:
Set correctly or not it's still pig ignorant to have them on when they are not required or when in traffic.
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Exactly it's a huge problem meeting these cars with a huge wall of light coming at you, the danger is that if someone is walking on the road you won't see them when dazzled by these lights
 
I turn mine on a good bit when driving at night just for a bit more light on country roads.
But I turn them off most of the time if I meet an oncoming car.
 
My trusty Toyota has no front lights designated as fog lights.
There are ;
1. Side lights only.
2. Dipped headlights with side lights.
3. High or full beam with sidelights.

There is a separate red fog light at the rear. It is much brighter than the orinary red running lights. You cannot turn on the red fog light unless you have dipped headlights on - it is just wired that way.

I usually check the fog and other lights when reversing in to park where there is a shop window to show me what is showing.

Do NCT check the rear red fog light ?
 
DirectDevil said:
My trusty Toyota has no front lights designated as fog lights.
There are ;
1. Side lights only.
2. Dipped headlights with side lights.
3. High or full beam with sidelights.

There is a separate red fog light at the rear. It is much brighter than the orinary red running lights. You cannot turn on the red fog light unless you have dipped headlights on - it is just wired that way.

I usually check the fog and other lights when reversing in to park where there is a shop window to show me what is showing.

Do NCT check the rear red fog light ?
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Although it wasn't a requirement to have fog lights, if the fog light is there, they will check. Not sure if they are required on newer models.
I have front fog lights and a rear one. They can't be left on permanently. When the car is switched off, they go off. When the car is switched on again, you'd have to turn them on again.
 
NCT FAQ on Fog Lights

Front fog lights are not mandatory, but some vehicles may have them fitted. All new cars since 1998 are required to be fitted with rear fog lights.

It is not mandatory for fog lights to be fitted to vehicles however where fitted they must work otherwise the vehicle will fail its roadworthiness test.

It is illegal to make changes to a vehicle which may increase the danger liable to be caused thereby the removal of a fog light could be construed as such and therefore illegal to remove.

Fog lights

The use of fog lights and requirements for various vehicle types.
www.rsa.ie www.rsa.ie
 
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