Fog Lights A No No

[uhlsta 0]

Hey guys,

Got a bit of a story to tell and would like to know if it's happened to anyone else.

Driving home late last night (it was raining lightly) from my brothers house on the motorway, was about 5 min in to the drive when i get pulled over by the police. He tells me "he pulled me over for having my Fog Lights on."

I questioned this and he said "we're having a crack down on people driving with their fog lights on, because it dazzles the other motorists." I said "what about the other 100 cars driving past with their fog lights on?" he replied "well sir we can only pull over one person at a time" and slapped me with a $150 fine.

Didn't know it was illegal to drive with fog lights on, have been doing it just about since i started driving.

Anyone else had a run in with the police over this?

[the stig 0]

that is bullsh**

Cops are finding any excuse to give people tickets

[Hartage 0]

Unfortunatly its a fact, and a law.

I dont agree with it, in fact i have had the same discussion with the long arm of the law about it, But try talking sence to them!

I use my fogs in the day time as a warning on the open road, makes the car a bit more noticable!

Fight it with them, Making the car easy to be seen in the rain!

[uhlsta 0]

Yeah, will fight. Got a couple of cop buddies, see if they can do anything, otherwise I will be fighting it.

[jpp 0]

I only drive with mine on whilst on the open roads just like Hartage.

I know its Illegal, and have been told by a cop who pulled me over also, but I got tickets for other things instead.

I'd fight with it saying you could be preventing accidents...

[uhlsta 0]

The thing is i've been driving with them ever since i've had this car, and i've had cars in the past with them and drove with them on and never had a problem till now.

It must of been a slow night!

[diablo23 1]

its a bullshit law, i always drive with the fogs on anyway

[Matty 0]

Good on 'em. I f**king hate people who use foglights. (Except when it's foggy.)

[hybrid 1043]

I must say I dont actually use my fog lights ever (being a totally different colour to the 8k xenons ) they look sh*t on.

Well, how are the cops allowed to use fog lights?

Check the highway patrol utes / cars ... I see them using their fog lights quite a bit.

fight it dude. The law actually states your not allowed to use it in built up areas .. a motorway isnt a build up area .. especially in the rain.

what they _SHOULD_ be cracking down on is the n00bs that leave their euro rear fog lights on ... now thats a real hazard.

[joel 0]

Have been told a few times to turn them off at checkpoints, but a $150 fine for it, now thats abit anal

[tintop 10]

My mate got fined like that nearly 10 years ago. Its not a new law.

Mind you the weekend before a local cop had said in round-a-bout ways that his boss didn't like my mates noisy VR4 and encouraged his staff to pull him up.

[Nobimmer 694]

WTF are the fogs there for if you can't use them?

What a f**king stupid law.

[cainchapman 0]

Technically a correct fine.

If the ticket has been written up that it was raining, then I would fight it from a reduced visibility aspect.

BMW's by default have their foglights set will. Holdens on the other hand! Especially HSV's.

I'm OK with the law. I agree with Josh, the amount of knobs that drive around with the rear foglight on.

[ducatiss 1]

The ticket will have the road/visibility conditions on it (from memory). You could try arguing that that visibility was reduced supported by the fact that most other cars also had their fog lights on.

However I don't see any point in driving with fog lights on when visibility is not severely reduced - much more effective to drive with your mains on dip. We get a few days of really heavy fog over winter here in Central Otago where you cant see a cars normal tail lights until you are really close and normal headlights are difficult to see as well as the fog just scatters the light . The rear fog lights really help and I'm glad the my old E30 has them. In all other conditions it's safer to user normal lighting.

Edited December 2, 2007 by ducatiss

[tintop 10]

WTF are the fogs there for if you can't use them?

What a f**king stupid law.

Umm when its foggy maybe?

[international 0]

Umm when its foggy maybe?

Thats the biggest crock of sh*t I have heard from the police this month....surely how can they justify as to what conditions are you allowed fog light or not...

[tintop 10]

Thats the biggest crock of sh*t I have heard from the police this month....surely how can they justify as to what conditions are you allowed fog light or not...

The majority of fog lights are brighter than standard low beams. When you have been blinded by some munters fogs you will understand. If you want extra visibility during the day use the headlights.

[international 0]

The majority of fog lights are brighter than standard low beams. When you have been blinded by some munters fogs you will understand. If you want extra visibility during the day use the headlights.

I understand that fog light can blind on-coming drivers in some cases but the law does not forbid them competely...so the line of "being able to use the fog lights legally" and "illegally using the fog lights" become very grey.

A fog light is used obviously when there is a fog and poor visiblity situations but how does one justify if their situation is of poor visiblity or not?

[martyyn 2]

Someone questioned why you were given a fine. Id say it was the cheapest advertising they could buy. They give you the fine and you have twenty people on here talking about it being bullsh!t.

I get fed up with people in NZ driving during the day with their foglights on. Scooby owners are the worst. In the city center is a joke, out on the open road is passable, if your just doing it to be visible Id question why your not using your headlights instead.

[320guy 0]

I agree with Josh, the amount of knobs that drive around with the rear foglight on.

I turn my rear fogs on at night if someone is tail gating me, or behind me with their highs on.

Every time ive done it they have backed off almost straight away or dipped their lights

[PBOY23 0]

f**k the cops

[M3 Cab 0]

Come on they have to raise money for Rickards exit package somehow. Agreed it is f--king stupid and clearly more important than actual crime.

[Nobimmer 694]

Are the rear fogs really bright?

I didn't even know they did anything lol.

[jpp 0]

I NEVER get blinded by STANDARD "FOGS", or driving lights. I get blinded by wanks who have EXTRA bright bulbs in that make there car look like they're driving with high-beams ON! Absoultey dangerous and annoying.

[jpp 0]

Are the rear fogs really bright?

I didn't even know they did anything lol.

To the un-informed looks like you're braking.