Do people actually get fined for having their foglights kept on when driving? Its the law but is it actually ever enforced?
I have mine on all the time so just wondering.
Do People Get Fined for Driving with Foglights on?
kikm828 on 23/03/2022 - 00:28
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Yeah so I’m wondering are we talking stock fog lights like those on the front bumper under the headlights? Because when I think of fog lights I think of those.
Driving with a spotlight/high powered light bar on urban roads sounds like a very dumb idea and that kind of thing should be fined.
Driving with a spotlight/high powered light bar on urban roads sounds like a very dumb idea and that kind of thing should be fined.
I use my light bar on urban roads a lot. Only on high beam, only when no traffic or pedestrians headed towards me. Lights up the road really well, provides good even light spread unlike the headlights that have uneven throw due to lens design.
@Euphemistic: But it can still be dangerous to others. I'm not saying you use it without extreme caution, but in urban areas by definition, even at 3am, there can be people that could be blinded. They can trip, fall, crash… end up under their wheelie bin, or down the steps or gutter, none of which you knew were there, as they were too far off, and in the dark, when you hit the switch.
A less intense lamp reduces this risk a lot. I have after-market mini-light bars, and even on country roads they impact oncoming traffic far more than high beams do, so even sub-second delay on the switch-stalk can be critical for their vision if the road is bad, etc.
Naturally also increased vision can lead to a driver feeling it is ok/safe to proceed at a faster speed on our more poor/marginal, unlit roads. It may be more effective, but the downsides can be blinded traffic atop crests and coming out of corners.
there can be people that could be blinded.
Maybe but if you’ve had your lights on for a while it gives them time to look away or stop. It’s worst for them if you’ve just flicked them on.
At the end of the day seeing where you are pointing a couple of tonnes of metal is pretty important.
Front fog lights I don't really have a problem with - it's the rear fog that is literally blinding on a lot of cars because it's directed right in your face, and without foggy conditions there's nothing to diffuse it.
I drive with them on because I'm a flog.
I have a 90s Japanese 'sports' car, they aim low and don't dazzle and I like how it looks.Never been flashed by anyone for them, have had one ticket years ago for it
Is what it is. If they don't aim wide and low, I wouldn't run them.
and I like how it looks.
How can you see what it looks like when you are driving?
Because I've driven friends cars when they've driven mine?
But when you're driving you can't see how it looks, so how does it impact you one way or another?
@John Kimble: Because I like how my car looks, and I like how I feel in my car.
Why do people dress nicely, or obnoxiously? Because it allows them to express themselves
@John Kimble: I mean modifying cars isn't exactly logical haha.
My car is too low etc etc, but again I try to keep it safe, even if not legal, while not negatively impacting other people.
@bhubb18: but it’s illegal, what part of that word do you not understand.I will help you because I am in a generous mood today! I IleGaLl! I do understand that you may be under the ‘IQ’ threshold, but it is very easy to understand, even for a simpleton like yourself!We are all here to help you through this!
Good for you. I honestly don’t get the hate against fog lights. Other issues like people not driving with headlights on, having their headlights angled too high and having headlights that are extremely bright are much worse than someone driving with fog lights on.
Thats my mentality on it. I know its illegal, if I get a ticket thats on me, and I try to make it not unsafe for others.
Plenty of worse things out there haha.
Can't say I've been annoyed by front fog lamps, but cars with rear fog lamps turned on - they give me a headache if I pull up to the lights behind one (my car is not tall).
Hey OP, what sort of car do you have?
By the lack of response by the op I'm thinking this is a troll post.
Their fog lights are on but nobody is at home?
I got pulled over for accidentally having them on once. got away with a warning, I think the cop just felt sorry for me as I had mother, sister, wife and grandmother in car all trying to chastise me as they thought I must have been speeding or something.
I've been fined for it.
I was using them as DRLs, which they seem quite suitable for, but not according to the law.
No they aren't dangerous, they are dimmer and aimed low than low beams, so if driving with lights on in the daytime is a good thing I don't see why front fog lights isn't.Rear fog lights are bright and dangerous and shouldn't be used when not foggy.
Also stop trying to pretend they don't look cool, of course they do.
17 year old P plater on aus study. I was polite to the officer, said sorry I didn't know. He gave me a ticket anyway "lights to dazzle" it said.
The law is the law enforced.
I personally have no issue with others putting on their fog lights, even the brighter ones never seem to be an eye strain. It's the blinding headlights or those aimed slightly up and into everyone's eyes who drives past are the real issue.
I notice usually only people with shit cars drive with their fog lights on
AKA ‘fully sic’ Commy drivers!
A friend was doing some driver training and there was police in attendance. They looked at the car, joked they were going to fine the instructor for having their fog lights on and the instructor referenced the new DRL laws permitting them as a safety item regarding visibility (Volvo had these 40 years ago, who would have known).
