People Driving with Their Foglights on?

jsrz18 on 06/10/2020 - 18:35
Last edited 06/10/2020 - 18:35

Only recently I've noticed that most people leave their foglights switched on such that their foglights are on when either their parkers or low beams are on. Not sure how long this has been going on for, probably a while, but I've only suddenly noticed recently. Doing a bit of searching online would lead to the conclusion that 1) They are illegal and 2) People can be blinded by foglights.

Genuinely curious, can some people actually blinded/dazzled by foglights? Wouldn't DRLs have the same effect - cars like the Hyundai i30 and VF Commodore have DRLS in the lower front bumper, and the Cerato DRLs are essentially foglights. Never really had an issue with foglights, rather LED or HIDs on the new cars.

Before everyone starts jumping to conclusions, no, I don't have my foglights switched on - though I have occasionally in the past.

POLL: Do you drive with your foglights on? If so, why?

Poll Options

  • 6
    YES
  • 77
    NO
Automotive

Comments

  • pegaxs on 06/10/2020 - 18:40
    +6

    No. Against the law (unless it is foggy/reduced visibility)

    Are you talking fog lights or are you possibly mistaking them for daytime running lights?

    • jsrz18 on 06/10/2020 - 18:41

      No definitely talking about foglights. In my post I was just asking, if some people are dazzled by foglights (which I've read to be the case), are they also dazzled by the DRLs of some cars like the Hyundai i30 which are positioned in a spot similar to where foglights normally are.

      • xuqi on 06/10/2020 - 18:50
        +2

        Recently have seen an uptick of Idiots using fog lamps on much older vehicles, to emulate daylight running lights found on newer vehicles.

      • pegaxs on 06/10/2020 - 18:50
        +2

        DRLs are supposed to be very low wattage/intensity. They are usually only narrow a strip of LEDs and shouldn’t dazzle at all. The ones on the i30 are along the outer edge of the fog light lens. Can’t say I have ever been dazzled by i30 or any DRLs for that matter.

        • xuqi on 06/10/2020 - 18:56

          The 2018 i30 with it's multi-LED almost vertical arrangement can be annoyingly bright:

          https://www.top10cars.com.au/2018-hyundai-i30-active-review/…

          They have addressed this in the facelift:

          https://www.caradvice.com.au/682922/hyundai-i30-facelift/

        • netjock on 06/10/2020 - 19:19

          Think this is turning into a spot the fog light kind of exercise. You know it sounds like OP just wants to drive around with their fog lights on when they see other people doing it but too scared to because they might get a fine.

          • jsrz18 on 06/10/2020 - 19:50

            @netjock: I don't normally drive around with my fog lights on. I did it occasionally in the past. If I want to have them on, I'll just turn them on.

        • [Deactivated] on 06/10/2020 - 20:07

          I gotta say, sometimes I don't even see the i30 whatsoever. :P

  • Snake 4 on 06/10/2020 - 18:45
    -5

    They don't want to it at night to me as they will be hit with 100w HID high beams plus two 100w HID spots and two 100w HID spreads.

    • brendanm on 06/10/2020 - 18:49
      +5

      You're also illegal.

      • pegaxs on 06/10/2020 - 19:11
        +7

        Had an arsehole 4x4 driver pull this shit on me when I was out in the truck once. Had their high beams on so I flashed them. They decided to go full retard and turn on their LED spotties and light bars.

        Well, hiding behind me was a police officer in an unmarked VE. Police officers turned his lights on and banged in a quick u-turn as the 4x4 went past… instant karma :)

        • brendanm on 06/10/2020 - 19:35
          +1

          Lol it's always very satisfying when something like that happens. Another annoying one is people with light Bars as reverse lights, that they can also switch, and they forgot to turn them off 🙄

          • pegaxs on 06/10/2020 - 19:38
            +1

            @brendanm: Have a lot of mines contractor vehicles in this area that are always getting pinged for driving around with their work lights on in the back on their work utes and trucks. After one of our guys gone done, all of our vehicles now have an alarm buzzer in the cabin that goes off its tits if you start driving and any of the tray work lights are on.

            • brendanm on 06/10/2020 - 19:39
              +1

              @pegaxs: That's a great idea, they need to put that on all the traffic management utes as well.

        • [Deactivated] on 06/10/2020 - 20:09

          Or just send in the dashcam footage.

          I've done that. Someone did the full retard flashbang on me so I pointed to the dashcam. Because of their lights, it would have been obvious what I was pointing to.

