Fog lights - rule change in Queensland...

[Getti]

I have never really understood why drivers like to use fog lights during the day time and whether they think it makes their car look "prettier"...

Anyway, I thought I would share the following for those drivers that seem to enjoy using them in all conditions:

"The state government introduction of new road rules is aimed at providing consistent legislation across all Australian states and territories.

The changes include banning the use of fog lights in clear weather and performing u-turns across single continuous centre lines. Other amendments target driving with unsecured passengers and outlawing wheeled recreational devices, such as skateboards, on the road after dark.

Several of the rule changes stemmed from a lack of specific legislation and are now punishable by fines and demerit points. In particular, the use of front fog lights in normal night driving conditions has been a source of complaint and had not previously been disallowed in the road rules"

[Maverick]

Fog lights have been illegal to use for a long time. They were covered under the law covering "auxiliary lights" in most states. The laws don't mean anything because there are no points lost, the penalty in tiny and the police won't enforce anything other than speeding offenses so the chances of the tossers with fog lights bring caught or changing their ways are minimal.

[gareth_oau]

I drive with mine on, Its mostly wank, but it does add some visibility to others during the day. In fact, Audi are now pushing their daytime driving LEDs and HSV recently copied them. Are people who drive new Audis all tossers, or maybe its just Audi themselves?

I asked a local constabulary why they are deemed to be illegal, and he stated that its because some people may have them adjusted badly and can dazzle oncoming traffic.

My question was, why not just book thiose that are badly adjusted?

All headlights can be badly adjusted, why dont we just ban all of them, just in case a few are wrong?

the argument isnt logical.

I know mine are well adjusted. i make the point of checking the coverage against a wall in front of me

[Blitzen]

That topic was covered a few weeks ago in General chat, but on the issue, I think its a load of wank anyway. I drive with them on regardless of what anyone else thinks. Come on, its only a 55w bulb, its hardly dazzling. I have it on for my own safety after being taken out at roundabouts before.

[mtj007]

Fog lights have been illegal to use for a long time. They were covered under the law covering "auxiliary lights" in most states. The laws don't mean anything because there are no points lost, the penalty in tiny and the police won't enforce anything other than speeding offenses so the chances of the tossers with fog lights bring caught or changing their ways are minimal.

It's 1 point and $100 in WA from memory, a friend's been done for them twice and cautioned once.

I think I've driven in fog and used my foglights once since I got my car a year ago, laws aside I don't really care if people use them or not, provided they're aimed properly and not dazzling (usually older WRXs/VY era Commodores) - it's their money and license.

[Greg Roles]

I only ever really find it a problem with Urban SUV's, where said foggies are up higher. Not really a problem on normal cars....but still too wanky for me.

[Maverick]

I drive with mine on, Its mostly wank, but it does add some visibility to others during the day. In fact, Audi are now pushing their daytime driving LEDs and HSV recently copied them. Are people who drive new Audis all tossers, or maybe its just Audi themselves?

Daytime running lights are legal and are being used for their intended use.

Foglights are illegal to operate except under very specific purposes and are not being use for their intended use.

Do you see the difference.

I asked a local constabulary why they are deemed to be illegal, and he stated that its because some people may have them adjusted badly and can dazzle oncoming traffic.

That's not the reason, foglights are for use in fog.

They sit low to the road and reflect off the road surface, they are illegal to operate all the time.

the argument isnt logical.

I know mine are well adjusted. i make the point of checking the coverage against a wall in front of me

Do you drive around with your rear fog light on as well? After all going by your justification it makes your car more visible? What about high beam?

The law is there for a reason, they're illegal to use except under very specific circumstances and it's a shame the police don't crack down on the inconsiderate drivers who get around with them on all the time.

Introducing a $300 / 3 point penalty for their use like they have for flashing your lights would be a good start, it'd be nice to not have every third or fourth car driving around with their foglights on.

http://www.fullyloaded.com.au/indust...eid/55429.aspx

"Rather than using them for their intended purpose, Nielsen says drivers leave them on in all weather conditions, blinding oncoming drivers.

“I’ve been driven off the road by fog lights,” Nielsen says.

The 57-year-old driver says he was blinded by the fog lights of an oncoming four-wheel-drive, which sent him careening off the road and caused $13,000 in damages to his trailer."

http://www.caradvice.com.au/3119/fog-light-fury/

"During total daylight, without even an ounce of darkness, you are likely to find no less that one in five people driving with their fog lights on – that’s according to my personal day-to-day tally. Unbeknown to the driver, their fog lights are pissing me – and quite a few other road users – right off. Is there any logic whatsoever in using your fog lights during the day, or even during the night when there is absolutely NO fog around? Absolutely not."

http://the-riotact.com/?p=7425

"If you have an extra set of factory installed white lights on the front of your car, separate to your headlights, that are not parking lights, then they are either fog lights or driving lights. If you have no idea which additional lights your car is equipped with, then follow this basic bit of advice; When driving amongst other traffic in clear conditions, day or night, you may not have either fog lights or driving lights on. Both types of lights are likely to dazzle other drivers and can prove a hazard to them and yourself if not used properly."

[Lukey13]

That's all a heap of absolute bull****.

I have a far bigger problem with people who don't drive with any lights on at twilight and even in the dark. In fact if everyone drove around with their fog lights or some other light all the time the roads would be somewhat safer in terms of visibility.

Whomever finds fog lights blinding should go back to their little dark room and shut up.

And yes, the police are never going to reinforce "misuse" of fog lights. Just to draw a parallel, you know those fabric shades that people put over their rear windows for the kids that have been so popular in recent years? Just about any car that already has some kind of window tinting as well as these is breaking the law of 35% light coming through. Now, who nows somebody who has been charged for this?

[STV4SYT]

Be Safe, Be Seen.

VW Foglights are not overly bright and do not dazzle as they are designed for a place that gets a lot of Fog, and hence have a low beam that cuts along the surface of the road. Aussie Designed cars on the other hand, they are there for wank factor, these are the ones that dazzle the most as technically they are driving lights.

I drive with my lights on and have noticed a marked difference in how much safer i am if i have my headlights on during the day, usually fogs on too.


rear is a different story, and why is it always a hyundai excel?

[Maverick]

Be Safe, Be Seen.

VW Foglights are not overly bright and do not dazzle as they are designed for a place that gets a lot of Fog, and hence have a low beam that cuts along the surface of the road.

So why are they illegal to use in the EU?

Why doesn't the EU mandate that fog lights be used instead of introducing DRL's if they don't blind or dazzle anyone?

Why do the majority of road users find them annoying and dangerous?

Aussie Designed cars on the other hand, they are there for wank factor, these are the ones that dazzle the most as technically they are driving lights.

They're either fog lights or they're not, you can't have a fog light that is technically a driving light.

I drive with my lights on and have noticed a marked difference in how much safer i am if i have my headlights on during the day, usually fogs on too.

How have you noticed this? There have been heaps of studies done on DRL's and they have found only a small increase in safety and it's mainly in darker countries. As for the use of foglights they found they made no difference and actually made it harder to judge how far away the car was as the light reflected off the road surface.

rear is a different story, and why is it always a hyundai excel?

So rear is a different story in your eyes but what if I find it safer to drive with it on? They're both illegal but you're saying that it's ok to break the front law because you feel safer and to hell with all the other road users. The law is there for a reason and it's in nearly every country. I find stopping at red lights dangerous as I've been rear ended before, perhaps it's ok for me to start driving through them? Where does it end if we start choosing what laws we will abide by because we know better?