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I need to have a rant....

Most standard-equipment low-mounted lights are deemed to be 'fog lights'. Our Highway Code specifically states they should not be used other than in conditions of restricted visibilty. How far this is backed up in law I know not.

Re low-mounted lights - there has always been regulation of this, hence all the rage for pop-up lights on Elans, Corvettes, Toyotas, etc etc. The reason for a minimum lamp mounting height is to avoid glare to oncoming drivers. Sounds pretty basic to me - call 'em driving lights if you like, they're still illegal other than in fog..

It is obviously not only Scots who fail to grasp this !!
 
Henry said:
now in totally confused :isadizzy:
my fog lamps will only come on when my main lights are on
i do not have driving lights
as most of my driving is in the city
or interstate i never need to use high beams
i guess i will have to try my foglamps
and see if i get a ticket or a finger or shot :icon_lol:
H
Click to expand...

Sounds like you are okay to me, Henry.

Some folks around here, and truck drivers, use driving lights as well. Lots of critters crossing the roads, can't blame them.
I never really had an issue with them when I was on the road, as long as they were being used properly and were aimed right.
I stopped and chatted with the one's who weren't.

Think more about this, I suppose some out there don't know what the difference is. Here's a quick description I found:

Driving lights work with your hi-beams for greater visibility at longer distances. They project a long, narrow beam of light in a variety of patterns which greatly extend your range of view.

Fog lights work together with your low-beams to improve your visibility in foul weather, such as fog, rain, snow and mist. They emit a low, wide pattern of light that's designed to shine below the haze. This reduces the amount of blinding glare that occurs when you turn on your hi-beams in foggy weather.
Click to expand...
Annoying for me are folks that use their high-beams in fog and poor weather. They don't realize how much that cuts your ability to see things in the distance.
All your looking at is a blinding white sheet. :kilroy:
 
Fog lights or driving lights are deliberately set to shine to the kerb, so the nearside light illuminates the nearest kerb and the offside across the road, it is this one that dazzles oncoming drivers. They are for poor visibility caused by bad weather, not for normal night time use.

I got stopped by the police early on Christmas day for using my fog lights in patchy fog. see my post So, how was your Christmas?
 
I think people are like that everywhere.. Back in the 96 storms on the West Coast of the States I handed out ALOT of tickets for obscuring license plate, lights etc.. because people were just plain lazy and they all said the same thing, "it will melt off".. Shoot, I carried a broom in my car to clean my vehicle off after my shift.. As far as the fog lights go, that was a gimme.. There wasnt a lot of fog where I was at and most guys I stopped said they just turned them on to look cool.

Sandar, I think a little common sense of the cops part would have been in order there...
 
great story!
missed that one
mind you always be nice to a police ocifer
they have more power
and big feet:icon_lol:
LOL
H
 
Henry said:
great story!
missed that one
mind you always be nice to a police ocifer
they have more power
and big feet:icon_lol:
LOL
H
Click to expand...

Henry, If I called a police oficer a police ocifer, I would get breathalyed again :mixedsmi:
 
I once, years ago, did a survey to find regulations regarding aftermarket lights. I was doing a lot of mountain driving at night (rallying) and didn't want to get busted for illegal lights.

As you might guess, just about every jurisdiction had different rules about allowing them, mounting them, using them. Common items were that any additional lights had to be mounted below the centerline of normal low-beam headlights, could not be used in conjunction with high-beams except off-road, fogs (usually) had to be on a separate circuit and not used with headlights... but check your local laws.
PROPER Fog lights have a very flat topline to prevent back-glare and a wide beam pattern.
PROPER "driving lights" have a long, narrow beam to maximize distance.
We found some 90% of the lights used on 'casual use' rally cars were not mounted properly (rigidly) or not aimed properly (and this needs to be checked OFTEN as even a snowbank will knock them out of line) or were improperly switched.

The newer cars that have them, have them for the sex appeal, not for a practical use (they are lousy, cheap lights) and the owners don't care.. heck, most people don't even know they need to align their normal headlights now and then.

Back in the day of 'universal headlights' the SAE had rules regarding the beam paterns... now that it's an aerodynamic issue, the manufacturers rule the roost and some factory lights are deadly... but oh how "neat" they look.

Best story ever was the night (about 2 AM) we were sitting in a highway rest stop. saw a car pull in and the driver went inside. A few minutes later a semi pulled in, parked, the driver got out and walked over to the car. Couple of mins later he walked back to his truck, then came in and sat in the next booth. My buddy asked if the car was ok... he said:
"yep.. NOW it is... he followed me for a hundred miles with his high beams on, but he'll be ok once he gets his lights replaced in the morning when the garage opens." :icon_lol:

Rob
 
Sandar, as to clearing off windows covered with snow and/or ice, it's the same here in the States. Too many idiots that do not clean them off. They can get a fine for it... if the cops feel like getting out af a nice warm patrol car to issue a ticket. But.... they will do it on occasion.

I used to have a set of 55 watt CIBIE driving lights on my 71 Camaro back in the 70s and 80s. Also I could change out the lenes to fog light if needed. Back in '74 I used them to see in a blinding snow storm on I-81 from Rt 104 in NY to my parents home iin Massena, NY. I'd turn out my headlights and run with only my tail lights and the CIBIEs on. I could see great, it was as if it wasn't even snowing with those buggers on. With just the headlights on I couldn't see 2 feet in front of me. But I was the only one on the highway, and if I had met anyone coming at me I'd have turned them off and turned my headlights back on. Driving and fog lights have their place when needed, but some idiots think it's cute to have them on when not needed.

Then there were the ones that put aircraft landing lights in in place of their high beams (older round headlights).... but I won't get into that discussion. ;)
 
Many Many years ago i remember
some clip on lights for driving abroad
as the UK drives on the left
when driving on the continent the lights shone on the other side
causing all kinds of problems
not counting the ones where henry was in the passenger seat
with a spare steering wheel out of the window
shouting help!:icon_lol:
no worries i have grown up:isadizzy:
H
 
Henry said:
no worries i have grown up:isadizzy:
H
Click to expand...

No why in the world would you want to do a thing like that Henry? :173go1: Age is only a pigment of your imagination. Yes I spelt it that way on porpoise in case you're wondering. ;)
 
Gdavis101 said:
I think people are like that everywhere.. Back in the 96 storms on the West Coast of the States I handed out ALOT of tickets for obscuring license plate, lights etc.. because people were just plain lazy and they all said the same thing, "it will melt off".. Shoot, I carried a broom in my car to clean my vehicle off after my shift.. As far as the fog lights go, that was a gimme.. There wasnt a lot of fog where I was at and most guys I stopped said they just turned them on to look cool.

Sandar, I think a little common sense of the cops part would have been in order there...
Click to expand...

I was out running around today and we've had about 14 inches of snow the past few days and I saw a pickup truck that was completely snow-free except for that dip in the back bumper where the license plate is! There was a perfect mound of snow hiding it.
 
Naturally a forum of pilots (at least sim pilots) will spot all of these driving errors. Pilots are required to understand a modicrum of physics and chemistry. Many of those bad drivers are actually not aware, and many not capable of understanding, the physical science and calculations we do automatically. I teach some of these concepts for a living, so I have a reasonably large sample set from which to draw this conclusion.

The new "blue" lights I find interesting. Many people report them being a problem. I find them much easier on my eyes. I have no conjecture on why one pair of eyes would react differently from another though I might guess it to be physiological (my eye sight it better than 20/20 uncorrected with no color limitations, so that offers no clue).
 
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