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[Monster-Mat]

Fog lights on the front dont dazzle......there projected in a way the light will be directed onto the road

whereas driving lights,on the front will dazzle because the beam pattern is spread in every direction ,including upwards.

it is actually legal to drive your car at night on side lights only.........in a built up area where the lampposts are closer than 30ft.........

:info:

[ricky_is200]

I'm sure driving with side lights isn't illegal but driving with fog lights on in clear conditions is!

I personally do find a number of cars fog lights dazzling, some are fine but many on a dark empty road many can be dazzling.

[GCHQAgent]

Originally posted by Matthew_McNally

Thats was I was trying to get at with my (probably too long) post.

When are we going to see a clampdown on simply bad driving?

There is an article in the Sunday Mirror today (and I believe a tv program) about bad drivers.

Women who admits she can't drive, passing her test was a fluke, can't reverse, driving straddling two lanes etc. Scared the ***** out of the examiner and reporter in the car with her.

This is in a national newspaper, and not a mention about maybe getting her off the road!:flaming:

Yea its really bad... I was driving along the M40 yesterday into London and this young woman (quite nice I might add) was blocking the inner lane of a 3 lane motorway and periodically she kept tapping her brakes... VERY annoying!

While I've seen many women do silly things I've seen many men do silly things too... but after speaking with a few girls who drive we've concluded that women in general have a worse sense of spatial awareness than men. I wouldn't be surprised if in a years time a report comes out outlining that young women have fewer accidents because they drive slower, and that they drive slower because they need to pay more attention than males. Whereas males just think they're good and they take more risks, causing more accidents.

Its also worthwhile noting that all the talk about women being safer drivers only applies to women under 40 years of age, after that age their accident is the same as males of the equivalent age group.

Please don't take anything I've said as a sexist remark, you must remember that in the world of insurance everything is based on statistics and statistics by their very nature are a generalisation or, taken a step further, using numbers to sterotype.

[Claire G]

I think women can be more cautious which in itself can cause problems - hesitating at junctions etc, whilst men seem to be a lot more confident, overally confident sometimes, taking more risks.

You're right about the insurance and statistics, but still feels like we pay through the nose for insurance in general

[lexicon]

I still cannot see how front fogs can dazzle you when they are shine down at the road.

Depends on the car, some don't dazzle however you look at them and others can be very dazzling head on.

There isn't much legislation to control the beam/aim of foglights compared with headlights which is why some are good and others are sh!te.

I had a Mondeo for a while and (from the drivers view) you couldn't see if they were on or not because they put so little light on the ground.

If you have your rear fogs wired as brake lights, I don't think that's legal either - and I definitely don't want to be sat behind you at night if you keep your foot on the brake pedal at traffic lights (like so many do).

I only need to see that you've stopped, I don't need a suntan as well.

Too many road users have no consideration for others, or are just totally oblivious to what they, and everyone else are doing.

[andyhart21]

I if is so terribly bad to have your fog lights as brakelights lexicon, why is standard on most cars in Japan including the Altezza??:?::?::?:

The only reason they do not do it in this country is that there is a regulation dictating that the distance between brake lights and foglights must be at least 100mm. It is not illegal to do it, it just would not pass an MOT test. It is therefore no worse than removing the catalytic convertor from your car like so many modified car owners do. They also use the same wattage lamps as brakelights (55W). I admit it may stretching the rules a little but its hardly the crime of the century is it?

Finally, I did a test last night with the missus. I made her drive past me with the front fogs on and guess what? No dazzle!

Rant over:D:D:D

[ricky_is200]

I agree Dave I think thats exactly what it is. Just because they drive a better saxo or 206 or escort they want to show it off.

[Claire G]

Agreed. It's still one of my pet hates I'm afraid, and apparently you can get fined by the police for driving with them on in inappropriate conditions.

[lexicon]

I if is so terribly bad to have your fog lights as brakelights lexicon, why is standard on most cars in Japan including the Altezza??:?::?::?:

I don't know, I've never been to Japan :D but I thought that brakelights were brakelights and foglights were foglights they are NOT the same thing.

I think (not sure) that foglights aren't a legal requirement in Japan, so they're just used as brakelights?

there is a regulation dictating that the distance between brake lights and foglights must be at least 100mm. It is not illegal to do it, it just would not pass an MOT test.

A car not compliant with construction and use reg's is not illegal??

To be honest, it's not the legality or otherwise that bothers me - it's consideration for others.

They also use the same wattage lamps as brakelights (55W).

Foglights have different reflector/beam patterns - it's not all about the wattage of the bulb (they're 21W not 55 BTW).

Finally, I did a test last night with the missus. I made her drive past me with the front fogs on and guess what? No dazzle!

If your happy that your not dazzling anyone then fair enough - I did say it depends on the car.

[lexicon]

Originally posted by lexussport

I have a different view on the front foglamp debate.

I feel most people who drive around with front foglamps on when its not foggy are just trying to show off. I have come to this conclusion because its mostly young men in high performance or modified cars that do it.

Not all cars have front fog lamps, so its a way of saying my car is better than yours etc.

Do they help you see better?, lets be honest here NO. Modern headlights give a good spread of light over a large distance. Foglamps give a little light just infont of the bumper.

Couldn't agree more.

[andyhart21]

At the end of the day, I know that I am not dazzling anyone. I have them on because I drive every day on very dark country lanes and they give a better spread of light to the side.

On the rear fog thing, I reckon that people can now see me braking from a lot further away, which has to be a good thing doesnt it? I accept that sitting at traffic lights with them on could be uncomfortable for the person behind, so I will make sure i do not do it!

I will also make sure that if I see a car with a LOC sticker I turn my fog lights off to avoid a gang beating!

You are correct about foglights not being a legal requirement in Japan (I think) but the Altezza's still use the same light unit as our fogs for the secondary brakelights.

[Rob]

The only reason they do not do it in this country is that there is a regulation dictating that the distance between brake lights and foglights must be at least 100mm. It is not illegal to do it, it just would not pass an MOT test.

about the rear fogs:

sorry andy, it is infact illegal - it states something similar to: a rear fog light must not be caused to operate by the use of the brake light etc etc etc

I also have mine wired up so that my rear fogs come on when i brake,( but as i no longer live in the UK it doesnt matter for me) i also have them wired so i have 4 rear tail lights - i added a double filament holder to the rear fogs, so when braking i have 5 lights at the back, i do take care not to sit on the brake at lights etc etc, but as one of u said the lens/light distribution is different between fogs and tail lights so as a result when my lights are on the fogs are a tad brighter than the tails.

i have to agree with the majority and find it very annoying when people drive with thier rear fogs on at the slightest drop of rain

[Monster-Mat]

there is no difference between the rear fog lamp unit and the JDM/US rear middle brake light lamp unit....