Does anybody else hate Bumper light abuse? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

t walgamuth · #1 02-17-2008, 09:27 PM

I get so aggrivated by all the folks who drive around with those huge bumper lights on thinking it is not like having their brights on.

If I were a cop I would be ticketing the helloutof them.

Tom W

BAVBMW · #2 02-17-2008, 09:37 PM

Bumper light?

Of what do you speak?

MV

t walgamuth · #3 02-17-2008, 09:39 PM

Those extra driving/fog lights that so many newer cars and suvs have that are mounted below the bumper in the spoiler.

Tom W

Skippy · #4 02-17-2008, 09:40 PM

I'm not sure about the legality of that. I generally don't use my fog lights unless it's actually foggy, which isn't often in most of Nevada.

DrewGerhan · #5 02-17-2008, 09:46 PM

I absolutely hate those things! Definitely distracting. I have to look away when they come by. Those newer cars ......grrr

t walgamuth · #6 02-17-2008, 11:07 PM

Grrrrrr, indeed.

Tom W

dkveuro · #7 02-17-2008, 11:33 PM

I'm often tempted to pull the plugs on them when I'm changing oil or other services....but I don't. I hate them to at night...mainly due to the fact they have been scrapped over lot's of parking blocks and don't aim correctly anymore.

They are outlawed in the UK unless there is fog or falling snow...and yes, the cops will ticket you if they see you using them in clear weather day or night.
What's more there is required to be an illuminated switch when they are on and can only be used with or without low beams....never with high in bad weather.

http://www.dadrl.org.uk/lawlightingregs.html

Also.............

Front fog lamps provide a wide, bar-shaped beam of light with a sharp cutoff at the top, and are generally aimed and mounted low.[11][12][13] They may be either white or selective yellow. They are intended for use at low speed to increase the illumination directed towards the road surface and verges in conditions of poor visibility due to rain, fog, dust or snow. As such, they are often most effectively used in place of dipped-beam headlamps, reducing the glareback from fog or falling snow, although the legality varies by jurisdiction of using front fog lamps without low beam headlamps.

Use of the front fog lamps when visibility is not seriously reduced is often prohibited (for example in the United Kingdom), as they can cause increased glare to other drivers, particularly in wet pavement conditions, as well as harming the driver's own vision due to excessive foreground illumination.[14]

The respective purposes of front fog lamps and driving lamps are often confused, due in part to the misconcepion that fog lamps are necessarily selective yellow, while any auxiliary lamp that makes white light is a driving lamp. Automakers and aftermarket parts and accessories suppliers frequently refer interchangeably to "fog lamps" and "driving lamps" (or "fog/driving lamps"). In most countries, weather conditions rarely necessitate the use of fog lamps, and there is no legal requirement for them, so their primary purpose is frequently cosmetic. They are often available as optional extras or only on higher trim levels of many cars. Studies have shown that in North America more people inappropriately use their fog lamps in dry weather than use them properly in poor weather.[15]

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mgburg · #8 02-17-2008, 11:37 PM

Tom:

I agree with you...9 out of 10 times, those things aren't even aimed properly.

What do I do?

I turn on the brights and leave 'em on...if the idiot "flashes" his brights at me (thinking that because the fogs go off and he's not using his brights (both the lights and his brains)) that I'll shut mine off...I still leave mine on...

If I'm lucky, the idiot has a significant-other, riding shotgun, that "ribs him" to turn off his fogs...

If not, it may turn out to be an idiot cop (off-duty) that's trolling for drunks...I'm not sure if that's a tactic they use or not...

So far, I've only gotten two drivers to turn off the fogs...

But, I agree that there should be a penalty concerning the use of those things when there's no fog.

dkveuro · #9 02-17-2008, 11:44 PM

I used to drive truck through Europe back in the 80's and over there most freeways are divided by an anti dazzle fence.

Cars cannot see each other on oposite sides so they often drive on high beam and with extra driving lamps. So a truck driver gets blinded due to sitting higher.

I installed a few 24 volt 100 watt pencil beam lamps to the top of the cab roof pointed slightly to the left and down a bit. When i was blinded by these morons I lit up the 100 watters...instant gratification.

I see a lot of trucks are now so fitted over there now.....guess the problem still exists.

http://www.bizbuzzmedia.com/blogs/big_lorry_blog/archive/2007/4/3.aspx

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Ara T. · #10 02-18-2008, 12:00 AM

My guess is the driver just turns all the lights on because thats what he thinks he's supposed to do, or he thinks fog lights are cool and more exclusive and wants to show them off. It seems odd but I think its true.

I'd turn on the fog lights in my mom's Miata all the time just because people dont seem to see me in that little thing.

davestlouis · #11 02-18-2008, 12:32 AM

I don't run mine because they throw so much light right in front of the car that I feel like I can't see the normal lo-beams far enough in front of me to know where the hell I'm going...curvy 2 lanes at night where there are no street lights are the exception. I turned 40 and all of a sudden can't see at night...rainy night, dark as a cave, I stay on the interstate when I can, can't tell where the lane markers are otherwise.

bob_98sr5 · #12 02-18-2008, 12:35 AM

My other love is off roading with my Toyota group, so I am very well aware of what you guys are talking about. There's several issues that are at hand:

- raised trucks: people who have any knowledge when lifting will re-aim their lights. the poser wannabe's (usually guys w/ 6" lifts) do not. so right off the bat, you are blinding people

- fog vs driving lights: people in the know will almost never put fogs on the bumper, though i have seen (and corrected online) people who do that. fogs have a spread beam whereas driving lights are like headlights. those too should be aimed. the problem too is that the lighting mfgs make both and the housings look the same

- wiring: some people choose to wire their extra lights to their high beams. big no-no because its obnoxious. so what most of us do is to wire them completely on their own circuit ONLY to be used off-road. though many state's mandate that they be wired with high beams, most of us dont

if any of you are interested, here's a writeup i did for hella 500 bumper driving lights: http://www.4runners.org/writeups/hella500 as you can see, i did the responsible thing and gave several options for wiring as well as aiming instructions

bob

t walgamuth · #13 02-18-2008, 07:08 AM

At night on a trip sometimes I make the effort to always flash my driving lights at folks running theirs. I have done this literally for hours on end. I have NEVER gotten anybody to turn theirs off.

I think folks just think they look cool and turn them on without ever thinking what it looks like to other drivers.

I am not much on draconian law enforcment but in this case I would be willing to make an exception.

Tom W

aklim · #14 02-18-2008, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

At night on a trip sometimes I make the effort to always flash my driving lights at folks running theirs. I have done this literally for hours on end. I have NEVER gotten anybody to turn theirs off.

I think folks just think they look cool and turn them on without ever thinking what it looks like to other drivers.

The word you are searching for is "Futility".

I do know that a lot of people I talk to while driving with them seem to forget they have it on. They turn it on because they want that extra few candle lights during some dark situation and forget about it. Sometimes I want to carry my deer spotting light and blast them but I know the law will frown on it so I don't.

TheDon · #15 02-18-2008, 09:10 AM

I cant stand some lights as well

a lot of non lifted SUV's and pickups seem to have lights that are not adjusted properly either or the factory lights are waay to bright

plus those damn HID's.. I cannot stand them. when ever someone is behind me with them I promptly downshift and fog them with the diesel