          Even if they didn't get a fine, I'm sure they would have lost some sleep there.

    • Snake 4 on 06/10/2020 - 18:51
      -2

      Tell me why.

      • pegaxs on 06/10/2020 - 19:20

        Because "RoAd RuLeZ"… Specifically ARR 219 Lights not to be used to dazzle other road users

        In NSW;

        VEHICLE LIGHTS
        Use/allow use of light on/in vehicle likely/to dazzle; Fine $114 and 1 Demerit

      • Nugs on 06/10/2020 - 19:33

        I don't like Mondays
        .

      • brendanm on 06/10/2020 - 19:36
        +1

        Hids in a housing not designed for hids to begin with. Your hids in standard housing have terrible cutoff, and blind other road users even with them on low beam.

        • Snake 4 on 06/10/2020 - 19:45

          Oh dear. Another incorrect assumption. 'in standard housing' You have no idea

          I'll let you think you are right.

          • pegaxs on 06/10/2020 - 20:03

            @Snake 4: If your vehicle did not come with HID lamps, there is a high possibility that they are illegal.
            If your replacement "housings" do not come with the "E" mark, they are probably illegal.
            If you bought a HID kit and put it on your vehicle, chances are, it's illegal.
            If you jacked up your 4wd shit heap and didn't realign the lights to compensate for the added height… You guessed it, it's probably illegal.

            Now, I'm not saying yours is any of these things, but I have so many 4wd bell ends in their jacked up phallus replacements, that are covered in driving lights, that are totally illegal.

          • brendanm on 06/10/2020 - 20:05

            @Snake 4: Lol, I'll bite. What vehicle has factory 100w hids?

    • [Deactivated] on 06/10/2020 - 20:20

      And if you dazzle me with your spot blings, you may be hit by a steel bar and the 3 tonnes it is attached to.

  • whooah1979 on 06/10/2020 - 18:47
    +2

    Genuinely curious, can some people actually blinded/dazzled by foglights?

    Don't stare at the sun is something adults teach children. Every motorists should know that they shouldn't stare at the lights.

  • brendanm on 06/10/2020 - 18:48

    No, my headlights are always on auto, so foglights are off by default.

  • Euphemistic on 06/10/2020 - 19:03

    There’s a difference between fog lights and driving lights. Fog lights shouldn’t dazzle, the are designed to project a low beam ‘under’ the fog. Driving lights are a bit of an unknown, but low in the bumper is typically for poor visibility. It only illuminates close to the car so actually means your vision isn’t as effective at distance.

    I only use ours in poor visibility conditions. I would like to fit some daytime runnig lights (DRL) in their place to make them actually useful.

    • netjock on 06/10/2020 - 19:17

      From what OP is saying it is fog lights are on when parkers / low beams are on. I'd think it is fake fog lamps. Unless someone stuffed up install of proper fog lamps they are not to dazzle oncoming drivers like you said.

      I'd think OP is just making a fuss about nothing. Even if people have low beams on during the day as DRLs it shouldn't blind oncoming traffic unless someone mistakenly has their high beams on as DRLs.

      • Snake 4 on 06/10/2020 - 19:36

        Not fake fog lights.

        My OEM fog lights will come on if I switch them on when parkers and or low beam are on.

        • netjock on 06/10/2020 - 19:39

          Either you have a wiring issue or they are look light fog lights but do nothing when the real fog turns up.

          Nobody ever needed fog lights to park.

          • Snake 4 on 06/10/2020 - 20:03
            +1

            @netjock: Sorry but you have no idea. My fogs won't turn on with the switch unless my parkers or headlights are on. Thats the law.

            Also my extra driving lights are wired through my high beam. Again that's the law.

          • jsrz18 on 06/10/2020 - 20:04
            +1

            @netjock: foglights only turn on if you have the parkers or low beams on. You're probably thinking of something else.

            • netjock on 07/10/2020 - 11:02

              @jsrz18: But it is separate to your parkers or low beams.

              I have no idea why you need fog lamps to park.

              Neither do I know why OP is so unhappy about people who might in inadvertently have fogs (if they are indeed fog lamps). That comment about Cerato DRLs being basically fogs, you know people who are more expert than the authorities on what is fogs and what is not.

              Unless you're driving a Ferrari / Lambo and that close to the ground that you might get blinded lets just forget it.

