fog lights

[zeglover]

is it illegal to use your front fog lights at night when it is not foggy

[marcus5771]

Fog lights are the lights mounted on the front of a car or truck which help visibility in foggy or misty conditions. They come in a variety of colors and intensities, but virtually all vehicles have them, and their assistance can be crucial to navigating poor weather.

Traditionally fog lights are yellow, and the reason why is the subject of some speculation. A common claim is that they need to be a single color light rather than white light, to minimize dispersion as the light hits the water vapor and scatters in different directions. It is often said that though red might be a more ideal color, it already has connotations to drivers �- it is used for both stop lights and brake lights. Yellow, then, would seem to be the next-most-suitable choice, because it has the next longest wavelength of visible light.

The problem with this idea, which sounds plausible scientifically, has to do with the size of the water molecules in fog. The molecules of water vapor are large enough that dispersion does not occur in any meaningful way, making the wavelength of the light irrelevant. It is possible that the first car companies to utilize fog lights were not aware of the impact that the size of water vapor molecules would have on the dispersion, and so believed that by choosing yellow lights they were minimizing the blur the fog lights cast. More likely is that yellow was chosen because of its connotations in the West with caution. precisely the activities one wants other drivers to exercise when driving in heavy fog.

Many modern fog lights are halogen lights, which allows them to burn at much hotter temperatures than traditional lights, while retaining a low burnout rate. Halogen fog lights tend to have a tighter beam than incandescent fog lights, which yields an additional benefit. A special class of fog lights seen on some newer cars are high-intensity discharge lamps.

[zeglover]

that was fast, what is a non endorsable offence mean

[tom hopkins]

i am told it is illegal at anytime other than in foggy conditions. there is also a fine .

[jake-the-peg]

http://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q400.htm

[Ethel]

They are not strictly fog lights but 'reduced visibility lights' - to be used in fog, torrential rain and so on where normal car lights cannot be seen from a safe stopping distance.

It is an offence to use them outisde these conditions.

[boro1986]

I totally agree with Ethel. But can someone tell me why as the light is just at dusk not naming anyone but usually 17 year old Saxo/Clio drivers have there fog lights on full...

[bazmoore]

the penalty should be death by hanging
its that time of year when we have a patch of mist on go the foglights and stay on for the following weeks dazzling everyone behind .
manufacturers should place a big dazzly light on the dashboard to warn you that they are on. mine go off when the ignition is off and need to be switched on again if you need them on.
as regards using them in torrential rain this is incorrect as there was vosa advertising campaign advising against his as it causes even more dazzle and vehicles behind may not see your brake lights come on!
baz

[boro1986]

Well said bazmoore

[kempie]

This is covered by The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1989/Uksi_19891796 _en_4.htm#(Tiii)27restrictionuselampotherthant hosewhichregulation24refer

[Toureman]

Well said Bazmore, could not agree more, but they could perhaps be tortured first.

[DirtyHabit]

Otherwise know as "Chavlights" and they are brighter then the people driving with them on.

[almcd007]

Well said bazmore - I thought it was just me with that opinion!!

I'm 36 and when I was a lot lot younger (18/19) me and a friend were messing about and I was flashing my foglight at him driving behind me (no one else around) and he was sounding his horn at me - It just so happened that an over zealous traffic officer saw us, pulled us both and gave me a ticket (no points) for incorrect use of fog lights and my firend for incorrect use of his horn !!! This was in the middle of no where and no other drivers were around - so that's the offence and an example of what you can be fined for - I think it was about �30 - �45 - to use them on normal roads when there is no fog is pointless and usually left to Saxo/Corsa drivers with big bore exhausts and a bass bin !!.