Rear fog light idiots

Flyboy152

rodenal wrote: »

Perhaps in theory, in reality that has never, ever happened to me. I agree its bad practice and annoying but it doesn't stop you from seeing brake lights

I am sorry, but in many circumstances it does. If the fog light is positioned too close to the rear light (which it is quite proabable, as it will often be in the same light cluster), the brake light (most of the time the same lumens as the fog light), will be obscured, especially in the rain.

Bongles

rodenal wrote: »

Perhaps in theory, in reality that has never, ever happened to me. I agree its bad practice and annoying but it doesn't stop you from seeing brake lights

The Highway Code talks about rear fogs obscuring your brake lights. I'm not sure obscure is quite the right word. I think what they're getting at is that brake lights coming on on a car ahead is less obvious when the car also has its rear fog lights on. Tail lights to tail lights plus brake lights is a more attention grabbing change than tail and fog to tail and fog plus brakes.

I certainly found that it took more conscious thought than normal yesterday morning on the motorway to keep a mental picture going of how the traffic was ebbing and flowing ahead because a number of cars had unnecessary rear fog lights on. Hardly an unmanageable problem, but an unnecessary one.

Lum

SHIPSHAPE wrote: »

Yes, well you shouldn't have undertaken such a long journey with only a 3/4 tank full in the first place.

Uhh, it took more than an entire tank to get from Liverpool to Southampton, there is no way I was doing that round trip without a minimum of two stops for petrol. I left Liverpool with a full tank, which got me to somewhere around the vicinity of the M4 before it was getting low enough that I decided to fill up, hence 3/4 of a tank when I arrived in Southampton. If I hadn't had my cards and money stolen, I would likely have needed to fill up somewhere around Oxford or Banbury on the return journey.

You could easily have explained your situation to a garage in Southampton who would no doubt have just taken your details to reimburse later.

Yeah sure, you really think they're going to give free petrol to some random young northerner who rolls into their garage late on a Sunday in a clapped out rusty Ford Escort "sport" that may or may not be stolen, with a sob story, no proof of ID, and an address that may or may not be real.

Here's a hint: The two garages I tried both told me to sod off, and it soon became apparent that I could either waste more fuel driving around Southampton begging, or I could take my chances on the motorway.

Instead, you chose an option to go on motorways knowing full well you would break down.

I made it to where I needed to be and didn't cause any harm to anyone. I thought I had a good chance of making it to Walsall on 3/4 of a tank if I drove carefully, and I had the jerry can in reserve.

redux

My viewpoint on the fog lights issue is simple: if you can see another vehicle you don't need the fog lights on.

So when a car looms out of the murk behind, they'll be able to see your fog lights about the same time you see their headlights, and the fogs go off. And in practical terms there's no need for fog lights at all until visibility is worse than 100 yards.

Unfortunately quite a few people seem to be educated that the first thing to do on encountering fog is put the fog lights on, when instead the first thought should be slow down.

Strider590

redux wrote: »

Unfortunately quite a few people seem to be educated that the first thing to do on encountering fog is put the fog lights on, when instead the first thought should be slow down.

The first thing they should do is put some f**king lights on!!!!!!!! THEN slow down, THEN think about fog lights!!!!!!

Preferably the lights should come on as soon as they realise there's a low mist, before they even encounter the fog, but all too many think "it's ok, I can see all right" ("im all right jack") :mad:

redux

Strider, I don't think my post earned a reply containing aggression and profane language.

Most fog occurs in the dark, though of course not all, and I admit I was thinking mainly of darkness and the other lights would be already on

Bongles

redux wrote: »

I was thinking mainly of darkness and the other lights would be already on

And, if it's dark, your tail lights are more likely to be visible then in daytime fog, and so you're less likely to need your rear fog lights.

kizkiz

A few years ago i got a rather odd posting at work. I decided i was goign to spend 20 minutes stopping every car that went past with fog lights on and speak to them.
It was a perfectly clear, dry night, so no need whatsoever to have them on
The vast majority of people i stopped, and it was a lot, had no idea how to use the controls in their car. They just got in and pressed every button or turned every knob with a light symbol on it, because obviously you should have all your lights on at night!

Strider590

redux wrote: »

Strider, I don't think my post earned a reply containing aggression and profane language.

Most fog occurs in the dark, though of course not all, and I admit I was thinking mainly of darkness and the other lights would be already on

There was no aggression meant, I was actually agreeing with you and then adding my own little twist on top

Tigger123

Certain things in the highway code are NEVER practiced, like the correct way to turn right at 4 way traffic lights.

Or the correct way to use a roundabout properly eh strider.