Fog Lights/ Driving Lights

[exarsixturbo]

(flame suit on)

I'm going out on a limb here to say that I like the fog lights. I use them every time I have my normal lights on and most of the time by themselves during the day. I have been keeping an eye out for other people that use them and there is heaps! I don't see the big deal, I don't think I have ever been blinded by them and most of my driving is at night. They add that extra low down vision - good for spotting skippy and his friends.

I let you know if I ever get done for having them on...

[Turbo6man]

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 !

Dunno where you get that info from.

By that reckoning all Ford T3s (like mine) are illegal. Because they have driving lights mounted in the lower bumper. AND they come on at the same time as the main headlights. I wonder if Ford will issue a recall or compensate me if I get fined?

The same thing would apply to the first series of WRX STis.

Furthermore ... Ford, Volvo, Mercedes, Subaru, Chrysler, Toyota, Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, (need I go on?) all currently manufacture vehicles, which are sold in Australia, which not only allow but usually ONLY HAVE fog lights turned 'on' while the low beam is 'on'. There is simply no way of switching 'off' the low beams on these cars whilst the fog lights are 'on'. Are they also going to recall all these cars?

[Any Occasion...]

Dunno where you get that info from.

By that reckoning all Ford T3s (like mine) are illegal. Because they have driving lights mounted in the lower bumper. AND they come on at the same time as the main headlights. I wonder if Ford will issue a recall or compensate me if I get fined?

The same thing would apply to the first series of WRX STis.

Furthermore ... Ford, Volvo, Mercedes, Subaru, Chrysler, Toyota, Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, (need I go on?) all currently manufacture vehicles, which are sold in Australia, which not only allow but usually ONLY HAVE fog lights turned 'on' while the low beam is 'on'. There is simply no way of switching 'off' the low beams on these cars whilst the fog lights are 'on'. Are they also going to recall all these cars?

Thank you all for replying to my post.

Info for Turbo6Man.......the European cars are manufactured to comply with our ADR (Australian Design Rules). The ADR is for lights where mounted lower then the main headlight units, they are to be used (not saying you can't switch them on with your main headlights, that's a different issue of the driver not complying with current state laws) seperately to your main headlights. You are not under Australian law allowed to use both headlights and fog/driving lights at the same time.

I have a fellow employee who has an Audi A6, a very recent model, and I know for a fact that on the headlight switch, you can turn it halfway for just fog/driving lights, 3/4 turn for just the "normal" headlights and all the way around for both headlight and fog/driving lights at once. Like I said and will say again for those who don't quite understand it, whilst the car may allow you to use both your headlights and your bumper mounted fog/driving lights together at once, it is not legal even when it's in adverse weather.....period !

They also produce cars that meet all the ADR's and are capable of 340 kilometres per hour but if you do that speed and get caught, you'll be issued a fine........exactly the same thing.

You can't buy an F430 Ferrari (simply the best car in the world ever to be touched by humans hands) and drive it then at maximum speed without some kind of consequence. You can drive a car with your feet if you want to but that doesn;t make it a great idea.

Just because the car will do it, doesn't mean it should be done.

The reason for my knowledge of this act of infringement ? Let's just say I wasn't always a photography....I have had other jobs

Cheers all and remember, just because you think it may make your car look really cool, it can be seen as a total wank by some and the police may very well choose to fine you.......

[tab]

[ms700]

Jeff will be back soon to reply to your post, cause he is always right......

[Slymeat]

:flameman: (flame suit on)

I'm going out on a limb here to say that I like the fog lights. I use them every time I have my normal lights on and most of the time by themselves during the day. I have been keeping an eye out for other people that use them and there is heaps! I don't see the big deal, I don't think I have ever been blinded by them and most of my driving is at night. They add that extra low down vision - good for spotting skippy and his friends.

I let you know if I ever get done for having them on...

Where are you from I'll help you change your mind.

[Iconic Bionic]

Far more important things to worry about then when, what and if's of fog lights. There association or causal factor for cashes is an absolute minimum. Far more likely to crash or cause a crash for not having them on in poor conditions and this is where the focus should be. Enforce the failure to not have them on in poor conditions and less emphasis on having them on in clear condictions, and ultimatley that is what takes place.

I.B.

[RHR]

I use them when needed

Like last night driving down the coast. No moon Princes Hwy bugger all traffic. DARK AS. So ther were on and the extra bit of light they give off made such a difference. Hey I even passed 2 unmarked and one marked Highway patrol just north of batemans bay and no dramas.

[Superdan]

yup, on my numerous trips down south from Perth to Busselton, always use them when noone else is around, like the high beams. I guess if noone else is around it's all good!?

[Turbo6man]

Jeff will be back soon to reply to your post, cause he is always right......

Nah Mick, couldn't be bothered arguing this point any further. We have done it to death so many times aye. I will continue with my "knowledge" of the rules and those who want to believe something else can go ahead and do so - no skin off my nose.

However when someone can direct me to the specific legislation he is referring to I will gladly accept it as fact. I invited him to do so once, but so far still no reference to it from him. Maybe it isn't in the photographer's handbook???