Fog Lights in South Australia illegal to use

[peteandkyles Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close peteandkyles]

I have a Prado GXL 08 model with the Sovereign bull bar with the standard foglights fited. I use them on the open outback roads with parking light only on so that we are more visible during the day.

Well I have just been pulled over and given a caution because they are illegal to use in SA unless they are used in adverse weather. I had no idea. They are pointed down so they are not blinding, but aparently the amnesty (had no idea there was one) is over and the police are supposed to fine offenders from now on. The copper was quite nice about it and only cautioned me as he also doesn't believe there was enough consultation.

I believe that the law also came into effect recently in other states.

[jcas24 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close jcas24]

Re: Fog Lights in South Australia illegal to use

its being the law in NSW for a while now. One of my friends copped a fine for this around 2000-01.

[sapradogxl Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close sapradogxl]

Re: Fog Lights in South Australia illegal to use

I remember there being an article about this in the paper here in SA some time ago. I noted whenit was written, that they referred to "fog" lights. I always refer to mine as "driving" lights, and I have remembered seeing in a toyota catalogue that is what they classified them as....

This could be a technicality to get out of a fine.....

[photoprado Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close photoprado]

Re: Fog Lights in South Australia illegal to use

Except that I don't think you are allowed to use them either.

In any event, the law is stating the obvious. This is as it should be. As usual, the idiots force the hand of the authorities so things have to be set in stone.

Be good if they could fix the ADR's while they are at it so the fog lights won't come on with the normal high/low beams at the same time. Too many cheap Korean cars driving around with everything blazing. :roll:

[peteandkyles Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close peteandkyles]

Re: Fog Lights in South Australia illegal to use

I remember there being an article about this in the paper here in SA some time ago. I noted whenit was written, that they referred to "fog" lights. I always refer to mine as "driving" lights, and I have remembered seeing in a toyota catalogue that is what they classified them as....

This could be a technicality to get out of a fine.....

I just checked toyota website and unfortunatelly they are calling it fog lights. That means that here in the desert they are totally useless to me.

http://www.toyota.com.au/prado/features/exterior
Fog lights
In foggy conditions, conventional headlights only make matters worse because their light is simply reflected back into your eyes, further obscuring your vision. Prado lights the way with fog lights mounted within the bumper (on GXL, VX & Grande), so you can safely and easily navigate through early mornings and high passes.

[D4D Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close D4D]

Re: Fog Lights in South Australia illegal to use

I believe this has been law for ages. It's being enforced now due to rice boys driving around with 100W fog lights.

[4tshorty Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 4tshorty]

Re: Fog Lights in South Australia illegal to use

I believe this has been law for ages. It's being enforced now due to rice boys driving around with 100W fog lights.

........and the tools in Crappadores and Falcoons which have the worst 'fog' lights for annoying the hell out of any other road user!

[lawrance Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close lawrance]

Re: Fog Lights in South Australia illegal to use

The front fog lamps never bother me because they are aimed low to the ground. But it's the retina burning bright red rear fog lamps that really irritate me. :evil:

[halojump Member Find all posts View Profile Close halojump]

Re: Fog Lights in South Australia illegal to use

In QLD, there is no specific rule against front foglghts, it says in the Regulations

219 Lights not to be used to dazzle other road users
A driver must not use, or allow to be used, any light fitted to or in the driver’s vehicle to dazzle, or in a way that is likely
to dazzle, another road user.
Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.

There is however a rule for rear fog lights
217 Using rear fog lights
(1) The driver of a vehicle fitted with a rear fog light must not operate the fog light unless the driver is driving in fog or
other hazardous weather conditions causing reduced visibility.
Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.
(2) In this section—
rear fog light means a light fitted to a vehicle to make it more easily visible from the rear in fog.

I agree with the previous post about some of the Jap Imports, Commodores and Falcons, a lot of then drive around with then all day with very bright, poorly aligned fog lights, making it very annoying for oncoming traffic.

Personally, I use mine occasionally in really dark areas (say on the road out to Samford), as the Prado lights are normally so feeble. But that's about it. I think I have seen fog once in 17 years of living in Brisbane, so for the most part they are pointless,

[JeffH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JeffH]

Re: Fog Lights in South Australia illegal to use

I came across this Post on ExploreOz forum about changes to the road rules for all states and territories from January 25 this year. About the fog lights it states:

Fog lights

Drivers can only use front fog lights in hazardous weather conditions. This brings the rule into line with the existing situation for rear fog lights. Use of fog lights in other conditions can dazzle oncoming drivers. Previously front fog lights that dazzled approaching drivers were dealt with as an offence under a different rule.

Penalty $140

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Re: Fog Lights in South Australia illegal to use

Of the topic but still to do with new penalties.....

Just caught a story on the radio. In SA, red light/speed cameras will now be used to check vehicle registrations and the fines are going up.

No redgo $2500 fine.

No compulsory 3rd party bodly injury insurance $5000 fine.

Mick

[Spurio Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Spurio]

Re: Fog Lights in South Australia illegal to use

In SA, red light/speed cameras will now be used to check vehicle registrations and the fines are going up.

More revenue for the moneyless governments :roll:

Unless SA has got some new fibre networks or pumped up NextG, I would call this one creative journalism. The down/up load requirements are currently restricting live rego/insurance cameras - the datasets are massive and dynamic i.e. it needs refreshing almost every minute.

What is interesting and wilby in most hwy patrol cars in the not to distant future is a fully mobile, vehicle based - speed, rego/insurance camera

[MickL Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close MickL]

Re: Fog Lights in South Australia illegal to use

I would call this one creative journalism

Not so sure about that. About 2-3 years ago I did contract work on the goverment "Truck Scan" network. This system also reads plates but mainly to catch out truckies falsifying their log books, so the technology is certainly not new, it's in use and it works.

Anyway found this on from AAP:

AAP, May 3, 2009

Road traffic cameras in South Australia will from June not only catch offending drivers but also unregistered and uninsured vehicles.

Road traffic cameras in South Australia will from June not only catch offending drivers but also unregistered and uninsured vehicles.

Road safety minister Michael O'Brien said all cameras, including speed and red light cameras could now be used to detect illegal vehicles on SA roads.

Previously police have not had the powers to match licence plates with registration details.

Mr O'Brien said the increased detection capability would be complemented by tougher penalties for owners who failed to register their vehicles and take out compulsory third party insurance.

"The maximum fine for failing to register a vehicle will jump from $750 to $2500, while failure to insure will attract a maximum fine of $5000, up from $2500," he said in a statement on Sunday.

"We're acting to reduce the number of unregistered and uninsured vehicles on our roads, which research suggests has risen by around 30 per cent in recent years."

A one-month public information campaign commences on Sunday, with the changes to come into effect from June 1.

Mick

[WBY 1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close WBY 1]

Re: Fog Lights in South Australia illegal to use

I use them on the open outback roads with parking light only on so that we are more visible during the day.

why not just forget about the foglights and use the auto on/off function of your low beams?

[speed_racer Member Find all posts View Profile Close speed_racer]

Re: Fog Lights in South Australia illegal to use

Same thing happened to me in WA..

But i got off with a caution too and pleaded ignorance to the rules.
(funny thing was i only had my parking lights on - but they are on the soverign bar too and were mistaken for dim fog lights...)