QLD Vehicle Standards Instruction which differentiates between fog lights (bright, designed for visibility in fog (duh)) and DRL's (less bright, designed to increase safety/awareness) - https://www.publications.qld.gov.au/ckan-publications-attach…
Fog lights might be designed to be bright to be seen, but they are to be aimed low, no more than 5degree upwards according to the link. They are aimed low so as not to illuminate the fog to much which just blinds everyone.
The Volvo 240 series had them in the 1980’s.It is law in the Nordic countries to have lights on 24/7.
I couldn't care less if people want to have their front fog lights on. They're designed to be pointed downwards anyway.
It's the blinding rear, red fog lights which really piss me off
The red one on 90s Hyundai Excels used to give me a headache they were so bright. But when you're in fog the danger of being slammed into from behind by someone with better visibility (like tall 4WDs or buses) or who has better lights, is real. So overtake, or fall behind more.
I will never understand why these people go to the hassle of turning on the fog lights and turning them off manually every time they drive.
Um… because they're not needed when there's no fog?
Are you OK? That's exactly what I'm implying. Fog lights must be turned on manually so why do they bother turning it on every time they get in the car. Not like it serves any purpose on a normal clear day.
Gosh.. people are dumb…
Some of them can be left in the on position and come on with lights.
@Euphemistic: I had a Calais many years ago that did that - didn't realise they were still on a couple weeks after using them until I was pulled over by the police and given a friendly warning. Wasn't intentional - when I see fog lights on the first thought going through my mind is why not turn on your wipers as well to finish the look :)
Fog lights must be turned on manually so why do they bother turning it on every time they get in the car.
Because it's foggy?
@spaceflight: Ok genius. Now go to a thread on using foglight under foggy conditions because this thread is not it lol
go to a thread on using foglight under foggy conditions because this thread is not it.
Isn't it?
The thread is called Do People Get Fined for Driving with Foglights on?There is no mention of conditions so people can turn their fog lights on when it is foggy.
In someone's words who is clearly much smarter than everyone else
Gosh.. people are dumb…
@spaceflight: Haha you have proven you are.
There is no fine for driving with fog lights on when it's foggy or under heavy rainYes people are dumb
It’s illegal. Stop being a knob.
Plenty of sensible things are made illegal by pen pushing knobs.
But is this one of them?
OP is a troll from the 90s when flogs driving around with fogs was a thing.
Floglights
Back in my 20's I used to think fog lights looked awesome to run at night. You have 4 lights at the front instead of 2.
Got followed home by the cops one night, got a nice fine for running them when there was no fog.
Never did it again.
My camry has a couple of lights underneath my headlights (closer to the ground), what are they? I presume they arent fog lights as they dont really seem to show much besides the immediate ground in front of me.
You just described fog lights. If they’re independently switched they are very likely fog lights.
I cant see them bothering anyone, I have tried them on and off (they do have a separate switch to turn them on) and they really cant affect people, being so low down near the ground. I see some cars with them on and others without them on but never realised it was illegal to drive with them on. If I flick them on, then from then on they turn on and off with my regular headlights. So once they are set on, they then link up to the regular headlights.
but they're not aimed at the ground like normal low beam headlights are and on suvs and trucks and shit it sits a lot higher
@[Deactivated]: Maybe mine are aimed differently (old car 2003)? When I tried mine, they dont seem to provide much light that far in front of the car, and more seemed very low. What are those sets of lights some large 4WDs have above the headlights / or even on the roof etc? I presume they arent fog lights?
@lonewolf: Fog lights will be in the bottom of the bumper and point low. They are designed to send light ‘under’ the fog.
Anything mounted above headlights is a spotlight/driving light and designed to be super bright and spread out wide or long with the side effect of shining up as well these should only be activated with high beam. Not sure if it’s legal to have roof mounted light on when on public roads.
Cops in Sydney have their fog lights on don't they?
The two additional lights under their headlights. Basically another set of headlights. Don' think I've ever seen a cop car without 4 lights in past couple of years.
It helps me identify whenever a cop might be behind me…
Who is actually bothered by them? And who is bothered by fogs but not DTRs?
To me lights on other vehicles are usually a good thing. Except I've been behind a Ute with a rear HID LED for god knows what reason and that thing was blinding even in the middle of the day.Yeah exactly… on one hand we have simpletons flashing their lights demanding we turn our headlights on at 4pm while it's still daylight because the sun is behind them. But otoh we can't turn fog lights on that improve visibility by lighting up the road below the fog so other cars entering the fog don't slam into us from behind.
Are foglights the same as high beams?
No
They are the opposite
What cars even have foglights these days?
