Incorrect use of fog lights

Momma-Bear - In law there are no such things as 'CLEAR LENSED DRIVING LIGHTS'.
All cars are fitted with two standard headlights for use at night. Any extra lights fitted, or bought with the car are only to be used in cases of severely reduced visibility due to severe poor weather conditions (not darkness), it doesn't matter if they are clear or yellow. They are normally called fog lights but by law are classed as additional lights.
Cars should only use two headlights at night, with full or dipped beam by law.
It is an offence to use additional lights inappropriately, and it is a separate offence to use lights that could cause undue dazzle to other road users.
Normally dealt with by verbal warning or £30 fixed penalty notice.
Hope this helps!

I don,t get blinded by fog lights but by misaligned dips.Do they still check.em on the MOT?I reckon that they should be rechecked every time a bulbs changed or annually during the three years pre MOT .Just to play devils advocate, I think that well set up fogs cover that area between dips and the car giving a much clearer view ahead.

:I live in the country. Lots of unlit roads. Last week I was stopped, on one of these unlit roads by the Police and told I should not be using my "Fog" lights when it is not foggy. This I know. I was actually using the CLEAR LENSED DRIVING LIGHTS factory fitted to my car because the road conditions were extremely dark. No moon, nothing, so WHITE DRIVING LIGHTS were just that bit extra illumination. So can someone tell me when you can actually use them, legally, as when I queried this with the Officer he went quiet and just told me not to use them except in fog in future. I got the impression he wasn't quite sure what the difference between yellow fog lights and white driving lights is, apart from the colour, and when you can use them either!
I have tried to find the answer in the Highway Code, without any luck, maybe I didn't look in the right place, but thought I had looked everywhere!

PLEASE can someone clarify? This has been bugging me ever since. Why have lights you can very rarely use apparently, as we don't get much fog in this part of the UK.

Hi, i've just had a look at www.fogsoff.co.uk and most of you are going on about how dangerous it can be to have front fogs on when visibility is seriously reduced and on the same page it says "FIGHT BACK - DAZZLE THEM WITH YOUR FULL BEAM!" what kind of mug thinks they can fight their corner by doing something far more dangerous than having front fogs on! get a grip.

Added to this problem is the fact that the fog lights are not needed once someone is behind you, it is very annoying to be stuck behind a car or lorry with no possibility of overtaking. Turning the fog lights off in this situation by the car in front should be a common courtesy rather than blinding the car behind especially with modern fog lights being so bright - so turn them off if a car is behind you! As a rule If I can not see head lights behind me I turn on my Fog lights (weather conditions applying) and turn them off while someone is behind me. Is it really that difficult to drive a car and think at the same time? It certainly seems to be for an awful lot of people on the road.
On a slightly other topic as others seem to have done. There seem to be very meny baddly adjusted main lights and cars that only have one head light working. Pick any morning or night and I pass at least 2 on the way to work during the winter.

I was recently pulled over by the police on the side of the road and issued a fixed penalty for driving with front fogs on, although I didnt realise they were. I personally dont have a problem with front fogs, I do a lot of driving and have never been dazzled or distracted by them Rear fogs are a different question though. I feel a warning would have been more than suffice. I see the police ignore what I deem to be more dagerous driving, such as on the phone, no seatbelt even reading maps whilst driving a lorry. Lights I do have a problem with are under car lighting, blue LEDs and sometimes lorries with more than sufficient lighting or halogens on ... even those twinkly lights they have around their cab windows ...

The law, as presented by The Highway Code, states Rule 236
You MUST NOT use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226) as they dazzle other road users and can obscure your brake lights. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves.


[Law RVLR regs 25 & 27]

Rule 226
226
You MUST use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet). You may also use front or rear fog lights but you MUST switch them off when visibility improves (see Rule 236).


[Law RVLR regs 25 & 27]

So that clears that up no mention of FOG at all it is Visibility

It was quite foggy when I went accross the road for my paper this morning. Out of the 10 or so cars that went past only one had fog lights on; about the same proportion of drivers as use them when it isn't foggy!
What part of the phrase "fog lights" is so hard to understand?

I think the police should try catching real law breakers, using fixed penalty fines is legal robbery, of which the Welsh Traffic Constabulary abuses the privilege. If the offence was considered serious, license penalty points would be applied.

Some of you moan about FOG lamp misuse during the day, but Vehicle manufactures produce vehicles that automatically switch on the dipped beam head lights at all times day/night. It is easier to spot a car approaching from behind or towards during the day with any form of front lighting on. Why do you think motor bikes have lights on during the day, maybe to be seen???

Are some of you saying you are dazzled by dipped head lights as well, as FOG lights are smaller in size and of similar Lux of dipped head lamps to reduce glare in FOG, so maybe some of you should consider wearing night driving glasses and stop moaning?

If some of you are dazzled by FOG lights being on during daylight, well say no more, you shouldn’t be driving a vehicle.

We live in stupid Britain these day’s where common sense no longer exists and where idiots drive in the centre lane on motorways, when the left hand lane is empty. Now let’s see the police do something about that!!!

I’m all for harsh penalties for use of mobile phones while driving, but moaning for having FOG lights on - come on get real.

P.S I don't use my FOG lights unless it's foggy.

Regarding the uneccesary use of front fog lights, do these morons realise that they are using more fuel by having them switched on. Alternators do not run on fresh air!!

SIDE LIGHTS - BUILT UP AREAS

With all the fuss about the idiot use of fog lights when visibility is still at 2 miles, I almost forgot to mention that in a built up area with adequate street lighting, it is still legal to use side/ parking lights, as dipped beam is not obligatory in such a situation. To me, to drive in a well lit town using dipped headlights, sometimes sitting in a queue of traffic, seems a bit over the top. What about global warming?

This was common practice some years ago. Who can remember the "Dipped Headlamp" experimental period in Birmingham.

In closing, what about the numbies who sit parked, with their headlights on, which is illegal & annoying. The other day, on a narrow road I had such a numby doing that very thing, facing me on my side of the road (illegal on two counts) & it was not until the last second that I saw he had his door wide open, how I missed it I shall never know.aving them switched on. Alternators do not run on fresh air!!

I live in South Wales and the amount of people who drive night in total darkness with sidelights on and front fogs on think they are cool (not), as it has been said they are FOG lights and should be used accordinly.
I ride a motorcycle I also drive a car as well as a truck (but not all at the same time) and I find it really annoying whilst riding my motorcycle to have 4 lights hit me in the face whilst a car comes over the brow of a hill or coming up behind me dazzling my mirrors, it is a moving traffic offence to drive with foglights on front or rear when there is no need and these people however cool or trendy they think they are should be fined.
A very good friend of mine got killed by a young (boy racer) in a souped up corsa whilst on his phone he T-Boned him as he came down a main road (his right of way) the corsa came out of a junction and hit him across the road and when the police turned up he wanted to finish his conversation on the phone and said it was my mates fault when clearly it wasn't, do these youngsters think driving whilst on the phone is cool with no seatbelts on, NO well using your lights incorrectly is not cool either so wise up you children and remember your driving lessons and use your brains, and that goes for all the men and women I see every day with fogs on no seatbelts and on the phone, have some consideration for other road users for a change, when I passed my test I felt proud that I had done it now youngsters think it is a right but it's not......

F.O.G lights are for F.O.G !!!!!
Totally agree!!!

Just blast them with your main beam & put your rear fog on - simply be as discourteous back to them.

PC99 - please get all your fellow coppers to do the same - in certain circumstances they can actually be dangerous....

www.fogsoff.co.uk