Thread: Let's have a general discussion on fog lights

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

Just heard on the radio, the police here are targeting incorrect use of fog lights. They're dazzling other drivers, apparently.

So, when they pull me over, "Nah, mate, they're daytime running lamps."

So, what is the difference? I thought fog lights weren't meant to be dazzling bright. I know people who drive with their fog lights on all the time. "I want to see and be seen." they say.

What is your opinion?

Fog lights to work in fog have to be a dull or yellow light to penetrate.

In WA it’s actually illegal to drive with fog lights on with another light exceeding 7 watts, so fog lights and parkers only, or headlights, but not both.

Fogs can only be used in conditions of reduced visibility, that’s the bit not described as to what’s considered reduced visibility.

The difference between daytime running lights is that factory fitted Drls either dim when lights are turned on, or go out completely, the light dispersion is totally scattered, and whilst appearing bright, actually don’t put out that many lumens (measure of light). Fog lights on the other hand are generally 55watts and are are low flat beam designed to bounce off the wet road, then reflect of the layer of fog back down to the road in a continual zig zag effect, hence only to be used in fog....speed is restricted as it should be if fog is that thick for fog lights to work as they are actually designed to operate.

Foglights should only illuminate a few meters in front and side of the car in non fog conditions, being a very spread beam design. If they don’t, and shine we’ll up the road, then they are wrongly adjusted....or wrongly designed regardless of oem or aftermarket hype.

There are 2 issues as I see it.

1. Fog lights adjusted down where they should be will NOT affect oncoming traffic at all.
2. People swap fog lights out for driving lights , especially in bull bars then leave the switching as per fog lights.

All the police need to do is hold their clipboard over the light to check the pattern.
The fuss re "proper" fog lights is misled and wrongly reported.

Bazzle

Originally Posted by Greggy

But the point is that fog light are NOT driving lights - they are considerably lower powered than low beam and not aimed up into the sky, so what's the problem?

Surely you jest? Not many cars have properly aligned fog lights, then there are undulating roads and even a properly adjusted fog light gets into your eyes. Also, most fog lights are 55W just like low beam, so not weaker or more yellow. DRL's on the other hand should spread light more widely and most importantly be shut off when the main beams are energised. What makes you slightly more visible in broad daylight just makes you look like a dipstick at night.

Originally Posted by bee utey

Surely you jest? Not many cars have properly aligned fog lights, then there are undulating roads and even a properly adjusted fog light gets into your eyes. Also, most fog lights are 55W just like low beam, so not weaker or more yellow. DRL's on the other hand should spread light more widely and most importantly be shut off when the main beams are energised. What makes you slightly more visible in broad daylight just makes you look like a dipstick at night.

I grew up in fog area Melbourne in the 60's. Fog lights were all yellow or you put yellow filters over your ordinary lights. Bright lights are useless. Recently, driving to work out west from the coast to desert over the alps I had to cope with heaps of fog mixed with kangaroos,wombats and horses. You go slow with as little light as possible as bright light just reflects back at you.

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

Just heard on the radio, the police here are targeting incorrect use of fog lights. They're dazzling other drivers, apparently.

So, when they pull me over, "Nah, mate, they're daytime running lamps."

So, what is the difference? I thought fog lights weren't meant to be dazzling bright. I know people who drive with their fog lights on all the time. "I want to see and be seen." they say.

What is your opinion?

ADR 13/00 states that Low beam is 1-1.5 Degrees below horizontal and fog lights are set 2 Degrees below horizontal. So if they are good quality fog light "dazzling" is a word used to describe the bill not the lights.
The law is the law and for all the good it does and the aggravation it causes, there are people out there that continue to buy really crap products
and blind other drivers. Hence the "blitz".

I don't think that drivers that pay for the right gear should be penalised however the laws like to make blanket statements.
We are stuck with that until there is another system.

Fog lights can only be used in FOG or inclement weather.

Originally Posted by ************

ADR 13/00 states that Low beam is 1-1.5 Degrees below horizontal and fog lights are set 2 Degrees below horizontal. So if they are good quality fog light "dazzling" is a word used to describe the bill not the lights.
The law is the law and for all the good it does and the aggravation it causes, there are people out there that continue to buy really crap products
and blind other drivers. Hence the "blitz".

I don't think that drivers that pay for the right gear should be penalised however the laws like to make blanket statements.
We are stuck with that until there is another system.

Fog lights can only be used in FOG or inclement weather.

That's it fog lights are for fog. Bright lights are for wildlife detection. Go the police,book everyone who breaks the law!!

Originally Posted by bazzle

There are 2 issues as I see it.

1. Fog lights adjusted down where they should be will NOT affect oncoming traffic at all.
2. People swap fog lights out for driving lights , especially in bull bars then leave the switching as per fog lights.

All the police need to do is hold their clipboard over the light to check the pattern.
The fuss re "proper" fog lights is misled and wrongly reported.

Bazzle

There's another way, I call it the Sun Visor Meter. Checking the traffic behind is easy. Drop the visor as low as is safe...and note the quality of the shadow's edge from your head - lit up by the vehicle behind. If it's a soft, fuzzy outline, then the alignment, be it headlights or fogs, is acceptable.
But if the shadow is sharply defined and 'doubled', that is, one from each of his lamps, then this is 101% proof of mis-alignment, as there are 'Direct' light rays coming from the source, UPwards through your rear window, to your visor but being obstructed by your noggin. Gotcha!

It is possible to use a lower wattage lamp in your fogs, I recently came across a low-power globe in a locally compliant Jap car. Headlamp assembly had the aiming-angle and various bulb specs moulded into the plastic, this one being 'H3 / 35W'
It was. - Still ok, and the first one I'd come across.
Even with correctly aimed fogs / low-beam headlamps, in wet conditions the road surface becomes a mirror, reflecting the (correct) light back upwards... into oncoming traffic. Back to Square One. Best to leave the OEM 'glow-worm / 35W ones in factory-fitted luminaires...

Which raises another 'minor detail'.... Longevity. 100W halogen globes have a limited life, especially the 'Rally' standard of times past... 100W @ 12v The '13.2v' ones are better, and I used to have '14-point-somethings' in my Cibies, and Never had a blown globe.
If the OEM / car maker can source 35W bulbs, they've done so for a reason. Replacing them with unreliable 100W leaves you wide open to being BOOKED for defective lighting.... Oh, sorry, that depends on the frontline Coppers knowing their job... being motivated to DO it..having the support & direction from On High... so it comes back to Top Brass doing their well-paid job, Properly.

And that ain't gunna happen unless Joseph P Public tells the Coppers, - and their Masters, what is required...

my '2 lumens' worth...