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I wouldn't describe any factory fitted fog lights on a modern car as 'blazing'!
As stated above, LED DRLs are far more likely to dazzle. And they are mandated.
The idea is, I think, that if you drive with headlights off and front foglights on, you will appear to be driving some kind of cool low down sports machine.
Alternatively it's because one headlight is blown and the fog lights are to compensate.
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Alternatively it's because one headlight is blown and the fog lights are to compensate.
Thats the one reason i do like a vehicle to have auxilliary lights.
Only needed to use fitted foglights in anger half a dozen times in my entire driving life, but many times in order to illuminate properly the front of a vehicle after a headlight bulb has blown.
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Last night on the way home from work it was foggy but not enough to warrant the use of for lights. Plenty of drivers with fog lights on front and rear even tho viability was was well over 100meters. On the stretches where it viability was pore I'd use my fog lights but turn them off again when viability improved.
Only needed to use fitted foglights in anger half a dozen times
I had a mk1 Fiat punto where the break lights and fog lights were in the same part of the cluster, if someone was tail gating I would put my rear fogs on and off as if I was breaking most of the time it stopped them from doing it.
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in order to illuminate properly the front of a vehicle after a headlight bulb has blown.
I prefer to carry a spare set of bulbs and the necessary tools to change a bulb at the roadside as and when it happens (obviously this doesn't apply to Renaults where the bulb needs to have blown outside a Renault dealer). I've had to do a few on my SAAB 9-5, it's staggeringly well designed to allow easy bulb changes, best I've ever seen.
Perhaps I'm just old fashioned - this new generation doesn't seem to have been taught the proper way to do things by their parents.
;-) ;-)
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in order to illuminate properly the front of a vehicle after a headlight bulb has blown.
I prefer to carry a spare set of bulbs and the necessary tools to change a bulb at the roadside as and when it happens (obviously this doesn't apply to Renaults where the bulb needs to have blown outside a Renault dealer). I've had to do a few on my SAAB 9-5, it's staggeringly well designed to allow easy bulb changes, best I've ever seen.
Perhaps I'm just old fashioned - this new generation doesn't seem to have been taught the proper way to do things by their parents.
;-) ;-)
I carry a spare set of bulbs as well, but I also understand some are not able to change bulbs due to position ie not easy to get to, some,in fact most people I know dont even check the oil themselves, they really don`t have a clue
I also have rarely used fogs due to the fact they only really help others see you, not help you see any better,in fact I think your better off with just sidelights and no headlights imo....its only the law that says you must have dipped beam otherwise I wouldnt use them in fog
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I prefer to carry a spare set of bulbs and the necessary tools to change a bulb at the roadside as and when it happens
Is that really sensible?
You honestly need to be well off the road in a carpark. Changing a bulb on the roadside makes you more of a hazard than driving with a bulb out IMHO.
Since most bulb failures will occur at night in poor visibility carrying out the change without decent illumination will be pretty much impossible.
I agree that a bult needs changing ASAP but doing it at the roadside is totally crazy, it can wait a few miles.
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Yes, OK, wrong word maybe, roadside is just a general term for doing it if noticed mid-journey. I will always get off the road to do something like this, sorry thought that was obvious.
There are roads and there are roads though - residential well lit cul-de-sac slightly different proposition to the A1. Car park or very quiet road under a street lamp is fine. Done it a few times. Home, obviously, for preference but if far away I'd rather change a buld than drive few hundred miles with one out, even if I had fogs to compensate (I do on my SAAB, not on my Mazda, which also has easy to change bulbs). Also carry a wind-up torch in my car. Be prepared - ex-Scout here.
Edited by Alanovich on 27/11/2014 at 10:47
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Both cars have a bulb kit and access to lights is OK in both Mk 2 and Mk 3 Berlingo is OK if slightly fiddly on pax side of the older one. It's also easy to spot a failed dipped bulb (the usual culprit on either) both by assymetric light pattern and habit of checking reflection.
Like others though, I'd be chary of changing it literally at side of road. Much easier on the driveway at home where there's proper lighting and acess to a decent head torch. Also, if I drop anything or some clip 'pings' off I've a reasonable chance of finding it again. Forced into an 'away' change I'd be looking for a filling station forecourt or similar.
Did one on a carpark on a Black Forest pass top in piXXing rain though. I can explain to an English copper but by German is non-existent and their traffpol may be less flexible than ours.
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I also have rarely used fogs due to the fact they only really help others see you, not help you see any better,in fact I think your better off with just sidelights and no headlights imo....its only the law that says you must have dipped beam otherwise I wouldnt use them in fog
Oh Bolt, surely you're not serious? Side lights in fog? Thank goodness for the law then, otherwise you'd be invisible to other road users.
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I also have rarely used fogs due to the fact they only really help others see you, not help you see any better,in fact I think your better off with just sidelights and no headlights imo....its only the law that says you must have dipped beam otherwise I wouldnt use them in fog
Oh Bolt, surely you're not serious? Side lights in fog? Thank goodness for the law then, otherwise you'd be invisible to other road users.
