Fog Lamps?

[WRRR]

With regard the use of fog lights ("wanker" lights if incorrectly used) or other aux lighting.

Stealing from DOT

"Australian Design Rules relevant to this section:

ADR 1 Reversing lamps.

ADR 6 Direction indicator lamps.

ADR 46 Head lamps.

ADR 47 Reflex reflectors.

ADR 48 Rear registration plate illuminating devices.

ADR 49 Front & rear position (side) lamps, stop lamps & end-outline marker lamps.

ADR 51 Filament globes.

ADR 60 Centre high mounted stop lamps. ...............

................At front of vehicle:..................

White Main beam headlights, min 500mm and max 1400mm off ground, with min separation of 600mm;

White Dipped beam headlights, min 500mm and max 1400mm off ground, min 600mm separation;

White Parklights, min 500mm off ground, max 510mm inboard of vehicle side, wired to remain “on” with headlights if vehicle built after 7/71;....................

...................Optional White or yellow fog lights, mounted no higher than the headlights wired through park lights on a separate switch, may also operate when main and/or dipped beam headlights are illuminated;...................

Additional head lights as per main or dipped beam headlights.................."

Reading this means that "fog" lights need to be mounted at least 500mm off the ground (counts out an awful lot of cars out there with lowered suspension and factory mounts in spoilers) and can operated with parking lights and/or your main lights.

Well set up fog lights are low powered, short range lights designed to illuminate the road in front by shooting the light under the fog layer and using the reflection off the bottom of the fog layer to get better penetration/range. They normally only come on with the park lights so you minimise the glare being shot back by the fog. They are also designed to keep you moving slowly in fog not fanging at 110 plus (ie low range!). Most factory fog lights are "marketing" lights designed to impress those easily impressed. How much fog do we actually have in Aus? It aint Europe.

When there is no fog and you are driving with your normal headlights WTF you need to have your fog (now read wanker) lights on as well is beyond me. They do naff all other than light up road in close that is already being lit with your headlights and create a mobile glare transmitter for everyone else driving towards you. And for those a__holes with excels and such with rear high vis fog lights - get out and have a look at how bright those f__ers are from behind. Turn em off unless there really is poor visability.

On a side note - As for driving or spot lights I would suggest most wouldn't comply with 600mm min separation. As for top of bar and roof mount lights ------- well.

Tirade over.

BTW - that's OFF for me. lol

[vinnie32GTS4]

when im driving dads liberty and its dark i always have the fogs on..but theyre not yellow there normal light colour lol white.

i rekn it looks very nice and sxy with them on lol

[dilmah]

fog lamps: always off (especially those annoying rear ones )

driving lights: always on whenever parkers or normal lights on

[timheather]

if you drive around with fog or driving lights on, because you think it looks "good" or "sexy", go and buy an excel.

[dilmah]

^^ lawl

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

the lights on the 300c piss me off the most.........

when they are behind a skyline you cant see ANYTHING!

[Keepleft]

This topic perodically raises its head literally hundreds of times over many forums.

"DRIVING LAMPS" and "FRONT FOG LAMPS" are NOT the same thing. A driving lamp is used to aid a vehicles existing high-beam performance when its high-beam headlight switch is turned ON.

Front fog lamps appear in both SELECTIVE YELLOW or WHITE-OPTIC. DRIVING LAMPS are WHITE-OPTIC, despite 'blue' bulb availability.

For law enforcement purposes (as to 'use'), police need only look at a lamps COMPLIANCE MARKINGS on its lens to determine the lamps COMPLIANCED FUNCTION, this is VERY SIMPLE to do.

A complianced front fog lamp will show an E mark, eg; (E13). This means the lamp is world complianced (the letter 'E') and was tested by an authority in Luxembourg, the number '13'.

NEAR this E mark will be the designation: "02B", here - the letter B represents "FRONT FOG LAMP".

For a world complianced DRIVING LAMP will be the designation "HR" representing "HALOGEN DRIVING LAMP", or HR-P representing "HALOGEN DRIVING LAMP PLASTIC LENS".

SOME LAMP LENS will bear BOTH markings, BUT will typically be "SET" for one function, either driving or fog, ref to switch!

ANOTHER ULTRA SIMPLE WAY to tell if the suspects car has front fog or driving lamps is the ACTIVATING SWITCH'S "SYMBOL". A front fog lamp has a unique ISO switch symbol,- as has in turn a driving lamp switch. A front fog lamp 'factory' install will typically also show a GREEN LED on the switch or dash - to advise the driver the lamps are on, this pilot light is optional, but widely used.

ADDITIONAL: FRONT FOG LAMPS are NOT DRL's "DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS" no matter how much alcohol or pub-talk influences opinion. A complianced DRL runs on a 12 volt system at P21watts. Front fogs are complianced at 12v/55w, (ditto inboard driving lamps, below). A vehicles STANDARD (halogen system) LOW-BEAM is set at 12volts/60watts and HIGH-BEAM at 12volts/55watts. Yes, that is accurate!

Front fog lamps are designed for the specific purpose, to aid a drivers forward vision under conditions of hazardous weather conditions causing reduced visibility.

THE LAW as at 21 July 2007:

Currently only NSW and WA have SEPERATE 'STATE REGULATIONS' that directly prohibit the use of front fog lamps in clear weather and each state will fine you for having them on IF you can see a cop to enforce it.

THE FUTURE: Existing AUSTRALIAN ROAD RULE 217 (rear fog light use prohibition) will be modified to make the existing WA and NSW prohibition of same NATIONAL.

This change is required for many reasons, but also to bring Australia in line with the "UN Convention on Road Traffic, Road Signs & Signals" where the front fog lamps are restricted to 'hazardous weather conditions' - BUT USE MAY be allowed at night in clear conditions on TWISTY MOUNTAINOUS ROADS.

A complianced front fog lamp bears typically a wide, flat, fan-shaped beam pattern, with a 'direct forward' beam reaching 10 - 35 metres out, to a maximum 50 metres. "GLARE", caused by standard and untouched front fogs is generally achieved when an approaching vehicle is within 100 metres and closing as that driver nears you, remember - the 'wide factor' of the beam. Many variables here.

IF you have front fogs DON'T EVER increase the bulbs wattage;- in lousy conditions you need to reduce glare, not increase it.

You can use E Marked complianced bulbs, including "PLUS" or BLUE variety, BUT I suggest "ALL WEATHER" variety. These give a softer yellow tinge - to reduce glare.

ONE REASON why folk complain of front fog light glare has to do with the HOLDEN COMMODORE SS of the VX-VY Series. These lamps DO NOT bear world harmonisation markings, but 'evidence', as usual, was supplied to DOTARS suggesting the lamps were ADR compliant. These disasters were made in South Korea and supplied to GM/H. This 'evidence' is very rarely tested and they slipped through. Thankfully, the subject lamps have been discontinued and the SS use compliant front fogs once again. HSV fogs have always been compliant.

IN SEVERE CONDITIONS; it is best to have speed much reduced, naturally, and to then run with JUST the front park lights (sidelights/position) and your front fogs on, (if bad, rear fog too if you have one). This reduces eye-fatiguing reflected glare caused even by low-beam headlights, - BUT ALSO allows your 12v/21w FRONT INDICATORS to stand out more cleary to approaching traffic and traffic ahead of you.

Edited July 21, 2007 by Keepleft

[Bec]

OFFFFFFF!!!!!

They camne my eyes at night ! they are not required and they are blinding... makes me want to get out an smash them!

^^^^ +1

fog lamps: always off (especially those annoying rear ones )

Yup - the rear ones on stupid excels etc really annoy me.