The Law Foglights - Why on earth is it illegal to use them?

[Nardz]

i for the life of me cannot figure out why it is illegal to use your fog lights while driving. i have twice now been told off by cops at a booze bus - the last one was an absolute w***er about it.

They are the same brightness as the normal headlights, except they are lower. they do not disrupt other drivers in any way whatsoever. i have NEVER said to myself "I wish that guy behind me would turn his foglights off".

I'm not talking about those massive ones that u see on utes and wrx's. i'm talking about the stock standard factory fitted 2 inch lights.

It is illegal to drive with them - yet it is perfectly legal for a 4WD to drive with their headlights 20 cm higher than any other cars headlights, perfectly angled at the rear view mirror of the car in front of them - now that is something that has bothered me quite often.

talk about ridiculous laws....

 

[tandino]

Because, I am led to believe, foglights are designed to throw light out the sides whereby the normal headlights are focused more to the front of the car and, most importantly, away from the oncoming traffic.

 

[HarryTiger]

I've got fog lights and I can't for the life of me see what difference they make in fog. They light up the ground in the first few metres ahead of the car, other than that....

 

[Theeighthhamster]

i for the life of me cannot figure out why it is illegal to use your fog lights while driving. i have twice now been told off by cops at a booze bus - the last one was an absolute w***er about it.

They are the same brightness as the normal headlights, except they are lower. they do not disrupt other drivers in any way whatsoever. i have NEVER said to myself "I wish that guy behind me would turn his foglights off".

I'm not talking about those massive ones that u see on utes and wrx's. i'm talking about the stock standard factory fitted 2 inch lights.

It is illegal to drive with them - yet it is perfectly legal for a 4WD to drive with their headlights 20 cm higher than any other cars headlights, perfectly angled at the rear view mirror of the car in front of them - now that is something that has bothered me quite often.

talk about ridiculous laws....

They blind drivers coming the other way while doing very little for the idiot using them. I'd say that's why.

 

[Nardz]

They blind drivers coming the other way while doing very little for the idiot using them. I'd say that's why.

i have never had an issue with someone elses fog lights. never.

 

[Niximus]

What do you mean by foglights? Are you talking about a car's high beams? If so, when I did my licence test (about 10 years ago), to the question "When may you use your high beams?" the correct answer was "Whenever required to increase your visibility". Basically anywhere where turning them on helps you see.

 

[Nardz]

What do you mean by foglights? Are you talking about a car's high beams? If so, when I did my licence test (about 10 years ago), to the question "When may you use your high beams?" the correct answer was "Whenever required to increase your visibility". Basically anywhere where turning them on helps you see.

no. high beams are the alternative light that comes out of your headlights

foglights are a seperate light that is usually seperate from the headlights.. sitting benearth the headlights...

 

[skilts]

Foglights are not so much designed to assist the driver's vision in the car which has them on, but rather to make that car more visible to other road users. They are only to be used in adverse weather conditions, such as heavy rain or fog, and presumably, snow.

Like others who have posted, I see no problems being caused by having them on, in any conditions. I do a lot of country driving, and I find that these lights much better illuminate the shoulders of the road at night, thus making it easier to see animals who might wander out in front of the vehicle.

 

[Ant_]

i for the life of me cannot figure out why it is illegal to use your fog lights while driving. i have twice now been told off by cops at a booze bus - the last one was an absolute w***er about it.

They are the same brightness as the normal headlights, except they are lower. they do not disrupt other drivers in any way whatsoever. i have NEVER said to myself "I wish that guy behind me would turn his foglights off".

I'm not talking about those massive ones that u see on utes and wrx's. i'm talking about the stock standard factory fitted 2 inch lights.

It is illegal to drive with them - yet it is perfectly legal for a 4WD to drive with their headlights 20 cm higher than any other cars headlights, perfectly angled at the rear view mirror of the car in front of them - now that is something that has bothered me quite often.

talk about ridiculous laws....

Agreed on both, fog lights never bothered me and get blinded by bloody 4WD's all the time.

 

[Caesar]

Article from the NRMA that sheds some light (ha ha):

http://www.openroad.com.au/motoring_roadsafety_headlightssafefeature.asp

Judging by The Open Road's mail bag, nothing irritates drivers more than being dazzled by motorists who are not using their lights correctly.

The biggest complaint is about drivers who have their fog lights on in normal conditions. Not only is this dangerous because it can temporarily blind other motorists, it's also illegal.

Australian Road Rule 219 states that: "A driver must not use, or allow to be used, any light fitted to or in the driver's vehicle to dazzle, or in a way that is likely to dazzle, another road user."

Australian Road Rule 217 is even more explicit about the correct use of fog lights, stating: "The driver of a vehicle fitted with a rear fog light must not operate the fog light unless the driver is driving in fog or other hazardous weather conditions causing reduced visibility."