              • jsrz18 on 07/10/2020 - 15:43

                @netjock: I was just curious as to whether people get dazzled by foglights. I run aftermarket LED bulbs in my projector housings - so I'm not 'unhappy' about people having their foglights on.

  • John Kimble on 06/10/2020 - 19:18
    +2

    Because it's fully sik bro.

  • jimbobaus on 06/10/2020 - 19:21
    +1

    I don’t drive with them on as it’s illegal and have seen plenty of blitz’s where fines are issued.

    If it’s not foggy you need to have the off.

  • resubaehtgnolhcs on 06/10/2020 - 20:06
    +5

    I am more dazzled and dazed by the plethora of lifted/jacked up utes and 4x4s, whose owners then retro fit led/hallogen/laser headlights making them at the perfect height to now burn my retinas whilst driving …

    • netjock on 07/10/2020 - 11:03

      I think OP should fund our Ferraris and Lambos so we can get dazzled by regular sedan fog lights.

  • slknv on 06/10/2020 - 20:15
    +1

    Absolute worst are those who drive around with the REAR foglight on, like a blinding red laser aimed directly into your eyeballs. They've oblivious to what they're doing. (I'm looking at you, P platers in E36 BMWs with mismatched coloured bumpers and fake M badges stuck on your grandma's 318i).

  • This Guy on 06/10/2020 - 20:37

    Cerato DRL's are all LED. Older models had fog lights across the range which are easy to leave on without noticing if you don't know the fog light symbol. Some people have installed DRL kits to activate the Cerato's fog lights without the head lights.

    Only KIA with non LED "DRL" was the older Picanto.

  • Ghost47 on 06/10/2020 - 21:12
    +4

    Never drive with mine on unless I'm driving in fog, but yes I see drivers use them frequently. Never been dazzled by fog lights though, usually it's headlamps that aren't angled correctly.

    I often see people driving with DRLs ONLY at night. I swear people must think their DRLs are their headlamps.

    • Mechz on 06/10/2020 - 21:15
      +4

      No they're too stupid to understand that dash lights on doesn't equal headlights on.

    • netjock on 07/10/2020 - 11:04

      I often see people driving with DRLs ONLY at night. I swear people must think their DRLs are their headlamps.

      It goes with the night vision kit. You need only a bit of light to reflect to see the outline of objects.

  • Mechz on 06/10/2020 - 21:12

    It's been happening for 20 years since the VY Commodore.

  • Iluvfreebies on 06/10/2020 - 22:35

    My headlights are not bright enough, so I turn on my fog lights on roads that have inadequate street lighting or when the roads are wet and I can't see the marking on the road.

    • John Kimble on 06/10/2020 - 22:37
      +3

      🤦‍♂️

    • Hackney on 07/10/2020 - 08:46
      +1

      You can always change them over to LED bulbs.

      • Iluvfreebies on 07/10/2020 - 08:48

        I will.

        • Hackney on 07/10/2020 - 08:53
          +1

          I did this with a 2005 Mazda2 Genki.Tossed the bulbs out & put in Led bulbs(these were also marketed as DRL lights & a direct replacement for standard fog lights.)

  • Danstar on 07/10/2020 - 06:47

    Since last time they burnt out and found out it's very hard to change the globes myself; I try to only use them when my normal headlights aren't giving me enough light on the road.

  • Hackney on 07/10/2020 - 08:51

    It can attract a “on the spot penalty” of $112+1 demerit point.If you elect to go to court & fight it,& lose,you can then be fined up to $2,000 odd.

  • Elppa8 on 07/10/2020 - 12:23

    Some cars use the fog lights at reduced brightness as DRLs, Subaru had a model that did this.

    • Hackney on 09/10/2020 - 08:14

      Correct.

  • brad1-8tsi on 07/10/2020 - 15:13

    I use my foglights as DRLs. I adjusted the voltage to the lights down so that the globes are effectively 18watts (legal DRLs) rather than 55watts. I did it with the laptop.

    Also, they go off when the auto headlights come on but at night if the blinker is on they come on on one side if the steering angle is greater than 15 degrees.

  • Sleeqb7 on 08/10/2020 - 15:38

    As a Cerato owner, if you think the DLRs on those are bright enough to be fog lights, I think you underestimate fog lights. I have a 2019 model and they're dim.

    Fog lights would be illegal, DLRs are not. And (Speaking only from the perspective of the 2019 model) they're not bright enough to dazzle anyone other than people with light sensitivity so severe that driving at all would be out of the question.

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