Using 'Front Foglights' Illegal?
 

My standard headlights are so weak, I can't see anything without using both sets of front lights. I think that's common with scoobys? Mine's a '96.

I got stopped by the police today, for using 'front foglights'. Is this illegal? They told me to restrict use to conditions of poor visibilty.

Peter.

from the highway code

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/21.shtml#211 see rule 211

Yep it's a offence and you can be fined £40.

Dipster

The clue is in the name "Foglights" :rolleyes:

Have you tried changing the bulbs, or you could replace the standard units for HIDs.

Right - the front fogs are, oddly enough, for use in fog only. And, that means fog that seriously reduces visibility:

http://www.cawte.nildram.co.uk/fog.jpg

The fog lights have a wide beam that can dazzle other drivers without actually helping you see much. They're really there as much to make you more visible to others than to help you see where you're going. If you have a problem with the standard headlights you could try uprated bulbs - lots of people do upgrade them with good results.

ps. I ditched them for PIAA driving lights - much better!

Anyone who uses FOG lights in good visibility can sign up with the BMW and VOLVO forums, twats! :mad:

I find Scoobs are some of the worst offenders if I'm honest :( The **** in the blue classic Scoob who blinded me last week in the high street of Caterham-on-the-Hill needs shooting. I say it was blue, but I couldn't SEE. Ahhhhh Sorry, you may have realised that this is one of my pet hates of modern motoring.

Personally I think they should be banned. Their effectiveness in fog (on any car) is highly questionable. I've yet to own a car where fogs make a significant difference. Driving lights are much more useful.

Chris

Nothing more irritating that being behind a Phord, or Poxhall, who have them on permanently. You never see, or hear of one of those being pulled for the same offence.

Paul

Driving Lights and Headlamps (on main beam) are horrendous in fog. All that happens is the majority of light is reflected back and you can't see sh!t.

Fog lamps are called that for a reason Wildman. It's not the worst criminal offence I can think of, but you should get a spot fine if caught and police should do more to clamp down on it.

The worst is people driving through built-up areas with sidelights and fogs and no dipped beam. That must be the stupidist thing going.

If you want better visibility, I'd suggest you look at the headlight wiring and see if there's a noticeable drop in voltage. A simple (and cheap) wiring upgrade may give you back proper vision. if you need more, then I'd recommend some Morettes and driving lamps. If you need better still, then HID is the way to go but they are megabucks.

Stefan

Rule 108.

Page 27.

Heading Subaru exemptions.

Reads........All Impreza's must have thier " Driving lights ON at all times. "

This can be combined with side lights at the driver discression.

I fankyou.

Oh, and blue neon washerjets are a MUST aswel.

LOL I will look out for them in Southport mate:D

Upgrade you bulbs mate.

Yeah upgrade your bulbs, either use uprated legal ones or go for the non-legal high wattage varients

I run standard no thrills 90/130's (none of this plasma xenon wotsit things ;) ) and never had any problems with regards to other motorists (once I sorted out that the RH headlamp being set too high :o ). And no problems with reflectors and wiring, although I would guess they could be made brighter if I re-wired them using heavy duty cable and relays.

As a note, Bulbs do lose some of their brigtness through age and tend to give a more yellowish beam. If your MY96 is still on the originals then they could be past their prime in terms of brightness.

306s are buggerz for it too? Worst offenders in my book. And the odd scoob is usually guilty :)

Oh, and blue neon washerjets are a MUST aswel.

Saw many of these when I was around Liverpool. Just goes to show how tasteless the place is :D

I thought that it was legal to use them as driving lights if they only came on with full headlight beam but not with dipped headlights.

Les

Well if they come on with full beam, then they are driving lights! There is no point in using foglamps in this way as the beam pattern is wrong! The problem with fog is that the light beam reflects back off the water droplets that make up the fog. The correct way to use fog lamps in bad conditions is to switch off your dip beam and turn on the fog lamps (not to use the dip beam in conjunction with the foglights - the point is to lower the light, so it doesn't reflect back at you at eye level) - so few people actually do this (or even know that it is correct thing to do), that it just goes to prove that for most of the time they are utterly useless!

Chris

And anyone who thinks that the beam from std foglightds "helps" under normal circumstances wants to start looking down the road a little bit. They beam pattern (intentionally) as ChrisL says above is very low and has very very little reach.

if you really drive looking at the road 15 ft in front of you. god help us all

Deano

foglights on in normal conditions is the reserve of chavs and neds. which are you? :p ;)

Fog lights should be an upgrade and should be preceded by an IQ test! i.e. if you fail the IQ test you don't get them.

Then make fog lights mandatory, that would reduce the number of idiots on the roads.

Or maybe they should just introduce an IQ test as part of the normal driving test!

Windy corner, TT course, Isle of Man if I'm not mistaken ... slogged up there many a time. Ah the joys of Mad Sunday when the road is one way and you hit 'no speed limit' bliss, mind you the bikes still spank you seven ways from Sunday but it's fun ;)

Things that p*ss me off when driving:
1) People with fog lights on (front/rear) when no fog
2) Same as above + rain ... is that a brake light I see before me?? arrggh!!
3) Middle/Fast lane cruisers ... use the other lanes!!
4) People who don't indicate but change lane using 'the force'
5) Gimps using full beam on the motorway happily blinding everyone around them
6) Scoob owners not waving. Worst offenders: middle-aged estate drivers, I know you're over 30 and life seems pointless but hey, wave ... or go fly a kite :D

LOL at Mikkk

I've given up waving at wagons.. 9 out of 10 round here have tunnel vision.

The only guys I see that flash (not their fogs) or wave are classic 4 doors.

Even the new age ignore me.... and I'm driving one!!

TBH although illegal, the front fog lights don't actually bother me too much. The one that is really painful on the eyes is the rear fog :mad:

Still, I can't use mine - got foglight covers :D In the fog, I get wifey to get out and wave a big flame torch!! :D

Dan

You're not mistaken! Taken on the SIDC's visit to the Island last year. It gets very foggy up that mountain!

I agree with ScoobyDoo555, front fogs are generally a useful warning that the driver is a ****, but they don't actually do much harm on their own. Rear fogs in heavy rain are a different story, though.

O.K. Reckon I'll upgrade the bulbs.

I admit that I used mine this evening because it was a tad misty (but not really foggy) and because my front left main packed up. It helped a bit but will fit a new bulb in the morning. I put in the Phillips uprated bulbs on which made a big difference, change your bulbs, it's not that expensive!

:-)

Mike

Also a pet hate of mine, it should be clamped down on.
There should also be a three strikes rule on foglights in the wrong conditions, if some plank is pulled for it three times, they should be sent down the hospital to wait for the next OAP having their cataract operation and then have them inserted, show the muppets what restricted visibilty real is.
Harsh but fair!