fog lights

[SpecB]

...
Fog lights cast either a yellow light (pretty much only good in the snow or frost) or a wider lower beam.

A "wide low beam" is exactly how I'd describe my foggies. I've used them in fog up at Mt Buller.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fog_lights#Front_fog_lamps

I must have been drunk each time I was driving people to and from the carpark and village when I was working up there.

I haven't read Wiki yet but I can say they are designed to throw a beam wide so you can see the edges of the road and low. If they're aimed high I think we all know that it just reflects back on you.

[SpecB]

Some of the better trucks we had up there had yellow lights foggy's in them as well as white. Yellow was the best way to differentiate between the snow and the fog on the really bad nights. It was even useful during the day sometimes.

[tkboi]

hey man i live in SA as well, and with that statistic from the advertiser, i wouldn't even know about people getting pulled over. i always drive with it on and never got pulled over, and my parents car the holden caprice (08, v6) the fog automatically lits up with the headlight sensor, dont even know how to turn the foggies off in that car, and it was made before the rules of "needing headlight sprays" so it dosnt have that as well and those HIDs are bloody strong ass, and never got pulled over in the parents car, (cept my mum got pulled over for having no tread in the rear tires LOL).

[hin249]

I hv been warned when I was doing a breath test, that was in clear condition at night abt 9:00pm. My foggies was on, and the cop ran to the front and warned me to switch it off, it only can be on in some condition~~~ so, in VIC they got the same rule as S.A

[GTB Liberty]

Hi all,

Firstly, in WA my partner has been pulled over , RBT'd and let go with a warning for "fog lights".

However, one of the closest moments to death I was ever involved in included fog lights (we believe), early morning Nullabour driving and a three dog road train.

The story:

My partner and I lived a GI (geographically impossible) relationship her in Melbourne me in Perth. Finally, she decided to go to Perth , after a year living on a phone, and we decided to drive her late model Toyota Celica from Vic to WA. We took 4 days. Melb to Port Augusta, oysters at Ceduna stop at Nullarbor Roadhouse. Roadhouse to Kal, and final day to Perth. All in all 4 days of blast driving

The Nullarbor Roadhouse being nigh on 1600 Km (?) in a day was the biggest day. However, there was another catch. My girl and I met in Byron - sorta hippies. Anyway, I wanted to get my girl to the border of WA/SA for dawn as it was a full moon sinking and the sund rising at opposite horizons. Very special to see (oh - geo Dad seen lots of desert 'special' moments). So, now the near death bit.

We have to leave the Nullarbor roadhouse at 2 AM odd to make sure I have enough time to get to the border. Driving has always been spirirted lets say and with a radar on the Nullarbor at that time of night - well . . .

Anyway, we get to that stage where you are able to see , what 20 km + into the distance, every road 30 km straight etc, and I see a single spot from a semi way way away. I know he's there wondering how long til I get to him. We finally get onto the same straight facing each other and he flashes his high beams off, then on , as if I have my high beams on. Which I have dropped earlier. I flash , high on., off, ON , OFF to show mine are down. we must still be Kms away from each other. He again flashes high beams twice. I wonder why?

I had forgotten that I had been using the fog to light the road edge. On the Celica they spread wide and show the road shoulder well. But, when flashed didn't conclude it was the issue. But . . .

When the rig gets to say 400m away - on come EVERY BLOODY HIGH BEAM LIGHT ON THE WHOLE TRUCK.

Anyway, as the rig comes closer AGAIN, HE SWERVES INTO MY LANE.

I was easily doing 110 Km + , the rig I do not know. But we wound up two tires in the gravel shoulder as I avoided three trailers swerving towards our car.

It scared the living shit out of me.

Anyway, after calming my partner down, we continued to the WA border.

I can assure you though - if it wasn't for wanting that special moment with my girl. I would have turned around and followed that homicidal arsehole and well . . . made him contemplate that decision

Regardless, be careful where you use your fogs lights I have no issue with them, however, the subjective use of "clear" v "unclear"?

Rain, Fog, homicidal moments in the Nullabor?

HAve a good one.

[smythie]

That's a scary story man. Up home in central queensland you learnt quickly to dip your lights to the freight trains when you saw them at night coz those buggers have some blindingly bright high beams

[gumbyy]

Nice story matey, but err did I miss something why was the trucker being such an ahole?? Surely low to the ground foggies wouldn't have such a negative impact on truckers high up there in their cabin.. your story made me picture an elephant and a mouse

As you can tell I'm not a rural driver!..

[smythie]

nah, probably just an arsehole truckie either on some serious drugs on coming down off a high. Fogs shouldn't affect someone a couple of metres in the air. The tool would probably be flashing the sun to come off high beam shortly afterwards as well

[SpecB]

Sounds like a movie to me............... 1971 Duel.

I beleive you though as I had the same thing driving up to Mt Buller about 6 years ago. Lights flashing then full high beams (I was lucky enough not to get the swerve at me though).

G

[GTB Liberty]

nah, probably just an arsehole truckie either on some serious drugs on coming down off a high. Fogs shouldn't affect someone a couple of metres in the air. The tool would probably be flashing the sun to come off high beam shortly afterwards as well

In the end that was my assumption. I've done thousands of country kilometers due to a geologist dad so I know what to do and what goes on when driving. I've probably done a 300,000+ kilometres on country Australian roads all over Australia. In the 4WD we always had CBs/long range radios\etc but none in the Celica. So no chance to talk to the driver to find out what his issue was. In the end - I had just driven over 2000+ Km with NO other truckie having an issue so . . . he's a arsehole.

