Rear fog light idiots

whitelabel

Flyboy152 wrote: »

Oddly enough, I find it is the not so young, mostly driving BMW 3 Serieses, Audi A4s and A6s, Mercedes C Classes and Mondeos.

you may find that a lot of these cars have DLR Daylight running Lights fitted as standard as such you/some others may be confusing front fog lights with the DLRs, they are on all the time during the day to help improve visibility of the car and are very common in europe

no excuse for rear lights on though, annoys me

ps i drive a 3 series !

Lum

Bongles

BAA1 wrote: »

Absolutely, YES

The main beam switch is normally on a steering column stalk for ease of access, why do you think motor manufacturers put the main beam switch there ?

Fog light switches are normally slightly out of the way, near the main light switch and you normally have to look or feel for the switch until you find it, and if you have both front and rear fogs on two individual switches, then because you only use the fogs rarely, you can never remember which switch operates the front and which the back fogs.

Ah. I see what you mean. I was thinking of distraction from the point of view of remembering to think about when you should turn the lights on and off, rather than ease of operating the switch. I agree - if the fog light switch isn't on one of the stalks (some are, but many aren't) then, yes, it's not as accessible as the main beam switch. But while I was using dipped and main beam as a comparison, I can't imagine there would ever be cause in fog to be switching the fog lights on and off at anything like the frequency you might switch between main and dipped beam driving on any normal night, so I don't see the accessibility of the switch as a great problem. It will be within easy reach somewhere .

Granted, if it's a year or two since you last used your fog lights, you might need to have a look around to remember where the switch is. If the last time you used them was two minutes ago when you switched them on though, you can probably remember where the switch is can't you?

BAA1 wrote: »

Then for the distraction question re. other road users, you should not distract other road users with main beam lights, since you should have reactions which allow you to switch to dipped beam before other road users get close enough to be distracted.

I quite agree. And exactly the same goes for fog lights doesn't it?

BAA1 wrote: »

Having said the above, I only use my fogs when it is appropriate to do so, and I do not forget to switch them off. (Although with a good quality car, the fogs are switched off with the main light switch and do not come back on the next time you use the side lights)

I don't know why all cars aren't like that.

The other switch madness I've seen is a pull switch with the first position for rear fog lights and the second is rear and front, with no way to have the front fog lights on without the rears. Bit stupid.

Lum

Bongles wrote: »

The other switch madness I've seen is a pull switch with the first position for rear fog lights and the second is rear and front, with no way to have the front fog lights on without the rears. Bit stupid.

This makes perfect sense.

You use rears when visibility drops below 100 yards.

You use fronts when visibility drops to around the edge of your bonnet. (or you are a !!!! who thinks it looks cool to have front fogs on during the day)

Therefore rears need to be switched on first. The problem is all the cars (usually German ones) where the fronts have to come on before the rears.

Bongles

Lum wrote: »

This makes perfect sense.

I see what you're saying. The visibility threshold at which I would consider rear fog lights is likely to be higher than the threshold at which I'd consider front fog lights. But considering them isn't the same as using them. I have driven with fronts on and rears off, I have driven with rears on and fronts off, and I have driven with fronts and rears both on.

The most obvious example is when there is someone behind. If they can see my tail lights, I don't need my rear fog lights on. But if there's nobody in front of me and I'm just peering into the gloom, I might still want my front fog lights.

Lum

If the visibility is so bad that you need front fog lights, then the car behind would have to be driving dangerously close in order to be dazzled by your rears, IMO.

I do agree that it's better to have separate buttons for both, however.

Wig

All cars with a single switch will have fronts first click then rears.
It's the vehicle designers pandering to the less endowed drivers/customers Fu@# knows why they do it!

Saw another wally this morning (daylight hours clear day) driving a white van, rears and fronts on,
I passed him and flashed my rears, he turned off his fronts, then he turned then back on again.
I assume he had a single switch turned off the switch two clicks, realised he had now turned off
his !!!!!! extension lights and turned the switch back one click.


Why do drivers think they look cool with these fronts on? No-one knows who you are,
you can't see that they are on yourself as you drive so as far as you are concerned there is no difference
to the driving experience. Most people who do see you with them on think you are a !!!!!!.
I just don't understand the mentality of it?

whitelabel

Wig wrote: »

All cars with a single switch will have fronts first click then rears.
It's the vehicle designers pandering to the less endowed drivers/customers Fu@# knows why they do it!

Saw another wally this morning (daylight hours clear day) driving a white van, rears and fronts on,
I passed him and flashed my rears, he turned off his fronts, then he turned then back on again.
I assume he had a single switch turned off the switch two clicks, realised he had now turned off
his !!!!!! extension lights and turned the switch back one click.


Why do drivers think they look cool with these fronts on? No-one knows who you are,
you can't see that they are on yourself as you drive so as far as you are concerned there is no difference
to the driving experience. Most people who do see you with them on think you are a !!!!!!.
I just don't understand the mentality of it?

Oh and delete that big picture post #92!!! it's messed up the forum view !!!!!!!!

err it was bigger than i thought
perhaps should have a re read of the forum rules.... be nice to all members.

no need for name calling... its very childish

Wig

Can't you take a joke? !!!!!! is hardly a vicious attack, it's the equivalent of wally.

Thanks for deleting it.

Flyboy152

whitelabel wrote: »

you may find that a lot of these cars have DLR Daylight running Lights fitted as standard as such you/some others may be confusing front fog lights with the DLRs, they are on all the time during the day to help improve visibility of the car and are very common in europe

no excuse for rear lights on though, annoys me

ps i drive a 3 series !

I think you may need to read my post again.