Lighting...

[GTR1400MAN]

On a more positive note re lighting, I do get the impression that misuse of rear fog lights, ie lit when they shouldn’t be lit, is on the decline vs 20 years ago?

I wonder if that might be an upside of automatic lights, assuming that it never, ever turns on the fogs. Which in my estimation, is about the optimum frequency of use.

Most new cars will reset the fog lights to off each time you start the car.

[jont-]

I wonder if that might be an upside of automatic lights, assuming that it never, ever turns on the fogs. Which in my estimation, is about the optimum frequency of use.

I've often wondered why rear fogs aren't tied into the speedo. Either have a 40mph limiter when they're on (which would amuse me for inattentive folk getting caught out by it), or turn them off above that speed. If it's foggy enough to need them, you probably shouldn't be doing more than 40 anyway.

[Gareth]

I've often wondered why rear fogs aren't tied into the speedo. Either have a 40mph limiter when they're on (...), or turn them off above that speed. If it's foggy enough to need them, you probably shouldn't be doing more than 40 anyway.

In a motorway context I would expect to do it the other away around; when vehicles are below something or other, they're probably close enough that rear fogs aren't required. It's when they're going faster and can't be seen and, if the fog is patchy, at times it's difficult for a following driver to realise they're following, if the rear fogs ahead aren't on.

[Gareth]

Thought perhaps I should say when I turn rear fogs on or off ... if visibility is enough reduced, based on how well I can see the one ahead, and I can see nothing behind, I'll turn them on. If something catches up then, unless it's really bad, I'll turn them off, again based on how well I can see the one ahead. This tends to mean I might have them on when the conditions are marginal and/or when I can see nothing ahead upon which to make a judgement, but I'm aiming to turn them off when I think the one behind should be easily able to see my rear sidelights.

[Another Bill]

My dislike of rear fogs is based largely on my theory that, by creating a sense of security, they encourage traffic to move at a faster speed than is sometimes safe. The object I’m about to hit might for example be a fallen tree and, despite the lack of rear fogs on the tree, I’d like to be driving at a speed that allows myself and the traffic behind me time to react.

A bigger dislike is crawling along either in stop/start traffic or a slow moving traffic jam, where a sea of rear fogs quickly begins to make my eyes weary. I seem to see that less often now than 20 years ago, but maybe that’s just because I’m spared the M25 commutes I once endured.

Oh, and one more dislike… rear fogs often look like brake lights, when lit. Some car makers install just a single offside foglight which helps, but many seem to be installed in pairs. I’m guessing the extra bulb is cheaper than tailoring the production line for rhd/lhd variants.

[Jonquirk]

As far as rear fog lights is concerned, I have a dislike of combined brake and tail lamps because applying the brakes just makes the light a bit brighter. Having the brake lights separate means that following traffic sees another light come on which may attract their attention better.

On my MR2 I rearranged the wiring so that the rear fog lights are incorporated in the tail lamp and the original rear fogs are now the brake lights. IIRC Ford did this on later versions of the Sierra and I’ve always thought it was quite effective.

[Another Bill]

Regarding lamps that are too close together, my own biggest gripe is DRLs that are pretty much integrated with indicators, rendering the indicators barely noticeable.

Presumably to combat the invisible indicators some cars seem to dim the front DRL in order to illuminate the indicator which I find very distracting as it looks, at a glance, like a vehicle defect (‘faulty bulb’). Particularly when using the highway as a pedestrian, and maybe not as fully alert as when I’m driving, I sometimes find the apparent defect distracting to the point where I’m not sure I’m giving the other the traffic the attention it merits…

[Horse]

I sometimes find the apparent defect distracting to the point where I’m not sure I’m giving the other the traffic the attention it merits…

[Another Bill]

[Horse]

Avanuther

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