If I was some tourist in a rental I'd probably be dead in some mid Nullabor roll over.

That's a scary story man. Up home in central queensland you learnt quickly to dip your lights to the freight trains when you saw them at night coz those buggers have some blindingly bright high beams

Too true. He had four across the front and one central pin spot plus his driving lights. It was so bright.

What that long hauler did was the equivalent to dangerous driving and using his vehicle as a weapon. If he had hit me - we would have stood no chance.

Anyway - I respect truckies and what they do. Just not idiots like that one.

[smythie]

If he had managed to hit you it would have been equivalent to murder I reckon. don't need to be on the same bit of road with people like that and probably a good thing you didn't turn around and chase him down

[teK--]

In my Magna I had aftermarket foggies wired up to an in-dash switch and they operated independently of the parker lights. They were aimed properly and I mostly used them as daytime running lights.

Got pulled over once (in vic) and was given a defect notice. I wasn't given a fine but it was at the time that fines were introduced and the cop said if it is not bucketing down rain or some crazy weather next time I would be fined. I had to rewire the lights to only switch on with the parkers to get the defect removed.

[Adrian2627]

I got pulled over Friday morning before the long weekend for a breath test. I had my parkers and fog lights on as it was pretty bad weather, rain, fog, generally a pretty crap day, and being the opening of the ski season the roads to the hill were pretty busy. The cop, from the Gong I'm told and not a . local guy, asked why I had my them on and when I told him so people can see me as the weather is pretty bad he replied with "well it's not foggy right here is it and it's against the law to have them on". When I asked why he then replied with "because it's illegal". I said "yes, I understand that but why is it illegal?" His response. "If you ask why again I'll book you for it and you'll be out $240 and 2 points" After retreving my bitten off head saying I wasn't trying to be a smart arse I said I just wanted to know why on such a crappy morning would it be illegal to have on lights that would make me more visibale to oncoming drivers. His response was "because they are bright and can dazzle drivers at night". IT WAS 8AM!!!!! Have the Highway Patrol become a bunch of mindless robots or was this guy just an idiot? And, $240 and 2 points for having a light on? If that isn't revenue rasing then what is?

Now I understand that in the city/built up areas there really isn't a need for these lights. However, out here in the counrty where even on a clear night you are dealing with hazardous driving conditions every little bit helps especially on low beam. "Fog" lights tend to illuminate the shoulder of the road about wombat height, which is a big help, and fill in holes in the low beam. Only two years ago two guys in a Pug 406 where killed when their car rolled after hitting a wombat. Personally, I think the law needs to be modified to something like "...should not be used in a built up area unless foggy, etc". Oh, and the Highway Patrol could use some lessons in manners and common sense.

[teK--]

They should spend more time policing idiots who fit blinding over-wattage headlight bulbs or have dodgy, misaimed/focused HID conversions which are just as bad!

[MatMann]

I got pulled over Friday morning before the long weekend for a breath test. I had my parkers and fog lights on as it was pretty bad weather, rain, fog, generally a pretty crap day, and being the opening of the ski season the roads to the hill were pretty busy. The cop, from the Gong I'm told and not a . local guy, asked why I had my them on and when I told him so people can see me as the weather is pretty bad he replied with "well it's not foggy right here is it and it's against the law to have them on". When I asked why he then replied with "because it's illegal". I said "yes, I understand that but why is it illegal?" His response. "If you ask why again I'll book you for it and you'll be out $240 and 2 points" After retreving my bitten off head saying I wasn't trying to be a smart arse I said I just wanted to know why on such a crappy morning would it be illegal to have on lights that would make me more visibale to oncoming drivers. His response was "because they are bright and can dazzle drivers at night". IT WAS 8AM!!!!! Have the Highway Patrol become a bunch of mindless robots or was this guy just an idiot? And, $240 and 2 points for having a light on? If that isn't revenue rasing then what is?

Now I understand that in the city/built up areas there really isn't a need for these lights. However, out here in the counrty where even on a clear night you are dealing with hazardous driving conditions every little bit helps especially on low beam. "Fog" lights tend to illuminate the shoulder of the road about wombat height, which is a big help, and fill in holes in the low beam. Only two years ago two guys in a Pug 406 where killed when their car rolled after hitting a wombat. Personally, I think the law needs to be modified to something like "...should not be used in a built up area unless foggy, etc". Oh, and the Highway Patrol could use some lessons in manners and common sense.

I've been driving alpine roads for nearly 20 years now, and fog lights, when not necessary, are very similar in brightness to hi beam in the right angles. I do stress the angle bit. They dazzle and put out your focus just enough to confuse, thats why they are illegal. fog lights do very little in fwd detection of oncoming hazzards, they would extend about what, even lets say 20m, 20m@100kph, about 1sec worth of notice. that's so not going to help any.

and just a question for Adrian why parkers and fog lights? that's what lo-beam is for. parkers and fog=fashion over function
also, cops enforce the law not make it. its a tough job.