Rear fog light use

[Kestas]

Even after a year I'm still trying to figure out how to use all the features on my car! I've never had a car with foglights. One function of the headlight switch activates the left rear taillight so it shines brightly. When is this used?... in the fog? I've never seen a car on the road like that. (I'm not talking about the left/right park light. I'm okay with that.)

[phatryd]

Have this on my Audi. Rear fog light makes you more visible to drivers from behind. Constant brightness, not connected to brake lights. Sometimes also useful for nighttime tailgaters... the one on my Audi is very bright and very annoying to be behind.

John

[haasman]

Also the reason for only one rear fog light is so drivers behind you don't think you are applying the brakes.

Haasman

[MTI]

I thought the rear fog was only available on the euro cars. Only the driver's side has the light, so that a following car does not think that a car is coming toward him.

[Crownwayne]

when I was in England last year, I'm sure I saw cars with two fog lamps, when I asked I was told it was optional, but one is mandatory.

They are very stict about there use though, and visibilty has to be down to 100 yds I think before you are allowed to use them.

And yes, I too use them for tailgaters

Kestas, I use my front and rear fog light(s) in the '94 wagon as daytime driving lights. Too many high speed tailgaters in CT. It tends to keep people from cutting me off too. I keep a couple of spare light bulbs in the car too.

[neileg]

It is permitted to have two rear fog lights in the UK, indeed it is quite common as factory standard. One, fitted to the driver's side is mandatory. You are not allowed to use these except in fog or times of poor visibility due to rain or snow. Using them as running lights is therefore not an option.

Front fog lights can be used at any time, but only in conjuntion with headlights.

[Kestas]

Originally posted by neileg
Front fog lights can be used at any time, but only in conjuntion with headlights.

Neil, my headlight switch is designed so I can use the fog lights without the headlights. It could have been designed so fog lights could ONLY be used with headlights - but it wasn't. So I think your statement may reflect UK-specific laws. I don't know what the laws are for fog light use in the US.

[neileg]

Kestas, yes I was referring to the UK law about front foglights, not the Mercedes switching arrangements.

[blackmercedes]

Mercedes starting hooking up the rear foglights for Canadian cars sometime around 1991-1992 or so. I use mine in fog, and people tend to form a line behind me, as the light works VERY well.

The lower bumper foglights that you see on so many E30 and E36 BMW models seem to not work in fog, but the rest of the time, only. The drivers seem to be saying to us "See, I am a highly skilled European driver" but they are really coming across as "I am a moron that's trying to look cool."

Use your fog lights in the fog.

[Kestas]

Thanks John, I usually try to go out of my way to avoid looking like a moron. I'm trying to figure out which technology is useful on the car and to use it appropriately, and which technology is just for show.

During my few travels in Europe, I noticed the local cars had a "dim" setting for the headlamps. Driving in a densely populated city at night, you didn't really need full headlamp brightness to see where you're going, but the headlamps lit up enough (about parking light brightness) to let other motorists notice you on the road without blinding them. I thought it was a rather pragmatic feature. I can see how it wouldn't work in the US - too much suburbia, and too many morons who wouldn't know when to appropriately use it.

[bobbyv]

aside from driving in soup-bowl fog conditions, the rear foglamp is also extremely useful in driving rain, on the highway, especially during the day, when the glare of the road spray can really cut down your visibility from the rear.

[MTI]

Originally posted by Kestas
During my few travels in Europe, I noticed the local cars had a "dim" setting for the headlamps.

Actually, there's a 5W bulb mounted just below the halogen H4 bulb for the "City Light" since euro cars aren't wired for constant on corner markers, as in the US. It's the equivalent of "driving lights."

[Mel Weaver]

Thanks "blackmercedes" I thought it was just me. Nothing like a clear night and coming up on someone with a brake light-no... it's a fog light! on!!!
TOO COOL!
-Mel
(Caps intentional)

[neileg]

Dim Setting

In the UK and other parts of Europe, recent vehicles are fitted with what is called a dim dip. When the engine is running and the parking (side) lights are switched on, the headlamps turn on at half power. This is to prevent drivers from running with the parking lights only. With the engine off, parking lights work as normal.