Why would you be invisible? I'd find side lights perfect acceptable. Lights can't get through the fog so no need for extra bright ones.
Always reminds me of watching a night time rally on TV. When the fog came down they turned off the huge powerful lights on the front of the car as it just refelcted the light back and turned them off.
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Always reminds me of watching a night time rally on TV. When the fog came down they turned off the huge powerful lights on the front of the car as it just refelcted the light back and turned them off.
That's why fog lamps are low mounted and have good "cut-off" to reduce glare/reflection. Rally cars tend to mount lamps quite high.
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Why would you be invisible? I'd find side lights perfect acceptable
Sidelights only in foggy conditions, you need prosecuting.
Sidelights are only a 5 watt bulb normally wheras headlights are 60 watt, spot the difference. Fog lights are somewhere between the two.
I admit that in daylight fog lights do little to illuminate your path but they do allow aother road users and pedestrians a better chance of seeing you.
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I also have rarely used fogs due to the fact they only really help others see you, not help you see any better,in fact I think your better off with just sidelights and no headlights imo....its only the law that says you must have dipped beam otherwise I wouldnt use them in fog
Oh Bolt, surely you're not serious? Side lights in fog? Thank goodness for the law then, otherwise you'd be invisible to other road users.
I use very bright led bulbs as sidelights, they have replaced the standard filament bulb which is as good as drl`s, so as for not being seen,I very much doubt it.
dipped beam is more of a pain in the fog as is fog lamps and as soon as I am able will go over to led headlamps,much crisper light and better cut off point so as not to blind oncoming drivers, though not sure if any better in fog yet
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The thing is bolt, we're all calling the lights you use in the fog by the wrong name. They are not side lights. They are parking lights. They are not intended for use alone whilst driving, in any conditions.
I was taught that if it's dark enough for lights, then on with the headlamps. And I still agree. Parking lights are just that - to illuminate a stationary car at the side of the road.
Installing over rated LED bulbs in them is pointless - just switch your brighter head lamps on!
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The thing is bolt, we're all calling the lights you use in the fog by the wrong name. They are not side lights. They are parking lights. They are not intended for use alone whilst driving, in any conditions.
I was taught that if it's dark enough for lights, then on with the headlamps. And I still agree. Parking lights are just that - to illuminate a stationary car at the side of the road.
Installing over rated LED bulbs in them is pointless - just switch your brighter head lamps on!
I`ve been calling them sidelights for as long as I can remember and not about to change now.
Apart from the law stating at lighting up time ie when the street lamps light up,or weather says you need dipped beam, I use the lamps you call parking lamps during the day which imo are as good as drl`s, and, as I do not use parking lamps for parking they do me fine whilst driving, unless law says otherwise...
Pointless they maybe to other people, but I am perfectly happy using led, also what do you use at night if not parking lights to drive with? you have no other lights on the rear so you have to use them parking lights or sidelights
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what do you use at night if not parking lights to drive with? you have no other lights on the rear so you have to use them parking lights or sidelights
Erm, dipped headlights, which also illuminate the rears. I would never drive at night on just the parking lights at the front. That would be idiotic. Highway code, 115.
Edited by Alanovich on 28/11/2014 at 09:52
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what do you use at night if not parking lights to drive with? you have no other lights on the rear so you have to use them parking lights or sidelights
Erm, dipped headlights, which also illuminate the rears. I would never drive at night on just the parking lights at the front. That would be idiotic. Highway code, 115.
dipped headlights do not illuminate the rear of the car,sidelights do ie 2 red, possibly like mine 4 red, plus white/warm white no plate light
as far as i`m aware parking lights are operated by the direction indicator switch when parked ie n/s parked by kerb, indicator to turn right with ignition off gives o/s lights on and vice versa
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as far as i`m aware parking lights are operated by the direction indicator switch when parked ie n/s parked by kerb, indicator to turn right with ignition off gives o/s lights on and vice versa
They've never had any legal status in the UK - either all round parking lights or none at all where permitted.
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dipped headlights do not illuminate the rear of the car,sidelights do ie 2 red, possibly like mine 4 red, plus white/warm white no plate light
Refernce to side lights or dipped beam is about what's lit at front. At rear you have tail lights which operate same bulbs (5 watt if tungsten filament). In many applications one dual filamant bulb covers both tail and brake light functions.
as far as i`m aware parking lights are operated by the direction indicator switch when parked ie n/s parked by kerb, indicator to turn right with ignition off gives o/s lights on and vice versa
That is, AIUI, a German protocol which is retained in UK market VAG products. Not required for UK market and not present in either of my citroens. If I'm in place where parked vehicle is required to show lights I use side/tail combination.
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as far as i`m aware parking lights are operated by the direction indicator switch when parked ie n/s parked by kerb, indicator to turn right with ignition off gives o/s lights on and vice versa
That is, AIUI, a German protocol which is retained in UK market VAG products. Not required for UK market and not present in either of my citroens. If I'm in place where parked vehicle is required to show lights I use side/tail combination.
I had a Mk4 Zephyr with this feature, if you had set the parking lights for one side with the indicator it wouldn't start till you reset to both sides.
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