FOG lights on VX and Kakadu

[LaoK User account deleted at own request. Find all posts View Profile Close LaoK]

Please be advised of this W.A. Road Traffic Code Regulation (below).

You are not allowed to use your fog lights unless the weather is inclement. You are not allowed to even use them in daytime for safety reasons. You ARE allowed to use your headlights. You cannot use fog lights even when driving on country roads for the purposes of being seen in the daytime. Go figure the mentality of the politicians who make these stupid rules.

It is a $100 fine and 1 demerit point here in Western Australia for using fog lights when the weather is fine. The punishment for being safety conscious.

So, all of you VX and Kakadu drivers in W.A. should leave your fog lights off.

ROAD TRAFFIC CODE 2000 - REG 183

183 . Using fog lights

(1) The driver of a vehicle fitted with a front or rear fog light shall not operate the front or the rear fog light unless the driver is driving in fog or other hazardous weather conditions causing reduced visibility.

Points: 1 Modified penalty: 2 PU


(2) In fog or mist or in hazardous weather conditions restricting visibility, the display of light from a front fog light or front fog lights is sufficient compliance with any obligation to display a light from a head light or head lights under regulation 182.


(3) A person shall not drive a motor vehicle, other than a motor cycle, displaying light from a single front fog light, unless 2 lit lights, complying with the requirements of the Vehicle Standards, are fitted to the front of the vehicle.

Points: 1 Modified penalty: 2 PU


(4) A person shall not drive a motor vehicle displaying light from a front fog light or front fog lights, if any other light of a power exceeding 7 watts and capable of showing a white light to the front is alight.

Points: 1 Modified penalty: 2 PU


[Regulation 183 amended in Gazette 22 Dec 2006 p. 5820.]

[dereki Member Find all posts View Profile Close dereki]

Similar in Queensland, $40 fine.

[MDS69 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDS69]

NSW is the same, no fog lights but only in inclement weather

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

There are good reasons why you shouldn't drive with "fog" lights on for general use, primarily because of the way they spread light which is designed for use in fog. It is a bit like driving with high beam into oncoming traffic.

Here is a bit more infohttp://www.garageboy.com/fahrt/fog.html

[LaoK User account deleted at own request. Find all posts View Profile Close LaoK]

Krypto,

Have you ever driven in European fog? Headlamps in fog are like shining a light at a bed sheet hanging in front of you; the light bounces back at you. Fog lights are low to prevent that reflective light. True fog lamps are yellow or amber. Street lights in mountainous areas in U.K. have amber mercury vapour globes because of low cloud. So, prey tell me your theory on why (white) fog lights that shine low and wide are bad in daytime as a safety measure?

I just read http://www.garageboy.com/fahrt/fog.html. I know where one of his hands is, and it is very busy. He is turning Japanese.

Also, I don't think that you have ever seen a VX or Kakadu with fog lamps on. They do not blind. Instead, poorly adjusted auto-levelling low beam Xenon lights do. There is a thread on this problem.

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

OK folks, I was questioned recently about having "driving lights" on, technically "fog lights" are an amber colour so as to not reflect against the fog. The officer pointed out that I had fog lights on and that this is now illegal unless in "hazardous conditions". I asked him to define "hazardous conditions" to which he didn't have an answer, I pointed out that in my opinion hazardous conditions are when I believe that the conditions present a hazard to me, eg heavy traffic, dusk and dawn, rain, roads damaged by recent flooding.

I drive around 25,000kms in our Prado touring and around 50,000kms at work (Ford G6E with driving lights) per annum and drive with lights on at all times.If Telstra and Volvo mandate automatic headlights (50 watts and parkers) are on where is the difference in driving lights. Also Narva have just released "daytime drive lights", LED, that meet ADR rules as they are a "hooded light" and fit existing driving light positions.

Needless to say that after my conversation with the officer that I drove away with the driving lights on, also I took a photo last week of a marked police car (Aurion Sportivo) with parkers and driving lights on in broad daylight. Why pass a regulation that penalises drivers for being as visible as possible, revenue raising is the obvious reason.

Regards, Richo.

[dereki Member Find all posts View Profile Close dereki]

The police man was wrong about hazardous conditions, the road rule specifically refers to weather conditions. It says..
"Using fog lights - A driver must now only operate front or rear fog lights if driving in fog or other hazardous weather conditions.
It is now an offence to use front fog lights in clear weather conditions.
$40 fine"

BTW, I think its a dumb rule.

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

Krypto,

Have you ever driven in European fog? Headlamps in fog are like shining a light at a bed sheet hanging in front of you; the light bounces back at you. Fog lights are low to prevent that reflective light. True fog lamps are yellow or amber. Street lights in mountainous areas in U.K. have amber mercury vapour globes because of low cloud. So, prey tell me your theory on why (white) fog lights that shine low and wide are bad in daytime as a safety measure?

I just read http://www.garageboy.com/fahrt/fog.html. I know where one of his hands is, and it is very busy. He is turning Japanese.

Also, I don't think that you have ever seen a VX or Kakadu with fog lamps on. They do not blind. Instead, poorly adjusted auto-levelling low beam Xenon lights do. There is a thread on this problem.

Not sure why you ask but yes I have done a lot of driving in Europe.

I agree that most modern cars don't have proper fog lights, but are a lot of white "fog" lights on cars scatter light and are very annoying. They are not parkers or normal headlights and seem pretty pointless on the whole.

If you are genuinely concerned about safety and being seen a legal option is to drive with your headlights on.

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

Not sure why you ask but yes I have done a lot of driving in Europe.

I agree that most modern cars don't have proper fog lights, but are a lot of white "fog" lights on cars scatter light and are very annoying. They are not parkers or normal headlights and seem pretty pointless on the whole.

If you are genuinely concerned about safety and being seen a legal option is to drive with your headlights on.

Still confused, "scatter light" driving lights are lucky to shine 5mts in front of the car and are aimed low, all are 50W or less and come on with parkers. Headlights shine higher and further forward into oncoming cars, usually 55W and come on with parkers, please explain legislators.

Richo.

[Guest Close Guest]

I see heaps of commodore noobs driving around with their fogs on, and yes they do dazzle.
Fog lights do not usually have the same refractor lenses or reflector shaping to curb the beams from also shining upwards to some extent. Hence light scatter.

[Guest Close Guest]

The dazzling effect is worse for people who wear glasses.

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

Hi Piggy

Must be a Commodore thing as the driving lights in my ARB bar and Ford G6E are shrouded at the top with reflactor shaping and definately don't shine upwards. Again 1 rule being applied to suit 1% of the population and affecting 99% of the population that are responsible. Keep letting in these type of regulations, lights, bullbars, lift kits, LT tyres, next will be seat covers and floor mats, then we won't even have 4WD's.

Regards, Richo.