Different colored tail lights

[El Rey]

I asked elsewhere, but asking again in own thread.

Why do Defenders have a clear and a red tail light like this:
http://images.cdn.autocar.co.uk/sites/autocar.co.uk/files/styles/gallery_slide/public/land-rover-defender-rear.jpg?itok=6R_YoRlJ

A google search for 15 minutes doesn't bring up any answers - sorry if it's something that is obvious to everyone else.

[SeanMurr123]

Reverse light and fog light.

[El Rey]

Reverse light and fog light.

Thanks for the reply. Again I googled this but didn't see any clear explanation. Does fog light mean a light for reversing in fog?
Beginning to feel like an idiot...

[Xtreme]

Red fog light on rear of Defender is brighter than your normal tail lights as a warning to following vehicles. It is not a fog light for reversing. Has seperate switch to reversing lights and only works when headlights are on.

[alien]

I believe it's something that is inherited from the regulations that applied in the country of manufacture.
I found a page referring to the MOT tests that are required in the UK.
UK MOT Information, Rear Foglights (http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_130.htm)
They do get bad fogs over there so I can see why they are required.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/driving-in-adverse-weather-conditions-226-to-237#rule226

I personally think it's not required(I have not check the regulations) in Australia and is safer being a reverse light.
I've wired mine to the reverse wire at the trailer loom connector and put a clear lens on.
It's also lost the dash switch as I've used the position for other things, Joe average would not know it's ever had a fog lamp:angel:




Search...https://www.google.com.au/search?client=safari&channel=iphone_bm&site=&source=hp&ei=kGEBV6GBBuTImwWu5LaACg&q=fog+light+regulations+uk&oq=fog+light+regulatin&gs_l=mobile-gws-hp.1.1.0i13l2.3204.11828.0.21537.20.20.0.11.11.0.3 69.5554.2-13j7.20.0....0...1c.1.64.mobile-gws-hp..1.19.2434.3.KX9Er-rcERA

[Xtreme]

Agreed ^^^ & have done similar re the conversion to double reversing lights.

[YOLO110]

The large red rear fog light is used in the UK when visibility is reduced in fog. It's a legal requirement to turn this light on when the visibility falls below 100m and off again when the visibility improves.

They really do make it a lot easier to see a vehicle ahead on the roads in fog. Having the one light only makes it possible to differentiate the light from brake lights.

Much better IMHO than using the amber hazard lights (all 4 indicator lights) as they do in NSW. Having these flashing when driving makes it impossible to then determine if a vehicle is wanting to tun left or right or changing lanes.

[p38arover]

Why would anyone use 4-way flashers in fog when every modern car has a rear fog light? Even my old '86 Rangie had them. (I wired mine up through a relay so they could act as extra brake lights or rear fogs.)

It often seems that many people don't know what it is and drive with it on all the time (Rangies have two lights and I assume Discos also have two).

[JDNSW]

I think you are right - most of people don't know what it is, and this thread shows that.

It is a largely a function of where you live, and most Australians live where bad fog is rare. I have been driving in Australia (over large parts of the country) for almost sixty years, and over those years have mostly done close to twice the average annual mileage. In all that driving, I have probably been in bad fog less than twenty times. Certainly there will be those who can say that they see it regularly, but they live in relatively small patches of the country, not where most of us live. Same reason front fog lights have been rare on Australian cars until imported cars became common - and even then in many cases the fog lights were deleted for Australian spec.

John

[El Rey]

Thanks very much to all for the explanations and information. I'm out of the fog at last.

It was something I'd never heard of before.

[JDNSW]

Thanks very much to all for the explanations and information. I'm out of the fog at last.

It was something I'd never heard of before.

Like most Australians. It was certainly something that puzzled me when they first started to appear as imported European cars became more common in perhaps the 1980s - I can't remember when I noticed them.

John

[El Rey]

Like most Australians. It was certainly something that puzzled me when they first started to appear as imported European cars became more common in perhaps the 1980s - I can't remember when I noticed them.
John

I feel a bit less idiotic - thanks.

[Plutei]

I find this thread very interesting as I don't remember ever not knowing what they were, though perhaps it's because my parents are European and I am of a younger generation. It makes me wonder what bits of common knowledge I'm missing (no doubt a substantial amount is regarding defenders)...
And there's nothing wrong with learning something for the first time (http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/ten_thousand.png)

I've driven in dense fog a few times and have appreciated just how effective rear fog lights are in clearly seeing other cars ahead of you, though my appreciation of their use is outweighed by my hatred of those who drive around with front fogs on permanently. Usually they're little more than a nuisance, but when you're on a dark country road and the opposing car dips their hi-beam you're still left with a pair of glaring fog-lights which, because they are less focussed, often appear brighter than the low-beam headlights more than doubling the amount of light shining at you. And for what? Fogs are useless for long distance lighting and in my opinion are in fact detrimental as they illuminate the ground 1-3m in front of the car making the road ahead relatively darker. :censored:

[Larry]

I've changed the fog to a reversing light on my previous 110 & current 90.
Although I have not yet needed to use it, I relocated the fog to the hole in the rear cross member of the 90 so if I do want it, it's only the push of a button away. :angel:

[p38arover]

I find this thread very interesting as I don't remember ever not knowing what they were, though perhaps it's because my parents are European and I am of a younger generation.

