FOG LIghts ON BA XR6

[RedFord05]

I nearly was busted by the NSW Police driving through Queanbeyan last night. My "Fog" Lights, which I thought were actually driving lights, are not supposed to be on when there is no fog. I never thought that these lights were only for "Fog" as I have seen many other XR6 & XR8 owners with them on during the night and in low light, no fog about, so I didn't give it a second thought. They don't interfere with other drivers as they are not high beam but this is the NSW Road rules we are talking about. Luckily I pleaded my ignorance and didn't speak back like I usually would have as I avoided a $75 fine.

What do all think? Is this the law in other Australian States? I think the police were just being picky and trying to show how tough they were. His mate tapped on the passenger side window and made my wife get out the owners manual and said to look up fog lights where it describes the function of these lights and to ensure that I knew what to see on my dashboard to know they were on and the Police Officer said "Fog is that fluffy white stuff"

The manual doesn't actually say the lights can't be used under other circumstances or at night time.

[AUXRVIII]

It's an owners manual, not laws of the road. I bet it also doesn't tell you not to speed.
Why do you need to drive around with the fog lights on? I personally find it annoying due to the increased glare I get from the oncoming vehicle.
Damn things should be banned if you ask me.

[Zephyr]

They don't help you see any better, so why have them on in the first place?

[RedFord05]

I just looked up the Road Users Handbook

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/licensing/...uh_english.pdf

Doesn't mention anything about fog lights or driving lights or when they should or shouldn't be turned on.

Yes I realise that it's the owners manual and not a rule book , there is no need to be patronising. I am just pointing this out.

Originally Posted by AUXRVIII

Why do you need to drive around with the fog lights on?

Not to sound patronising, the obvious answer would be to have higher visibility in fog and smoke conditions

[Des]

I think the rule is number 217 (the rules on lights starts around there somewhere) in most states. You'll find that you're only allowed to use them in most states during low visibility situations, e.g. rain, fog, snow, smoke or dust. I also use them at all times on the side streets around here as there are a lot of pets and children here and it seems every house has a car parked in the gutter. The street lighting around here isn't the best either....I reckon I could argue the point with the police over that and probably get through okay, but, if you use them in clear weather situations, you run the risk of getting a fine.

P.S I've noticed a lot of Camry's using them lately! Bloody bowling set!

[Sorted]

I thought it was illegal in all states to drive around with Driving Lights on during night or day unless you have high beam on.

And at one time you couldnt have Driving Lights fitted on you car unless they only came on with your High Beam.

Fog Lights are a different story - apparently to be used in Fog.

Seems 24 hours 7 days a week its foggy in all states :

[The G6ET Spot]

Originally Posted by Towle

I just looked up the Road Users Handbook

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/licensing/...uh_english.pdf

Doesn't mention anything about fog lights or driving lights or when they should or shouldn't be turned on.

Yes I realise that it's the owners manual and not a rule book , there is no need to be patronising. I am just pointing this out.

Not to sound patronising, the obvious answer would be to have higher visibility in fog and smoke conditions

I think you better have another look at the link that YOU put up. On page 101 and have a look under Fog lights and it says that fog lights are not to be used unless it is foggy or dust or very low visibility.Not to sound patronising either but I think you should learn your road rules before driving a car. Common sense really.

[RedFord05]

Originally Posted by RAPID XR8

I think you better have another look at the link that YOU put up. On page 101 and have a look under Fog lights and it says that fog lights are not to be used unless it is foggy or dust or very low visibility.Not to sound patronising either but I think you should learn your road rules before driving a car. Common sense really.

I never knew they were fog lights to begin with. Maybe I should have read the manual beforehand from from to back would be your comeback , in hinesight, this is all very well but we are all human , something you seem to miss. Go on rub it in more !!

I was always under the impression that fog lights were "yellow" in colour. I doubt very much you know all the road rules yourself from memory.

AFAIK they were 'driving' lights only know after it was pointed out to me by a Police Officer. As I said previously many other drivers aren't aware of this "rule" so I am not the only one out there , just drive down any highway at night time in perfect weather and see for yourself.

[AUXRVIII]

Obviously you may have them on when it's foggy etc, but why do you need them on when it's not foggy?

[RedFord05]

Originally Posted by AUXRVIII

Obviously you may have them on when it's foggy etc, but why do you need them on when it's not foggy?

I thought (wrongly) they provided a greater visibility for myself and other road users at night. I also saw many other cars, not only Fords XR's but other models using them at night as well. So excuse me if I had a reasonable thought that they may be OK to use at night !

