Legality Of Using Fog Lamps

[LOCKE]

Years ago in my boy racer life when you drove around you put your fog lights on because it was cool to do so (20 years ago if you had fog lamps you had a cool car!) even in the summer. If you were unlucky to get caught you would receive a fine. Now that I'm older I only use them when it is foggy but more and more I'm seeing these cars with cornering lights that seem to use the fog lamps. So you steer left and the left fog light comes on etc. Has the law changed or are these specific cornering lights and if so what makes them different?

 

[Lewjew]

My older brother told me that it was cool to drive around with the front fogs on, so whenever I have my lights on I also put the front fogs on. I've been doing it for around 2/3 years now and have never been pulled over by the police for it. So either the laws have changed or they aren't very strict with them

 

[sevenfourate]

Years ago in my boy racer life when you drove around you put your fog lights on because it was cool to do so (20 years ago if you had fog lamps you had a cool car!) even in the summer. If you were unlucky to get caught you would receive a fine. Now that I'm older I only use them when it is foggy but more and more I'm seeing these cars with cornering lights that seem to use the fog lamps. So you steer left and the left fog light cones on etc. Has the law changed or are these specific cornering lights and if so what makes them different?

Interested in this.

And just lol @ "20 years ago if you had fog lamps you had a cool car" Think it took me 5 cars to work my way up to something with foglights. You knew you had something sporty back then if it came with foglights as standard.

Saved you bolting some aftermarket lights under / ontop of the front bumper to try to pep up the front end looks........

 

[Micah]

I knew I had made it in life when I got my 5GTT with fogs in the front bumper. That was truly a defining moment at the age of 19!

 

[LOCKE]

My Fiesta XR2 had 'driving lights'. Had to wait until I got my XR2i to get fog lamps. Although in between these cars I had a Nova GTE which had 3 spoke alloys as standard which was cooler than fog lamps!

 

[Big Ben]

I knew I had made it in life when I got my 5GTT with fogs in the front bumper. That was truly a defining moment at the age of 19!

I was the same age @Micah when I got my 5gtt

I also changed my fogs from yellow to clear as the modifying bug took hold...!

 

[Micah]

I was the same age @Micah when I got my 5gtt

I also changed my fogs from yellow to clear as the modifying bug took hold...!

Nooooo! The yellow lamps were what made it! God I miss that car - but not working under the bonnet, that was like trying to solve 50 Rubik cubes with hands made of jelly and no eyes!

 

[Chris]

My older brother told me that it was cool to drive around with the front fogs on, so whenever I have my lights on I also put the front fogs on. I've been doing it for around 2/3 years now and have never been pulled over by the police for it. So either the laws have changed or they aren't very strict with them

Please don't it's very distracting to oncoming vehicles....


It really winds me up when people drive around with fogs on, they are brighter than drls and just annoying..

 

[sevenfourate]

Nooooo! The yellow lamps were what made it! God I miss that car - but not working under the bonnet, that was like trying to solve 50 Rubik cubes with hands made of jelly and no eyes!

Glad i wasnt alone ! I seem to remember buying a tin of Yellow fog- tint and painting mine.......

 

[Big Ben]

Glad i wasnt alone ! I seem to remember buying a tin of Yellow fog- tint and painting mine.......

Yellow was original... that had to be changed to anything but

 

[sevenfourate]

Yellow was original... that had to be changed to anything but

Probably different back then, as your older than me.........

 

[Big Ben]

Haha
I'm not sure yellow would've suited??

Excuse the wander(slightly) off topic!

 

[LOCKE]

Please don't it's very distracting to oncoming vehicles....


It really winds me up when people drive around with fogs on, they are brighter than drls and just annoying..

Seriously? Some of these Xenon and LED running lights are mega bright and blinding. At least fog lamps are down low.

 

[LOCKE]

So back on topic does anyone know if it's legal or not these days?

 

[Jimmy]

It's illegal to use fog lights, apart from when it's foggy. Taken from the Highway Code:

Rule 226. You MUST use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet). You may also use front or rear fog lights but you MUST switch them off when visibility improves (see Rule 236).

Rule 236
You MUST NOT use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226) as they dazzle other road users and can obscure your brake lights. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves.

There's your answer I agree that some of the DRLs and cornering lights are just as bright/similar-looking, however I imagine that if you were pulled over by the Po Po then you would be in bother, because you have used the fog light switch to put them on...

But yeah, back in the Max Power/cruising days I used to put them on in my ZS for the 'cool' factor

 

[sevenfourate]

It's illegal to use fog lights, apart from when it's foggy. Taken from the Highway Code:

Rule 226. You MUST use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet). You may also use front or rear fog lights but you MUST switch them off when visibility improves (see Rule 236).

Rule 236
You MUST NOT use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226) as they dazzle other road users and can obscure your brake lights. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves.

There's your answer I agree that some of the DRLs and cornering lights are just as bright/similar-looking, however I imagine that if you were pulled over by the Po Po then you would be in bother, because you have used the fog light switch to put them on...

But yeah, back in the Max Power/cruising days I used to put them on in my ZS for the 'cool' factor

Nothings changed then. Thats going back to my days and i suspect isn't updated either way......



@Big Ben

I turned my 19 16v into a 4-door Williams Rep with Gold wheels and decals. So i thought the Yellow (Which i must have done after this pic) fitted in with the theme.



And agreed yours look better clear. Although i thought my mates White R5 GTT looked good with Yellow lenses........

 

[Chris]

Seriously? Some of these Xenon and LED running lights are mega bright and blinding. At least fog lamps are down low.

Then they are badly adjusted - fog lights are so called because they are used for fog - not style or looks.

The led running lights I've not seen one set yet to date that have been too bright. They will have a maximum light output rule in place.

 

[LOCKE]

Then they are badly adjusted - fog lights are so called because they are used for fog - not style or looks.

The led running lights I've not seen one set yet to date that have been too bright. They will have a maximum light output rule in place.

I am familiar to the purpose of 'fog' lamps. My post was to ask of the legality due to these new cornering lights using similar wattage and positions. The Highway Code was written when they were horse and carts on the roads no doubt. I'm sure stopping distances, maximum speed limits eg are well out of date now with the technology in new cars. I stand by my statement of the LED running lights/Xenons being dazzling to other road users. As for running around with my fog lights when not foggy to look cool, I am 43 so a bit past that now!

 

[Chris]

I didn't say you used fog lamps for style - that comment was not aimed at you. It's just a pet hate of mine.

Get your point with some of the xenons, particularly the likes of suvs etc but I stand to my point about led drls as I don't find them remotely distracting.

 

[LOCKE]

I didn't say you used fog lamps for style - that comment was not aimed at you. It's just a pet hate of mine.

Get your point with some of the xenons, particularly the likes of suvs etc but I stand to my point about led drls as I don't find them remotely distracting.

Yeah no problem Chris, the other night I was parked up and a Rav 4 parked directly opposite me which had the LED running lights on, I actually had to get out and ask him to turn them off as they were so bright.