I remember the old Excel's with the foglight on the back…
Most euro's still have a single fog light on the back. Both of my cars have fog lights on the front (on the VW they also act as cornering lights which is pretty handy) - Not sure on the legality of the fog light coming on, on one side only whenever turning at low speed into a side road or driveway - but that's what they do, its a pretty handy feature for people with poor night vision (like me).
Most euros have two, only cheap/old ones have one. VAG continued the tradition too long, like people wanted just one. There are some that only have one reverse light even.
Nowadays, it costs the same, and mostly they've gotten over themselves.
Lol… of course fog lights are illegal… after all, they make driving safer and government can't have that now can they. I used to have a car with fog lights. One afternoon there was so much unexpected fog in a slight valley I couldn't see even a meter ahead in a 90km/h zone. I had to drive so slow there was a real danger of someone entering the fog or with better lights slamming into me from behind. I turned the fog lights on and visibility went up to about 7m and I could do 40km/h instead of 5km/h. Useless government pen pushers solve about half of dangerous situations by creating about 50% more dangerous ones.
But what you've described is what they are intended and legally allowed to be used for?
Have you lost it? They are not illegal to use when there is fog. You whinge about the law then you talk about how it improves visibility in fog? Nothing you post makes sense lol
The best are those bellends that drive at night with only their fog lights on
Seen plenty of these idiots
Honestly I don't see the point of fog lights, they're piss weak and they've never assisted in improving visibility during fog. I think they're just there to look cool and for placebo.
I note that are commenters here complaining about other drivers leaving their fog lights on, as it allegedly dazzles them? How in the world do you get dazzled by fog lights, as the lights are aiming directly at the ground and the fog light beam is not directed at a height that dazzles other road users. Rear fog lights are another matter, but luckily they're extremely rare.
Some people have installed fog lights with illegal bulbs.
Normally they don't dazzle.
in my experience its only the pre vy commodores that had the blinding fog lights, anything newer than that ive never seen any issues with. every car ive owned with foggies installed ive left on, purely because i like the aesthetics of them and have seen them from an oncoming view to confirm they dont 'dazzle'
its the morons who go and put ultra bright led's in their vy commodores that blind people
Fog lights can actually reduce your night vision. The provide additional light too close to the vehicle and your eyes adjust by allowing less light in. Ergo you can’t see as far.
They do bugger all in fog, I used to drive trucks interstate. The best is incandescent bulbs on high beam
No sure why you're getting negged on this, the home LED conversions which scatter the light into oncoming drivers eyes are the worst!
ive just come to accept there are quite a few 'special' members on ozbargain :)
They don't look cool, they just make you look like a wannabe rally driver
there are many people out there that aspire to be rally drivers then!
Here’s one. I prefer to show off my rally skills with Scandinavian flick turns rather than fog lights though.
Yes you do if the police can be bothered.
I got warned once while driving down Mount Buller. Forgot to turn it off and got pulled over.
Rear fog lights deserve a fine. I don't think a lot of people get fined for them though.
Take my upvote, every single one should be fined. Only exception is torrential rain going at 110km/h which I’ve experienced twice in 15 years, normally chuck on the hazards as well in that scenario.
Why would you drive 110 in torrential rain?
Probably should have clarified 110 freeway speed, although I’m not going at 110 I can’t count out others.
Not all of us are aryton senna :(
Op, did it ever cross your mind why it's the law or are you only concerned about how likely you are to get fined?
You don't want that car crash that killed 2 kids because you dazzled the driver to be on your conscience do you?You might have seen me coming the other way. I'm the guy with 2 light Bars and 4 spotties that I turn on for foglight drivers.
Well you’re more of a douche than the fog light drovers then.
Getting your passenger to point a green laser at those drivers might be more constructive….
Do People Get Fined for Driving with Foglights on?
Yep.
Yes, and my Mum almost got fined for her DRL's which look like fog lights, only got out of it because she challenged the cop to turn them off.
Stupid people do stupid things, can't change them can only educate them as best we can.
Read the road rules book and familiarise yourself with what is EXPECTED from you when driving on public roads.
Read the Road Fines list of things you will be fined and familiarise yourself with the costs.If you're driving with with fog lights on because you can see better at night, you should take a taxi or catch public transport instead of driving.
I love the idiots in the last generation base model mercedes with the rear fog lights on. more lights = cooler
Most of them don't realise that it's on though. Tbh it makes you look like you have a burnt out brake light.
I hope you do get a fine I bet you also drive with your high beam. Maybe you should just use a bicycle since it’s obvious you don’t know how to drive a car
I got a fine for having fog lights on a country highway, revenue raising at it's finest.
Was it foggy?
Have you ever been on a country highway at night…
Yes I have
Sometimes it's foggy and sometimes it's not.
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If they are being blinded, then it’s a driving light, spotlight or very badly adjusted fog light. Fog lights point low.