[AnthonyQLD]

I dont think there are any laws about them in QLD not sure about other states. I dont care if people have them on, they dont bother me unless the person has put brighter globes in them.

[Free347]

Originally Posted by AnthonyQLD

I dont think there are any laws about them in QLD not sure about other states. I dont care if people have them on, they dont bother me unless the person has put brighter globes in them.

Same/similar laws in Qld also. Personally I hate them being used when not necessary, especially by 4wd's where the mounted position is higher.

[Gimmers55]

This topic has been done and dusted. In summary: different states = different laws. Australian Road Rules (supposed to be common across all states) do not specifically restrict the use of fog lights although this may change in the future. NSW rules do restrict their use. VIC, ACT (and I believe QLD) don't. Fog lights, if fitted correctly and conforming to design standards, should not dazzle any on coming driver as they are not designed to emit light out to a distance. For those wishing to be seen (for safety not ego purposes) fill your boots.

Scopes under; diving deep.

[WILDTRAKPX2]

You beauty, another fog light thread!

[b2tf]

Oh FFS this is almost as good as the stripes on non GT's thread. Can we just get over it before Keepleft logs on.

[Wokkas]

Mate, you were lucky. I got done in Cowra last year on the Bathurst weekend. $75.

When I got home to Adelaide, I made some genuine enquiries, and was told the same thing by the RAA and several solicitors- it's not a state law, it's one of the new Australian Road Rules. Except I couldn't find it in these rules.

Originally Posted by Shockwave XR8

You beauty, another fog light thread!

Exactly

Originally Posted by b2tf

Oh FFS this is almost as good as the stripes on non GT's thread. Can we just get over it before Keepleft logs on.

And let the fun begin :nutsycuck

[ToxikXR]

Originally Posted by Shockwave XR8

You beauty, another fog light thread!

Haha too right..

Your car do what you want..

[RedFord05]

Originally Posted by Gimmers55

This topic has been done and dusted. In summary: different states = different laws. Australian Road Rules (supposed to be common across all states) do not specifically restrict the use of fog lights although this may change in the future. NSW rules do restrict their use. VIC, ACT (and I believe QLD) don't. Fog lights, if fitted correctly and conforming to design standards, should not dazzle any on coming driver as they are not designed to emit light out to a distance. For those wishing to be seen (for safety not ego purposes) fill your boots.

Scopes under; diving deep.

The rules seem to conflict then by what you have just said, I wonder if that would be a defence?

[schmidty]

I live in the country and on my BA they make a very noicable difference lighting up the sides of the road. Good for spotting wild life a little sooner and clearer. I also live in a very foggy area and after trying them on and off in the fog they honestly are almost worse on in the fog than off. The driving lights on other XRs, SS, FPV, etc dont bother me, its only when some tool leaves their yellow ones on in clear conditions.

[Orbit]

hmmm....I doubt very much the effectiveness you guys are claiming your factory foglights are having. Aside from the fact it adds more glare, makes it harder for the oncoming traffic...etc etc....when in fog they are designed to be use with just your parkers PM me and i'll explain more.

It is plain dangerous to use them at night esp on a dark highway with oncoming traffic (unless conditions dictate otherwise)

the beam pattern of your fog lights WILL NOT allow you more reaction time to prevent hitting animals kids etc etc. Say your doing 100kph thats 100m every 4 seconds or 28meters per second.....your typical fog beam is good for 30m max and i mean at absoulute maximum, your reaction time plus distance it takes to stop.....basicaly you'll just be able to see what ever your going to hit better even at 40kph. (useing them at night will destroy your effective "night vision" in clear condtions anyway)

Yes it is ILLEGAL to use them in fine conditions, yes it is ILLEGAL to use them at night in clear conditions. For ever good reasons, as stated it adds more strain to the oncoming traffic etc etc.

ORB

[schmidty]

Originally Posted by Orbit

hmmm....I doubt very much the effectiveness you guys are claiming your factory foglights are having. Aside from the fact it adds more glare, makes it harder for the oncoming traffic...etc etc....when in fog they are designed to be use with just your parkers PM me and i'll explain more.

