Why do so many people drive around with their fog lights on all the time. If it's not foggy, then they offer no benefit to the driver. They only annoy oncoming drivers! At least Mercedes (my W124) makes it a thinkers choice that these lights are necessarily on.

....because it looks cool Cap'n! Geeze, you gotta get past this "use every function on my car only when needed" trip you're on! :p

I see these around all the time, however, I know what you mean. Although, when I'm on a narrow, dark, winding, road at night I'll often use them whether foggy or not - I just like having the sides of the road a better defined by the wide beam pattern.

Regards,
- Ryan

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'95 E420 - 'Shadowfax' 138kmi.
'92 Volvo 740Turbo Bard 193kmi
'74 240D - 'Ol' Green' 4spd Manual 104kmi. (sold )
'77 300D - 'Red' 223kmi (sold)
'75 240D - 'Bianca the Blue Bomber' (sold)

Well, if oncoming fogs are annoying to you I'd have to guess the lights are misadjusted.

I find, especially after swapping up to euro's, that the white fogs make a great set of driving lights during the early dusk. You know, that time of the evening where it's hard to see and headlights don't really light the way, well the white fogs, properly aimed, sure do illuminate the road. Plus at full on night the fogs cast a nice wide beam of light well onto the shoulder, helps to see inattentive teens and little kids playing on the highway after dark.

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Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

What is this all about?

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Tim
300CE
280SE 4.5
Sandals (size 11)

Fog lights have no functional purpose whatsoever.

They can be safely used only in fog that is so thick you shouldn't be driving anywhere. They are not great driving lights: they light up about 5 yards of road ahead, they do not shine into the distance.

The only reason they are fitted is because people think that by turning on their fog lights, everybody else is going to mistake their family saloon emerging on a wet winter's night from Tescos for Derek Bell's roaring 956 emerging in the dawn at the end of the Mulsanne straight. This is why on the recent raft of new MB models the fog lights are no longer integrated into the headlamp cluster (where they don't look as good) but have moved back to the lower grill (for the Le Mans car look).

They are a real nuisance to on-coming drivers, especially in the wet or at dusk/dawn. The real dummies are those who turn on their rear fog lights whenever the sun goes behind a cloud. Now that is dangerous.

In many countries (like the UK) it is also illegal to use fog lights (front or rear) unless visibility is reduced by fog to less than 100 yards.

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JJ Rodger
2013 G350 Bluetec
1999 SL 500
1993 E300 diesel T
1990 190

I sometimes use the rear fog light for tailgaters

Hello JJ,

I don't use my rear foglight but I was wondering how could they be a danger? It's a red light right, how could this blind someone behind you?

I'd ask JJ the same question re: rear fog lights. They're no brighter than a brake-light which is attention-grabbing, but far from blinding imo. Interesting what you say about they're illegal use tho! Is that one of those laws that is on the books, but never gets enforced, or people actually get tickets for using them?

I'll turn mine on (both front and rear) in heavy rains on the freeway when road spray from other cars can signifigantly reduce visability, or when the fog really has socked us in.

I used the fogs the other night (we've had some very foggy areas in the Puget Sound region recently), and was again glad that I had them. I heartily agree that people use them in conditions that don't bear their use, but I don't think they are useless either.

Regards,
- Ryan

__________________
'95 E420 - 'Shadowfax' 138kmi.
'92 Volvo 740Turbo Bard 193kmi
'74 240D - 'Ol' Green' 4spd Manual 104kmi. (sold )
'77 300D - 'Red' 223kmi (sold)
'75 240D - 'Bianca the Blue Bomber' (sold)

Rear fogs are downright dangerous for several reasons, especially at night and/or in the rain.

1: It is much harder to perceive brake lights coming on if the rear fog lights are already on. This is obvious. As someone has said, fog lights are just as bright as brake lights. There is already a really bright light on; a following driver's reaction to braking will inevitably be slowed. This is especially so when a vehicle has two rear fogs (and this is why most countries allow only one). On a note, it is poor driving practice to hold a vehicle on the brakes for a long period of time because it is dazzling to drivers behind, especially in these days of centre-mounted third LED brake lights.

2: In heavy traffic, a vehicle displaying fogs may appear to vehicles, say, half a mile further back to be braking. This adds to the concertina effect caused by cars being too close together.

3: A vehicle displaying rear fogs will dazzle following drivers. It will certainly dominate their attention at the expense of other road users. While you may draw attention to your own vehicle, you reduce the ability of following drivers to pay attention to the road generally. It is exactly the same as on-coming vehicles displaying full beam. Yes I can see you, but unfortunately I can't see anything else and I can't tell that you're braking quite so easily.

As to front fogs, they illuminate at most the first 5 to 10 yards ahead of the car. Travelling at 70mph, that is about one second of time. By the time you see anything that would not otherwise be illuminated, you will be past it. When used other than in fog, they serve only to increase the amount of light dazzling on-coming drivers.

I've never encountered any motoring expert who has held the view that you should use fogs at any time other than in heavy fog. As Autocar put it recently, the only danger you can cause with your fog lights is by turning them on!

People get tickets for using them in the UK, though not as often as they ought to.

We've been through this issue before: Rear fog lights

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JJ Rodger
2013 G350 Bluetec
1999 SL 500
1993 E300 diesel T
1990 190

The front fogs on my Volvo are mounted down on the airdam, a la BMW and newer MB cars.

The nice thing about them is that they provide excellent peripheral vision at night (easier to see deer and other wildlife when driving out in the country in Eastern WA).

Besides, low-beams and front fogs are just as effective at night (in the Volvo) as high beams. I usually don't even bother with the high beams unless I'm driving around on a rainy night that's completely overcast.

-Sam

Half of the peripheral illumination is in my eyes as we meet, but if it helps you see my grille better for a split second, then I guess that outweighs the danger involved, since I'm blinded and may head on you!

Gotta tellya, those foglights are really good in a snowstorm. You get 4-5 inches falling over a day and you'll be glad you have those yellow beams bouncing off the road markers.

Also when you're driving on an icy lake, they come in real handy. You really want to stay within the markers and out of the current where the ice is more likely to be thin.

Kuan

How do you get around that?

Watch the white line on the right side of the road to determine your lane position. One of the only helpful things I ever learned from a driving instructor.

See, that's not so hard.

Unless, that is, you always steer towards an oncoming car with its foglights on.....

-Sam

Wow. When I thought up this thread title I didn't realize that the dimwits would identify themselves!!:p

Hey Cap’n

Now you know the other reason to drive a SUV – so you don't have to wear at night!

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...Tracy

'00 ML320 "Casper"
'92 400E "Stella"