I read my car's owner's handbook when I got my RRC and found out what the switches did and what the lights on the dashboard were for. And I'm probably of your parent's age (but not European).

From the number of cars driving around with the rear fog light on, it's apparent that many drivers don't read the handbook.

[El Rey]

I read my car's owner's handbook when I got my RRC and found out what the switches did and what the lights on the dashboard were for. And I'm probably of your parent's age (but not European).

From the number of cars driving around with the rear fog light on, it's apparent that many drivers don't read the handbook.

Guilty - as in I looked through it and read parts, but not all of it.

[filcar]

Guilty - as in I looked through it and read parts, but not all of it.
LOL why rtfm when you have AULRO?

[p38arover]

LOL why rtfm when you have AULRO?

That is why I sometimes ignore questions on AULRO where the poster obviously hasn't read the manual.

[Plutei]

I read my car's owner's handbook when I got my RRC and found out what the switches did and what the lights on the dashboard were for. And I'm probably of your parent's age (but not European).

I was more trying to say that I was surprised that people didn't know this as everyone I have ever encountered has, which I might attribute to growing up with fog lights on cars and having parents who learned to drive in Europe.


From the number of cars driving around with the rear fog light on, it's apparent that many drivers don't read the handbook.

Also, fog lights come up in L Tests these days which probably wasn't the case 20+ years ago. I also think there's plenty who turn rear fogs on to 'make the car more visible' even though it's midday and they're driving a bright red SUV. Or those who think the front fogs look cool (I'm looking at you Subaru drivers).

[tact]

I asked elsewhere, but asking again in own thread.

Why do Defenders have a clear and a red tail light like this:
http://images.cdn.autocar.co.uk/sites/autocar.co.uk/files/styles/gallery_slide/public/land-rover-defender-rear.jpg?itok=6R_YoRlJ

A google search for 15 minutes doesn't bring up any answers - sorry if it's something that is obvious to everyone else.

Most modern EU vehicles have this. I have noticed it on new VW beetles, BMW, Audi et al. My 2007 smart fortwo had this arrangement.

[El Rey]

The weird thing (for me) was that when I was trying to figure this out I looked at various pictures of late model Discoveries and Range Rovers and the rear lights all looked like they had uniform colors - at least when not turned on.

[p38arover]

Or those who think the front fogs look cool (I'm looking at you Subaru drivers).

Oi! We have a Subaru Forester with front foglights (never used).

[Plutei]

Oi! We have a Subaru Forester with front foglights (never used).

Haha, I probably should have said "those who think that driving around town with fog lights blazing looks cool".

[noyakfat]

Based on advice I got on another thread, and backed up by reading this one, I am planning to get another clear lens and have my fog lamp converted to a second reversing light. I will then hope to have the fog light switch re-wired to control my new driving lights.

Gotta love AULRO for good practical solutions :D

[gromit]

The biggest problem with the high visibility rear foglights is the people who put them on when it's raining or just leave them on because they don't understand what they are for. Anyone driving behind gets dazzled and, as mentioned, it's sometimes harder to spot when the brake lights come on.
I see people with them on regularly around Melbourne.

I remember driving a Volvo in the UK (no I didn't wear a pork pie hat) in the fog and I noticed that if you put the headlights on full beam the rear fog lights went off. Anyone who has driven in dense fog will know that on full beam most of the light gets reflected back at you so if they can be on full beam it can't be foggy.

Not sure of the legality of them in Australia, I believe front foglights can get you a ticket if they are used when it's not foggy.

I remember back in the UK someone commenting that in Norfolk drivers turned them on late Autumn and back off again in Spring......



Colin

[noyakfat]

Dropped my 110 into the auto-sparky yesterday at sparrows, so he could exchange the fog lamp for a reversing lamp and re-wire accordingly.

He called to say that side of the work is complete, but he was apparently having a devil of a time hooking up the driving lights as he was struggling to find a suitable route for the wiring. Anyway, once I get it back I'll post some pics to the Member's Rides forum.

Cheers,

[kelvo]

It was law that all cars registered in the UK on or after 1st April 1980 (No joke ;) ) had to have a rear fog light fitted.

As time went on car manufacturers started incorporating twin fog lights, the was initially on the more prestigious models which filtered down to the normal car. If a signal rear fog light is fitted it has to be fitted centre or drivers side at the rear. They must also be at least 100mm from any brake light.