It is plain dangerous to use them at night esp on a dark highway with oncoming traffic (unless conditions dictate otherwise)

the beam pattern of your fog lights WILL NOT allow you more reaction time to prevent hitting animals kids etc etc. Say your doing 100kph thats 100m every 4 seconds or 28meters per second.....your typical fog beam is good for 30m max and i mean at absoulute maximum, your reaction time plus distance it takes to stop.....basicaly you'll just be able to see what ever your going to hit better even at 40kph. (useing them at night will destroy your effective "night vision" in clear condtions anyway)

Yes it is ILLEGAL to use them in fine conditions, yes it is ILLEGAL to use them at night in clear conditions. For ever good reasons, as stated it adds more strain to the oncoming traffic etc etc.

ORB

Mate you can throw all the numbers you like at me but i'll still say that from real world experience they do help at night on back country roads. Who said i'm doing 100? When driving through certain areas near me where you expect to see wildlife if a kangaroo is in the middle of the road requiring you to stop it will be seen in your headlights. I'm more saying they help spot things that could end up in your path but gives you a little more time to react and swerve etc. Last night for instance, around 20 black cows on the side of a dirt road amongst trees that i think i would have had a great deal spotting driving something with lesser lighting. Honestly dud is you turn the lights and driving lights on on a BA and stand in front of it the driving lights are no different to look at than the head lights in brightness and glare. Get your eyes tested if you are experiencing such problems with glare at night. If people had heir lights properly adjusted and with the correct globes there should not be any problems. I find most au headlights among the brightest and giving the most glare in oncoming traffic. BA's never bothered me. Try having a 100 series cruiser coming towards your with headlights not adjusted properly! Plenty worse than any driving lights.

[Orbit]

my point was it added unnecessary glare.
I didn't say they were useless i just noted the floors and common misconceptions. If you have light close to your eye....you pupils contract....reducing your long night vision, of course there are numerous stories and accounts about "fog" light being worth their weight in gold, but in general better night driving beam patterns are obtained without turning them on.
my last 2cents is that if you drive on country roads at night the best money you can spend is in a set of good driving lights.

[schmidty]

Originally Posted by Orbit

my point was it added unnecessary glare.
I didn't say they were useless i just noted the floors and common misconceptions. If you have light close to your eye....you pupils contract....reducing your long night vision, of course there are numerous stories and accounts about "fog" light being worth their weight in gold, but in general better night driving beam patterns are obtained without turning them on.
my last 2cents is that if you drive on country roads at night the best money you can spend is in a set of good driving lights.

Definately see what you're saying. I always wondered what the effectiveness of your night vision is like when you're making the road in front of you as bright as possible anyway? And thats a genuine question. Would your night vision adapt better on high or low beam? Are you better off to have your night eyes working better or just have vegas bright lights?

[1TUFFUTE]

Originally Posted by schmidty

I live in the country and on my BA they make a very noicable difference lighting up the sides of the road. Good for spotting wild life a little sooner and clearer. I also live in a very foggy area and after trying them on and off in the fog they honestly are almost worse on in the fog than off. The driving lights on other XRs, SS, FPV, etc dont bother me, its only when some tool leaves their yellow ones on in clear conditions.

they deffinately have their uses,pros an cons

[Smoke Pursuit]

Orb as you say fog light beam is good for 30 m around the front of the car. As far as im concerned case closed, they are the same wattage as the headlights in the BA, they have the glare shield on them and are ADR complaint. The VX - VY Holden SS ones were not ADR Complaint and had no protective shield over the bulb, whereas the VZ's infact do have ADR complaint foglamps.

I seriously think they are a good idea, they dont bother me at all!

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by LSTerritoryGhia

The VX - VY Holden SS ones were not ADR Complaint and had no protective shield over the bulb, whereas the VZ's infact do have ADR complaint foglamps.

Brand bias aside, I HATE the foggies on SS's. They are BY FAR the brightest bloody things out there and they annoy the hell out of me.

Apart from them though I have no problem with people driving with their foggies.

[NA XR6]

Do not use them unless its FOGGY!!!!!!!!!!

[dute]

I have been done by the NSW boys in blue, $125, for using fog lights on in town when no for about, I did happen to say to the nice bloke in blue that I could see fog on the inside of my glasses, but he didn't see the funny side of that, so bugger him and all his mates for not having a sence of humour.

[Full Noise]

Here we go again. One of the most divisive issues on AFF rears its ugly head again. Hopefully this thread will be closed before it tuns into a five page slanging match.

[LTDHO]

Those who have them, will justify them.
I don't.
When I use the folks Territory the lights are on when there is no traffic around only. This is because i hate seeing oncoming traffic with them on.

It comes down to road courtesy!