Some drivers may be unaware that they are driving with their fog lights on. Check your owner's handbook if you are unsure.

You should also be careful about how you use your high beam headlights. Australian Road Rule 218 states that you must not use your headlights on high-beam if you are "less than 200 metres behind a vehicle travelling in the same direction... or less than 200 metres from an oncoming vehicle."

 

[Kram]

Never understood the 200m behind rule, on the open highway you can annoy the **** out of drivers sitting behind them at that distance with high beams on.

 

[Nardz]

Article from the NRMA that sheds some light (ha ha):

http://www.openroad.com.au/motoring_roadsafety_headlightssafefeature.asp

again rear fog lights are different. i believe that would be referring to those lights that some cars have on the back of the car (excel is one i can think of) that is one red light in the bottom right corner... again i cant imagine why that would be illegal.. hardly a blinding light...

 

[peternorth]

been pulled over by a cop once for having fog lights on. he said he hated the brightness (rear fog lights) and blinded people.

 

[BomberGal]

I've got fog lights and I can't for the life of me see what difference they make in fog. They light up the ground in the first few metres ahead of the car, other than that....

Um, have you ever tried to drive in the fog with your lights on full beam? You can't see s**t.

 

[HarryTiger]

Um, have you ever tried to drive in the fog with your lights on full beam? You can't see s**t.

I've tried everything in heavy fog, you can't see s**t regardless but I'd say full beams give you the most visibility.

 

[BomberGal]

I've tried everything in heavy fog, you can't see s**t regardless but I'd say full beams give you the most visibility.

Full beam in thick fog just reflects off the fog, in effect blinding you from what's ahead. Low beams will not reflect as much, so even though you still can't see, you're at least not blinded.

 

[azreal]

Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryTiger
I've tried everything in heavy fog, you can't see s**t regardless but I'd say full beams give you the most visibility.


No they don't, they make it more difficult to see.

 

[TheStinger]

Fog lights are one thing but I thought those "blue" lights were illegal as well but I seem to be seeing more and more of them. Now they are annoying as all hell.

While we are on lights and some other people brought it up as well, the 4wd lights are annoying as well. You aren't allowed to have your high beams on behind or in front of someone because it blinds you but you can have headlights higher on the 4wd which effectively does the same thing.

They really should make the manufacturers develop their 4WD headlights that are angled downwards to light up the road like they are supposed to and not blind me when you are a metre from my back bumper.

 

[Ghostwriter]

Another step toward communist Australia.

 

[And_ROOS]

Lets get the definition straight here, this is a discussion ive seen on a few car forums. Fog lights are what are on certain cars, that have certain wattage and characteristics that allows them to see through fog better. Usually they are the big yellowy coloured lights you can see on certain model cars.

They are only to be used in foggy conditions, its their design purpose and used at any other time are an unnecessary distraction to oncoming drivers.

"Driving lights" are what you see on most other cars, i.e Holden Calais etc etc. Some list them as "fog lights" but due to the type of wattage and characteristics they are driving lights. By law these are only meant to be used in situations where you would use your highbeams. These are the type of lights i believe the OP is commenting on. OP, what kind of car do you have?
Anyway, i dont understand the issue with them to be honest. What i also dont get is why at night lately ive seen alot of cars with the driving lights on and with the parker lights on but no headlights.

And just as a side note, now the HSV's and tons of European cars have "day lights" which are usually a strip of LED lights on the front of the car that can be just as distracting as driving lights, yet they are completely legal.

 

[Nardz]

i have a lancer.. 2002

i'm pretty sure mine are just fog lights.. they're pretty small, about 2 inches probably... brightness wise they are pretty much just as bright as the headlights... i really don't think they are a "distraction"

i have never found fog lights to be a distraction... its quite a ridiculous law really.

 

[And_ROOS]

Technically i would believe yours are driving lights, to be used in scenarios where you use your highbeams. On alot of model cars, those lights only come on when you switch the high beams on.

That said, im not sure why there is an issue, i find the day lights on the HSVs and Audis just as distracting yet they are legal.

 

[Nardz]

Technically i would believe yours are driving lights, to be used in scenarios where you use your highbeams. On alot of model cars, those lights only come on when you switch the high beams on.

That said, im not sure why there is an issue, i find the day lights on the HSVs and Audis just as distracting yet they are legal.

na mine are seperate to the high beams.. theres a seperate switch...

high beams are much brighter

 

[peternorth]

s**t.

in recent days ive seen more and more ppl drive with their high beams on.

bloody annoying!

 

[who gives a]

back in 2004 had my fogs on when it was pissing down with rain and could not see more tha a few feet in front of me. then i get pulled over and slapped with a $100 fine and 3 demerit points stupid rule