Driving Lights

[Shell]

I'm just wondering when driving lights are actually legal to have on?

Reason I ask is that we were driving down the Hume (in Vic) and it was late so it was pitch dark, and we had factory driving lights on (not the Skyline, another car).

Anyway, there's an accident so we get stopped by the cops to be given directions for a detour, and he says "Ok, well firstly, turn your yuppie lights off".

So if you can't use factory driving lights in the middle of the night on a divided highway like the Hume, when CAN you use them??

[MBS206]

Obviously, since there was an accident, and the police were around you, you should have turnt them off.

They're like high beams, if you can see a car in front of you, turn the driving lights off!

Also, on a side note, driving lights legally under ADRs shouldn't be able to be turnt on without the high beams being on...

[Modena]

My driving lights cant blind a blind man... they are very well behaved. SS commodores and falcons on the other hand blind me all the time.

[Shell]

Obviously, since there was an accident, and the police were around you, you should have turnt them off.

They're like high beams, if you can see a car in front of you, turn the driving lights off!

Also, on a side note, driving lights legally under ADRs shouldn't be able to be turnt on without the high beams being on...

We didnt actually reach the accident, so we weren't sitting there at an accident scene with them on or anything.

We took an off ramp because we heard about the accident and came upon the cop straight away who was there to send people the right way.

There was no one else around except our 3 cars and the cop.

[dangerous_daveo]

Driving lights = fog lights... So fog only.

[blind_elk]

If they are "driving lights", they are basically HIGH-BEAM lights, so rules governing hi-beam apply.

But in general, "yuppie lights" are fog lights, and can only be used in foggy conditions. They are basically useless as "driving lights" because they are mounted so low - proper "driving lights" need to be mounted fairly high (basically headlamp level) so they can throw their light down the road.

[xRHETTx]

Yeah the lights on skylines are fog lights, they point downwards.

You can therefore use them whenever you want, as they dont point into peoples eyes.

I hate it when people whinge about people having their lights on during the day. It is impossible to blind someone even with high beams on when the sun is up.

[eMsta]

my normal lights are much much brighter than the fog lights.....and, i seen the fogs on other cars/4wds - they are much brighter....I sometimes drive with them on, sometimes drive with them off - drove through chapel on saturday with them on, the cops didnt stop me (dont know why)

[dezz]

Pretty sure real 'fog' lights are colored, ie yellow....

I use the bottom lights on my S2 R33 whenever I have my headlights on. They do not aim anywhere near eye level of any cars, therefor making it impossible to 'dazzle' any other drivers.

Somone posted the actual law on this issue once, and it said that they are fine to use anytime, so long as they do not 'dazzle' oncoming drivers (yes, the word used in the law was dazzle)

[Shell]

finally found my thread!! lol... someone moved it in here

well I think I'm just more confused now

I went and found a pic I took earlier in the drive, it's not the best but you get the idea

they are not that bright..

so i guess they're fog lights then, not driving lights.. going by the posts in here.

[Bass Junky]

Okay, there's a difference....

Driving lights can be used at any time you like. The cops do!

The ADR says that they can only come on when your parkers are also on.

Fog lights are coloured lenses which can only be used when its foggy.

the Uber Holdens have turning lenses which when the headlights are on and you indicate, they come on to illuminate the bend.

Driving lights are LEGAL and can be used at anytime you have your parkers on.

[ABuSD]

My driving lights cant blind a blind man... they are very well behaved. SS commodores and falcons on the other hand blind me all the time.

AGREED!!!! Also everyone check out a cop car at night, im pretty sure the current generation VZ's and Barras have driving/fog lights(which ive seen always on). Its either both or 1 of the 2.

We cant have a single guage or device on our dash but Taxi's can have things the size of laptops up there? And weve all been in a taxi when the donkey starts playing with it and veers into the next lane!!

/end Rant

Sorry for the sook, but I HATE double standards.

[blind_elk]

If memory serves me correctly, according to the ADRs, "driving lights" are hi-beam lights. As such, they can only be switched on via the dip-switch. They need to be mounted high (ie normal headlamp level) so they have a chance to throw the beam down the road, a-la rally cars, and interstate trucks.

There is nothing in the ADRs relating to "fog lights". They are a matter for each state to deal with. There is no requirement for them to be any particular colour. It was only in the early days they were yellow because it was believed that yellow light penetrated fog better than other colours.

Most fog lights are effective (in fog) by virtue of the design of the lens, which casts a low, wide beam. Added to the fact that they are mounted low to shine under the fog, not through it.

If these "yuppie lamps" have any benefit, it is only as "daylight running lights". But it is still possible to "dazzle" on-coming motorists, even in daylight, if the lamps are not properly aligned.

(dezz, how can you be sure your lights don't dazzle on-coming drivers - you aren't the on-coming driver)

[dezz]

i've seen my lights from other drivers perspective...trust me. I'm regularly 'dazzled' by so called normal headlights on a daily basis...some of them are ridiculous.

My driving lights wouldn't dazzle anyone, and they are aimed at the ground