Legality for LED front fogs

[Hillbilly]

Not sure if this is applicable to MK4 Bora, but you could fit LEDs to a MKV GTI fogs and code them to act as DRLs. Legality, not sure. A QT inspector told me that the main reason for making the use of fogs illegal was due to people fitting high wattage globes to their foglights. Also, some cars eg certain Jeep models, are fitted with twin rear fogs which are as bright as brake lights - very annoying following one at night.

Agree about the rears Mitsubishi Pajeros I think have them and it looks like they have their brake lights on all the time

Most distracting. Just cos the switch is there they have to use it without thinking of the consequences.

Almost as bad as those who never check their brake lights and havent got any. Have nearly had a few prangs when they bang them on and no lights come on.

[Manaz]

I think you are confusing fogs with Daylight Running lights.

I have never seen HID with fogs built into them. DRL yes.

Mk4 factory HIDs have this setup.

Maybe some do but I havent noticed them as havent seen any fog in 10 years so no need for them to be on.

It is not illegal to have lights in the lower grille but it IS illegal to use them contrary to the regulations.

EG FOGS are only allowed in diminished light, extreme rain and foggy conditions.

They are not to be used as " LOOK AT ME" lights which 99.9% use them for and for which they serve absolutely no purpose.

Fog lights in the past when they were really FOG lights had a YELLOW light.

The reason is that white light gets reflected back off fog and you cant see at all especially if you try full beams.

Yellow light cuts through the fog far better but doesnt look as good when used as W**ker lights

Nowadays they stuff anything in usually white more for looks than usefulness and call them fog lights.

All they seem to do, because they are poorly focused is annoy oncoming drivers.

The lights you say you see on the cop cars are often classed as "other lights" (Not drivng lights which are different again ) by manufacturers to get around the Fog problem.

The Passat has similar but are low wattage and dont annoy oncoming drivers like those in Falcons and Commodores

One poster on another forum wanted to light up the area behind his headlight beams and just in front of the car. WHY!!!!!

This is actually what properly aimed foglights do. The idea is that the light bounces up off the road and NOT back into your eyes.

If he didnt see it with the headlights would be too late afterwards. Cant believe some of them.

Leighaus's post says it pretty well and there was a thread on here recently that quoted the regulation regarding colour temp and luminosity as well

HAve a read of this for a start Headlights | Motoring | RACQ
and this
Fog & driving lights : VicRoads

On balance, I totally agree with the sentiment you're promoting here - illegal lighting configurations are illegal for what are generally good reasons. Yes, it's possible to produce decent light in a way that doesn't meet the ADRs or legal requirements, but I'd be surprised if anyone on this forum was actually qualified to legitimately make this claim, and thus the onus really needs to be on compliance with legal requirements.

[Hillbilly]

Mk4 factory HIDs have this setup.

One poster on another forum wanted to light up the area behind his headlight beams and just in front of the car. WHY!!!!!

This is actually what properly aimed foglights do. The idea is that the light bounces up off the road and NOT back into your eyes.



.

Correct but this guy wanted his fogs and heads on all at once as he complained about not seeing the dark bit behind them.

Cant fathom the reasoning there at all.

Yes yellow fogs were almost always mounted down low on bumpers so as they didnt reflect back at you.

The color of the light was absorbed more by the fog as well whereas white just bounces.

Doesnt matter how much you turn on, the drivers coming toward you wont see you any earlier.

Saw a thread on here from earlier where a poster was bragging about going up some cutting in a fog with everything including driving lights on.

Should be in a mental asylum.

I lived In Christchurch for a winter and the fog was so thick in the morning I had to ride the bike up the white line going to work in the dark.

Was interesting when a like minded guy was coming the other way Only just had time to duck out of the way LOL

[Hillbilly]

Read this thread from last year It explains the rules and reasons perfectly

Should be a sticky if its not already

Why you can't LEGALLY retrofit HID lights to your non HID car....

All quite plain and simple but not agreed with by the majority.

[Manaz]

Read this thread from last year It explains the rules and reasons perfectly

Should be a sticky if its not already

Why you can't LEGALLY retrofit HID lights to your non HID car....

All quite plain and simple but not agreed with by the majority.

Already a sticky - and for very good reason.

[Hillbilly]

Already a sticky - and for very good reason.

Sorry only found it going back through my posts

[Golf-Sam]

dont mean to hijack the thread .. but what about LED DRLS ? i've been contemplating getting some Philips ones .. they go for a good dollar .. but look OEM .. any input ?

Sam

[Wighty654]

Yeah I apologise guys, I meant drls. I'm not doing this as a looks thing purely, the HID lights I have fitted have been properly aligned and I've got people to drive my car while I drive another car (quite a low car) in the opposite direction and they don't blind. The only time I would blind any other driver is when going over the crest of a hill when all lights would blind someone. I would do the same with the bumper lights, make sure they aren't to bright and dont point to high. If they did I'd remove them. Sorry if this annoys any of you.

[Hillbilly]

Yeah I apologise guys, I meant drls. I'm not doing this as a looks thing purely, the HID lights I have fitted have been properly aligned and I've got people to drive my car while I drive another car (quite a low car) in the opposite direction and they don't blind. The only time I would blind any other driver is when going over the crest of a hill when all lights would blind someone. I would do the same with the bumper lights, make sure they aren't to bright and dont point to high. If they did I'd remove them. Sorry if this annoys any of you.

HMMMMMM As newer Golfs, Polos and Passats have LED DAYLIGHT RUNNING LIGHTS there should be no problem

Would pay to read that stickie as there was something in there about DRL's having to turn off or dim when on dip or something

The Passat ones seem to dim to half bright when headlights come on

What happens with your headlights when on a Saturday night you get some friends in the back and the angle changes.

Still OK???? Thats why they have to have levellers.


End of my rant about them

[Wighty654]

If I ever actually had people in the back I would be concerned but since in Victoria I'm not allowed to carry more than one passenger between 16-25. Also, surprisingly, I did consider this and sat a few people in the back and also the boot to simulate a full load and adjusted for that. Thanks for heads up about LED DRL's in the HID sticky. Ill have a look. I assumed it was just for HID headlights.