Fog Lights/ Driving Lights

[Any Occasion...]

Ok, coming from somebody who knows the law inside out, any light ( excluding parker or indicator) that is mounted lower ( be it at the factory or aftermarket ) then the main vehicle headlight(s) is to be used only used in adverse weather conditions like snow, sleet, fog, rain etc.

These lower mounted lights were always and still are called fog lights, not driving lights as the new naming would suggest. It's only since the introduction of a lot of the European cars like Volvo, Mercedes, VW etc and their terminology sneaking in from overseas were it's trendy to call these lights "driving lights", that we here in Oz have also started referring to these lights as driving lights, even our manufacturers like Expensive Daewoo and Ford do so but it does not change the fact that these lights are fog lights ONLY

Under current Australian regulation (especially NSW) the 2 rules with these lower mounted lights are :

a) Lower mounted lights by law MUST NOT be used in normal weather ie : weather that is not adverse conditions. So clear days or nights where there is no rain fog snow etc

b) These lights also MUST NOT be switched on/used at the same time as you have your main headlights on and this is irrespective of the weather. ie : even if it is raining, snowing and hailing all at once then you are still only permitted to use either your main headlights OR your lower mounted fog lights at one time. You are NOT to have both your headlights and fog lights on at the same time.

Part of this restriction is due to the minority of idiot/wackers who remove their standard 55 watt globes (by law the lower mounted fog lights MUST NOT be any higher than 55 watts) and put in some "titanium core powder blue coated double vision night and brick wall penetrating" 300 watt globe they bought at Supacheap on the last fathers day weekend sale which then bounce off the road at the wrong angle burning holes in the retinas of oncoming drivers.

So every time you see a Toyota Prado ( they seem to be the worst offenders ), an SS Commodore, a Ford Fiesta, Toyota Rav4, Honda CRV or a Mack truck coming toward you with both headlights and lower mounted for lights on at the same time, they are open and liable to receiving demerit points and a fine. Whether it's raining or not ! They must have one or the other on and if it is the lower mounted lights, then it better be adverse weather or they are going to cop a fine.

I hope this clears it up for you guys.

Peace

Grant

P.S I heard of a driver through the grapevine of a friend of a friend (don't know if an urban myth or not) who actually had somebody throw a piece of pebble at their vehicle as they went passed and it apparently turned out that the person who throw it said he was sick of seeing "wankers"with driving lights on when not needed so he was taking a stand against it.....as I said, don't know how true but I would be a little pi#@ed off if he had hit my car !

[senna_T]

Thanks for the info Grant, you joined up just for that?

[Slymeat]

I really can't believe how many times this question has been asked and answered.

[ms700]

So if you drive with your foglights on when they arent required, ie not foggy or adverse driving conditions, not only are you considered a :tosser:, but you can get :wacko: , and for good measure.

[Slymeat]

So if you drive with your foglights on when they arent required, ie not foggy or adverse driving conditions, not only are you considered a :tosser:, but you can get :tosser:, and :wacko: for good measure.

Ummm I think so

[tab]

But what if I think they look cool?

[ms700]

They dont.

[bugster70]

I really can't believe how many times this question has been asked and answered.

Although, having said that, I can't remember reading that it was either one or the other? I always thought it was legal to have both low beam and fog lights on at the same time in inclement weather, so this is good to know. The fog would have to be VERY bad to warrant using the fog lights only instead of the normal low beam (in fact, I don't think I've never seen fog that bad in Australia).

[ZAP]

I have 1W Luxeon LED's in my foglights, so they are classed as legal.

They creat a white dot, but do not project much light at all. I also have the same globes in my parkers.

[tab]

The fog would have to be VERY bad to warrant using the fog lights only instead of the normal low beam (in fact, I don't think I've never seen fog that bad in Australia).

The only time I’ve ever legitimately used them was without low beam on - the theory behind them is they shine under the fog where as your headlights shine straight in to it and make visibility worse.

Definitely wouldn’t be doing highway speeds with just foggies though, they aren’t that bright!