"Always On" driving/fog lights

HiRAEdd · Post by **HiRAEdd** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 10:21 am

I was thinking about getting my fog lights wired up so that they rely on the key being in the ignition to work. That way if the dashboard switch is on and the key is in (or engine running), they will be on but when I remove the key, they will turn off automatically. Basically the same as motorcyles do so you can have a headlight on during night or day and not have to worry about accidently leaving it on or having to turn it on everytime you hop in the car.
Anyone see a problem with doing this?

Hyper · Post by **Hyper** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 9:23 pm

The only problem i can see here would be the legality issue: around my area the cops are drilling us for driving through town with our fog lights on, even at night. Apparently, if the current driving conditions dont call for fog lamps, ie: there isnt any fog/rain, then its illegal to use them.

Post by **smorison** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 10:12 pm

Hyper wrote:The only problem i can see here would be the legality issue: around my area the cops are drilling us for driving through town with our fog lights on, even at night. Apparently, if the current driving conditions dont call for fog lamps, ie: there isnt any fog/rain, then its illegal to use them.

that is the technical side...

however if you want to do it i don't see why not... increased visibility is a great thing

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 10:40 pm

If you want to get technical the FTO has driving lights not fog lights.

If they emit a yellow light they are "fog lights" and if they emit a white light they are "driving lights".

Yellow light penetrates fog but is not very good for night vision. White light is good for driving at night but is useless in fog as it reflects back. So the main difference between "fog lights" and "driving lights" is the colour of the bulb / light.

Bluntman · Post by **Bluntman** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 11:49 pm

Yes it is illegal to have fog or driving lights on unless the weather conditions are unfavourable, such as fog, heavy rain etc.

Normal driving lights are fine in fog, the lower the better as the fog reflects light back.

thecook · Post by **thecook** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 12:23 am

my fto came with fog lights, they are not white, they are YELLOW, and i know another member who has YELLOW fog lights...

MADFTO · Post by **MADFTO** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 10:24 am

Clarification for you all.

Using Driving/Fog lights during clear conditions is illegal in NSW.

I don't know in other states but in VIC, it is perfectly fine to have them on during clear weather.

Only problem I have with this are bloody Excel and BMW drivers who have their rear fog lights on at night, talk about glare =)

HiRAEdd · Post by **HiRAEdd** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 12:13 pm

That's just silly. There are plenty of drivers that have their headlights on during the day for enhanced saftey and I think driving lights are even better as they are generally low to the ground so there's even less distraction from glare.
I think for now I've decided just to manually turn them on when I'm driving and off when I get out. It's not like I can forget with the headlight warning tone.
Of course there is one disadvantage. The stereo and climate control displays dim when the headlights are on making it really difficult to see the display during the day, even worse if there's any glare coming through any of the windows.

As a past Excel owner, I can say that rear fog light is just about the most useless feature imaginable (I never used it) and annoying to anyone behind you if you ever use it.

MADFTO · Post by **MADFTO** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 12:29 pm

The problem with driving/fog lights are that they are pointed directly ahead, they generally have no cutoff and they aren't dipped towards the ground. The possiblity for glare is there, I'm guessing that's why they've outlawed their usage in NSW.

HiRAEdd · Post by **HiRAEdd** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 1:09 pm

I assume it would be the same down south, but driving lights during the day time are becoming quite commonplace in Brisbane. Obviously it's mainly on newer cars but there's more and more on the roads.
I think I'll keep doing it until I get told otherwise, personally, I believe it improves my safety on the road.

On an entirely different note, I'm now an Apprentice on the forum, YAY ME!

Jono · Post by **Jono** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 1:29 pm

would places without street lights be ok to use Driving lights?

GWIDO · Post by **GWIDO** » Mon Sep 13, 2004 1:41 pm

Well its illegal over here in the west too...
The main reason as you guys have noted is the glare. You can imagine your driving lights as being spot lights, used where you require extra light without the possability of annoying anyone.
Up to a few years back they used to differentiate, upto 55W was driving lights and OK almost everywhere except the middle of the city, over that is spot lights and you cant use them in a built up area at all. Now the latter applies to both.
Just for interests sake, have any of you ever been glared by another car which has had its fog lights on? Usually you just flash the guy cause you reckon he's got his high beams on right... so why do you wanna do it to others?
Driving lights are for on the highway, where there are very few street lights, not around the suburbs where they shine in peoples windows, stir the neighbours dog up and blind oncoming traffic...
BTW I got 'asked' by a copper to turn mine off one night... and i thought they were hidden cause of where they are, but from a distance they stand out like a sore thumb...

rxboy · Post by **rxboy** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 11:50 pm

I always turn my driving lights on when it's cloudy or rainy during the daytime. I think of it as a safety precaution because I drive a black car. Being the most unsafe colour because of visibility, I would rather give people something extra to look at. And I have never been pulled over by the cops for having them on day or night, but that might be cos I'm in VIC.

Also I've got my blue windscreen washer jets wired to the driving lights. Must look really weird having them on in broad daylight

Boris · Post by **Boris** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 9:44 am

It's strange this topic, I always have my driving lights on every time my headlights are are on, without them it feel very bare I must say...

Sure they distribute a lot of light to various angles (even perpindicular to my car) but still I woundn't say it's enough to blind anyone.

I have been doing this for 5 months now, and have been by many cops and even an inspection whilst they were on, maybe the laws are different down in the hole?

Like seriously this is a stupid law, I would completely understand if they were bright, and effecting other motorists, I think they should just go on the brightness/glare factor, as my driving lights don't produce dangerous situations for other motorists, my gf would tell me cos sometimes I follow her from work at night. I donno

HiRAEdd · Post by **HiRAEdd** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 10:42 am

I guess it depends on the car but the FTO's driving lights are only a few inches from the ground and they spread light at pretty much ground level. I would find it very hard to believe that they throw enough light up to other drivers eye level to cause distraction.

Ther · Post by **Ther** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 12:19 pm

i agree.. i have been pulled over for rbt's driven behind and next to cop with my foggers on and nothing ..no questions or remarks...
maybe they can be illegal if the bulb is changed to a white/blue bulb which is much brighter than the stock yellow...( yellow being for fog).
well thats what my experience has been

Bluntman · Post by **Bluntman** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 4:24 pm

It all comes down to the cops who are pulling you over, some, like highway will rip your car to pieces if they want to....
Its all about the attitude test, be nice to them, they'll be nice to you.

paladin · Post by **paladin** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 5:32 pm

god damn this is dumb... in canada and parts of america they ahve found having your headlights or driving light on actually decresses the liklyhood of an accedent, particurly in the msot common area of head on!

as for the FTO... i dunno about you but my driving lights are so dim that other then a small glow on the front of the car they do sfa ! just like driving lights are ment to! there on the car TO provide visability IN daylight situations TO prevent accedents

any google search for driving lights safty and acedents will show you lots of research and actuall testing that proves this to be effective.

i thought the law was only agaisnt high beams and fog lights because they are very bright and can make it hard to see for other drivers. this i can understand!

Boris · Post by **Boris** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 6:34 pm

When I had my previous car, I bough some very bright yellow fog lights for it, which were 65w, I think like most of the people are saying, it's only the very bright lights that you will get pulled over, especially if they are fog lights (yellow)... Cos I did get a warning for having those lights on...

And sometimes if high powered fog lights aren't hooked up through your high beam then they may get you for that too, but that doesn't apply to our lights.