Driving In Fog

[alidoc]

Driving home in swirling fog with only a few metres of visibility with queue of cars following my taillights and just yards behind my bumper, on a clearer stretch several cars overtook and one even blew his horn loudly no doubt thinking I was driving too slowly. Does anyone agree that the other drivers were idiots ?

[ToraToraTora]

yes, I definitely think those described would qualify as idiots.

[douglas9401]

I suppose it depends on visibility and your speed at the time.

[gingejbee]

It's easy to think that the drivers in front of you are going too slowly in fog...until they turn off and you are the one at the front of the line.

[TheChair]

A survey showed that every single driver believed that those who drove slower than they did were timorous see beasties, and those who drove faster were reckless maniacs. In other words, pretty much everyone believes that they are the best drivers on the road.

[Hopkirk]

Did you have your headlights on, or just your daytime running lights?

I see plenty of people in fig who rely on their daytime running lights, seemingly unaware that this means they have no rear lights on.

Perhaps they trust their automatic lights to be on. However in daylight they probably won't come on despite the fog.

[roopower]

Hopkirk, interesting comment about headlights. Our lights are on automatic and seem to be on most of the time, particularly this time of year. We had a foggy day and I was driving ,moaning about the drivers with no lights, when I realised mine weren't on. I have no idea why the lights weren't on although it was reasonably light, even in the fog. I'll be more careful in future.

[New Judge]

//...pretty much everyone believes that they are the best drivers on the road.//

That's ridiculous. They can't be = 'cos I am !!!! :-) :-) :-)

[ToraToraTora]

roo, in fog, there can be enough light diffused about that your car thinks it's daylight, especially if it is in the day! Not sure what Hoppy is talking about....
"I see plenty of people in fig who rely on their daytime running lights, seemingly unaware that this means they have no rear lights on. " - If even the normal sidelights are on the rear read lights will be on.
Most cars now have actual fog lights, designed to be seen, bright like brake lights but there should be only one at the rear.
Personally I never use "auto" on my lights.

[Maydup]

It’s always easier to follow than lead in the fog. They will have realised just how thick it was once they became the lead car.

What are day time running lights?

I have side lights which I hardly ever use and headlights. Oh and fog lights of course

[Etch]

For ToraToraTora's benefit:
https://www.powerbulbs.com/us/blog/2019/12/purpose-of-daytime-running-lights
Quote "DRLs are lights located on the front of a vehicle that remain on whenever the engine is running."

[davebro]

//Most cars now have actual fog lights, designed to be seen, bright like brake lights but there should be only one at the rear.//

Really? I'd better blank one of my rear fog light out!

[Etch]

Gov.uk guidance on 'Daytime running lights':
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/daytime-running-lights/daytime-running-lights

Under 'Legislation and requirements:'
"Vehicle manufacturers must fit DRL to new types of passenger car and light goods vehicle (car derived vans) type approved to European vehicle requirements from February 2011". In practice this means that any new model launched after this date, and many launched before, will be fitted with DRL."
and
"In general all other lights should remain off when the DRL are on but for a limited period some vehicles may be available which automatically activate the rear position lamps at the same time as the DRL."

[Maydup]

Thanks, now you know how old my car is!!

[gingejbee]

Re DRLs...some vehicle manufacturers' more recent cars have rear lights on all the time when the engine is running, just like the front DRLs. My car (a VAG vehicle) is nearly three years old and has this "functionality".

[ToraToraTora]

davebro: "Really? I'd better blank one of my rear fog light out! " - When I had a mercedes SL one of the things I was curios about was that my rear fog light only worked on the drivers side even though there was a bulb in the other side in the correct place. I researched this and it turns out that Mercedes at least at that time only put one on the drivers side and their reason was that if there was one both sides they could be mistaken for brake lights. I thought that sounded eminently sensible. Fair enough, clearly there must be cars with them on both sides.

[bhg481]

Volvo argue they only have one rear fog light to avoid confusion with brake lights. I think this is a silly argument for two reasons; 1 - most cars have three brake lights, so there should be no confusion. 2 - If the bulb fails in your single fog light how many remain lit? Bulbs usually fail when you switch them on which means you can test them but next time you come to use them they fail and you don't know.

[ToraToraTora]

ok, DRL, they are treated as no lights on at all, so driving at night/in fog with just those would be ill advised in the first place. Turning on even the side lights would also turn on the tail lights. Now regarding fog lights, yes there are mostly 3 now, but often one of them doesn't work. many cars still go with the single fog light for the reasons above.

[Old_Geezer]

All drivers, save for myself, seem to be idiots.

You were quite right to proceed at 2mph.

[douglas9401]

Many cars now seem to be fitted with rain lights, the main function being to warn following drivers that the pilot is a complete roaster with no regard for others.