Question for car people.... Fog lights....

[gopunk]

how well are they supposed to work? because i have them on my acura TL and they don't seem to work very well. is this because they are fake fog lights or something? am i supposed to use them with my normal lights, or should i turn off my normal lights?

 

[Kadarin]

There are driving lights, with clear lenses and bright lights, and there are fog lights, with lenses that diffuse the light in some fashion. I think the bulbs might be dimmer as well. If the fog is really bad (like northern CA tule fog), you'll probably want to turn off the headlights so you don't get blinded.

 

[Syringer]

You shouldn't drive around town with fog lights on..lots of people do it and it's really annoying.

 

[ThinkTankDesign]

yeah i only use them at night when i am driving in fog, they shine off the sides of the road on my car. that way you can see stuff runnin across the road

 

[NutBucket]

Maybe they're not aimed properly? I know I'm having a helluva time aiming the passenger side one on my Accord.

 

[CraigRT]

I drive with my fogs on in the summer when it's really nice out and the car is all cleaned up. during the winter. just headlights.
fogs are just for show..

 

[ElFenix]

my fogs can't be on by themselves. i can see a little bit of difference between them and regular lights though

 

[XZeroII]

Whoa, they make lights out of fog now???

 

[Zenmervolt]

Fog lights should not be used alone, they are meant to be a compliment to the low-beam headlights in foggy conditions. The idea of fog lamps is to get in "under the fog" and provide illumination to the sides of the road. The beam pattern of fog lights is NOT suitable for use without another driving light in use.

A headlight beam is long and thin to illuminate the road in front of you. A fog light beam is short and fat. Properly aimed low-beam headlights will not reflect back into the driver's eyes. If you are having problems with reflection from your low-beams in fog, have the lights aimed.

Headlight beam: -----
Foglight beam: |

ZV

 

[StageLeft]

Most of the time just for show. I don't actually use mine because I think it makes the car look a little more aggressive and that means a little more likely to get pulled over.

 

[Dragnov]

Originally posted by: Syringer
You shouldn't drive around town with fog lights on..lots of people do it and it's really annoying.

Really? Why is that?

Whenever I'm driving around at night, I just turn em on. I don't see how they would affect any other driver.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Gr1mL0cK

Originally posted by: Syringer
You shouldn't drive around town with fog lights on..lots of people do it and it's really annoying.

Really? Why is that?

Whenever I'm driving around at night, I just turn em on. I don't see how they would affect any other driver.

They aren't a problem if they are properly aimed. But a lot of the time they just contribute to glare for oncoming drivers and they do not help you see any better as long as conditions are clear. To me it's just a waste. No sense in burning out the bulbs when you don't need them which means they won't be there when you do need them.

ZV

 

[PCMarine]

If they are properly aimed they work. See fog hovers like a foot above the ground, and properly aimed fog lights are used to light up the road while not lighting up the fog.

 

[tm37]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Most of the time just for show. I don't actually use mine because I think it makes the car look a little more aggressive and that means a little more likely to get pulled over.

Doesn't your wife drive the nice car?

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: XZeroII
Whoa, they make lights out of fog now???

You really need to keep up on the latest discoveries in the world of science.

 

[slag]

Fog lights are yellow 99% of the time since yellow light penetrates the fog. Most stock "fog" lights on today's cars are actually driving lights at an improper level.

For example, my Grand Prix states it has fog lights but it really doesnt. They are nothing but clear driving lights. It is illegal in many places to drive around with fog lights on without any fog out, but it is not illegal in many places to drive around with your driving lights on unless they are improperly aimed up.

 

[KGB1]

My dad's Bonneville had a switch to turn on the fog lights. I think they are both used for show and have a function. When you look at the bulb its not clear like the regular head lamps... they are solid white and can be seen farther (sighting another bonneville car from afar in the fog last night in NYC) The head lamps go so far.. but I made out the car was there too.

 

[kt]

Originally posted by: Gr1mL0cK

Originally posted by: Syringer
You shouldn't drive around town with fog lights on..lots of people do it and it's really annoying.

Really? Why is that?

Whenever I'm driving around at night, I just turn em on. I don't see how they would affect any other driver.

You must've never been on the receiving end of an improperly aimed fog light.

 

[Mark R]

Front fog lights should only be used in cases of extremely poor visibility caused by dense fog or falling snow. They illuminate only a few feet in front, and provide illumination of the kerb, when you would otherwise not be able to see the few feet or so to it. They provide no useful illumination beyond this.

If conditions are such that you can drive faster than about 15 mph, then you are unlikely to get any benefit from using front foglights.

In better conditions, front fog lights have the disadvantage of brightly illuminating your close field of vision. Because your eyes react to this bright light they lose their dark adaptation, worsening your distance vision.

In wet conditions, their shallow beam angle can reflect off a wet road and dazzle drivers approaching from the opposite direction. If poorly aimed, they can dazzle just like a badly aimed headlight.

Fog lights are frequently used as 'driving' lights, and as more cars start being fitted with front fog lights this problem is worsening. In particular I've noticed a growing trend of people driving only using side lights and fog lights for illumination.

The simple solution would be for manufacturers to add an interlock to the front fog lights, such that they can only be switched on when the rear fog lights are switched on. Rear fog lights are needed in moderate fog, and conditions of heavy spray. I cannot think of a condition where you would need front fog lights and not the rear lights.

One manufacturer, who shall remain nameless, obviously thought they were on the right track, but got the interlock the wrong way round. On their cars, you can only switch on the rear fog lights if the front fog lights are on. Doh!