Switch off your lights !

[Rosie]

I am aware they are now illegal if there isn't any fog but I will continue to use them because the law in this case has failed to consider the alternative use of fog lights for people who are driving at night on rural roads.

I don't have a problem with responsible use of any lights anywhere, any time. The law is poorly written, and I'll go out on a limb and say it was quite likely written by a city dweller. I used my fogs a lot during the drought on drives to Canberra. The Federal Highway along Lake George is light coloured and at that time I'm not exagerating by saying there was evidence of roos getting hit every single km of that drive. You don't notice so much on black asphalt, but on that surface you can't miss it. The fogs throwing off to the side let me know what was there.

The RTA road Users Handbook says, "Front and rear fog lights must only be used in fog or rain, or when conditions such
as smoke and dust limit your vision. It is a legal requirement that once conditions improve and you can see more clearly, the front and rear fog lights are switched off."

It could be said, that the dark of night limits your vision, and logic says that it would be hard to argue against that, but there is another RTA rule against having any light fitted to your vehicle "dazzle" another driver, which is why highbeams must be fitted with a dipper switch, and not used 200m from oncoming traffic, nor 200m when following others. With the quality of high beams these days even 200m is too close. I was taught to dip my lights as soon as I knew there was uncoming traffic. Distance didn't come into it. Most rural drivers would do the same, which meant that when two cars approached a bend they would both be on low beam by the time they had a visual on each other.

If the pratts who use them ALL the time were targetted we wouldn't all be having to pay the price for those fools.

If they had a blitz one weekend in Sydney I reckon it'd fund putting an extra lane each way on the M5!

Its in the same category as putting the Chev badges on a Commodore.

Or "M" badges on a BMW 318i.

[Smead]

I gotta admit this annoyed me greatly when living in Sydney, and sadly it was mainly the V8 brigade and Jap racers who where responsible (All those older lancers with the Evo 6 bodykits) Dont notice it too much down here in Canberra. Will be interesting as Audi style DRLs (The LED ones) look set to become standard fitment on ALL cars sold in Australia...

[Blitzen]

I drive with my foggies on all the time... Small cars and roundabouts aren't the best combination when it comes to dead**** SUV drivers, especially in Canberra...
Yeah, I know that I am going to hear all the arguments from people with photo sensitive eyes, but if you have trouble looking at 55w globes, you probably shouldn't be outside in the sun, or you should wear sunglasses at night while driving into oncoming headlight.

[brimway]

There is a very good reason for the authorities banning fog lights ............ it is the nanny state mentality. Who knows what's next.

[Rosie]

I ......., but if you have trouble looking at 55w globes, you probably shouldn't be outside in the sun, or you should wear sunglasses at night while driving into oncoming headlight.

Well, thanks for the handy hints on solar protection, but you've just proven why you, and too many like you, shouldn't even have fog lights.

A headlight reflector is angled very differently to a fog light reflector. The bulbs are both 55W, but the intensity of the reflection is why one is compulsory at night, and the other illegal.

[Rosie]

There is a very good reason for the authorities banning fog lights ............ it is the nanny state mentality. Who knows what's next.

No one has banned fog lights. They were designed for a purpose, which is not to make wankers, who care not a jot about anyone else, think their car looks cool with them on when not needed for their designed purpose.

[Blitzen]

The main reason I drive with fog lights on is my failing eyesight due to wanking... This isn't too bad though, as I don't worry about those with photosensitive eyes flashing their headlights at me to turn my fog lights off... I care not a jot...

[brimway]

The purpose of fog lights is to provide illumination in foggy conditions, nothing ground breaking so far.

If they are “blinding” oncoming drivers, clearly they would be aimed as high as, or higher than the low beam headlights, thus would be completely ineffective in foggy conditions. This is why they are mounted as low as possible and are able to be turned on independently to the main beams.



My uncle is a transport inspector and tells me that the main reason for banning fog lights is due to the after market fitment of auxiliary lights that are mounted low but not aimed as a fog light would be. Also in the thinking was to eliminate the cases where some drivers replaced their factory 55w globes with higher wattage units.



Option 1 Ban after market auxiliary lights, not practicable. Interestingly the use of such lights, so long as they are fitted within the regulations and not branded as “fog lights” is not illegal


Option 2 Ban the use of fog lights.

As I said, we live in a nanny state / country . AFAIK these regs apply Australia wide.

[Transporter]

Option 3; defect every car which hasn't got the lights aligned. Make people responsible for their actions, including police.

[wai]

Fog lights are designed to have a wide flat beam. They are mounted low because fog is much less dense close to the ground and so you get less back glare. They are designed to illuminate under the fog with little if any back glare.

Unfortunately fog lights are not adjusted correctly and used when they should not. In the main, they are aimed to point upwards and because of this they can blind oncoming drivers.

People can be light sensitive because they have little or no pigment in the retina, but the point that seems to get forgotten is that they are FOG lights. You use them when there is fog. If car owners want additional lights, there is nothing stopping them from installing additional lights and meet the same requirements as normal lights.