Ok, so I'm driving through Cambridge at about 7pm today, when I pass a police car (a skoda out of interest). Anyway, at the next traffic lights I look behind be and there it is. Clearly I'm being followed. Anyway I turn into my friends side road/destination, they follow and I pull in and the discussions begin. It turns out my fog lights were on, for which I was unaware. I was perfectly polite and apologetic and after everything was checked out I was told I was to be fined £30 for it.

Now I know plenty of people who have been pulled and warned for this offense, but never fined - although it is perfectly plausible (all be it conveniently close to the end of the month/target deadline) as I did commit an offense.

What did really annoy me further was when I was lied by the same officer. She flat out told me I could drive with my fog lights on providing my main lights were off (i.e only side lights). Now I confirmed that this was incorrect with 2 other coppers. Which leads me to one of 2 conclusions:

a) She doesn't know WHAT she is on about and therefore shouldn't be a police officer

She lied to me deliberately.

Anyway thats my rant - I have lost a lot of respect/trust of police officers through this one event, especially as the coppers I asked about the fog lights + side lights said "You will be pulled over and warned, only fined if the officer is feeling exceptionally mean"

thoughts?

Sometimes i do wonder if they are only out there to fu*k us over...

Sympathies with you buddy. ({)

The cop was correct on one point - you CAN drive with sides and fogs. Not much point in having them otherwise!

i sympathise that you have been fined for something as trivial as that

but isn't it an MOT fail if there is no indication that the fog lamps are on ?

And coppers sometimes wonder why they have a bad name

The cop was correct on one point - you CAN drive with sides and fogs. Not much point in having them otherwise!

NO, you can't. Foglights may only be used if visibility is seriously reduced. Using sides and fogs in clear conditions would, and should, get you pulled and fined.

In fog, using sides and fogs can work well as you will get less reflection from the headlights. I've done that one myself

you broke the law driving like a chav. you knew they were on as the fog lights light would have been illuminated.

£30 quid. no points. getover it.

People who purposely drive around with the front fogs on during the daytime / nightime in otherwise fine conditions really annoy me.

In your situation though, as you were unaware that you had turned them on by pulling the light switch towards you as you switched your lights on and obviously had a faulty dash light which made you unaware that your front fog lights were on, I sympathise.

Sorry, but I am with the unsympathetic group here. Driving with them on whether front or rear are too bright and very irritating to other drivers.

Foglights are there for fog or very restricted visiility, the dash has warning lights on it to tell you that you have your foglights on, whether front or rear or both.

I would like to ask the following, Is the warning light broken, or Do you not look at your clocks /warning panel

Fogs should only be used when Visibility is less than 100 yds or in falling snow. If it was dark then surley the beam pattern on the road would have told you that your fogs were on. Is there no warning light on the dash???

Sorry, but I am with the unsympathetic group here. Driving with them on whether front or rear are too bright and very irritating to other drivers.

Foglights are there for fog or very restricted visiility, the dash has warning lights on it to tell you that you have your foglights on, whether front or rear or both.

I would like to ask the following, Is the warning light broken, or Do you not look at your clocks /warning panel

I have to agree with this I'm afraid. I hate people who drive with fog lights on for no reason. I don't wish to go into anymore detail as to if it was or wasn't an error.

It is clearly stated on the dash when they are on - Unless you have a fault with your dashboard.

It seems obvious that you have had to learn the hardway.

the law states fog lights should not be used unless the visibility is less than 100 meters.

I reckon I only use my fog lights a few times a year so the odds of having them left on by accident is just about zero. I don’t understand why anyone would want to drive on sidelights and foglights in normal conditions anyway??? Foglights are rubbish in normal conditions, they are designed to reduce glare-back in foggy/snowy conditions and so do not throw powerful beams out, but rather a soft diffuse light. If it was 7pm, then it would still be light, so unless your car has running lights it seems unusual that you would be running with your lights on. Perhaps this is what drew the Police’s attention? My car has running lights (automatic) and it winds a lot of people up sadly.

Kabalm i suggest you get yourself a copy of the highway code and read it. fog lights cannot be used (front or rear) unless visibility has been reduced to 100m i.e. fog, spray etc. i wished they issued points for those idiots who drive around with their fogs on which are distracting and also dangerous.

People who use rear fogs in light rain and then refuse to switch them of as conditions improve really annoy me. Sitting behind a car in town in a spot of rain and having to stare at his Death Ray fog lights at a junction is criminal. Even on Motorways when you can see clearly for a mile in the rain, the boney fingers of doom start to reach for their only factory fitted ‘extra’:thumbdwn:

I agree with most here and have no sympathy for you either, as this is one of my pet hates.

At least now you have been fined £30, you will hopefully think twice about using them when they are not needed in future?

I don't buy into the "i didn't know they were on" excuse either - not on a car that you physically have to turn them on each time.

IMHO every one should be fined who misuses them.

Ok, so I'm driving through Cambridge at about 7pm today

Not exactly dark at that time of night is it?

Now I know plenty of people who have been pulled and warned for this offense

From which I can only conclude it is normal practice for you and your mates to do this sort of thing

Time to own up. You knowingly broke the law and have been punished. Come on here and accept it like a man and stop bloody whingeing.

Not exactly dark at that time of night is it?

That what I said, get our own soap box:P:D

I did say that its fair enough I got fined. However I found it very off that the Police officer then mis-informed me on what I can and cannot do!?

I did say that its fair enough I got fined. However I found it very off that the Police officer then mis-informed me on what I can and cannot do!?

It might be fair enough- but why try to mislead people on here by saying you weren't aware the lights were on when you quite obviously did know.

On the second point, try Independent Police Complaints Commission Home Page

Fog lights do not a rally car make. Although, Shifty’s light pods could get him nicked 4 counties away.

If this makes people think twice about putting front or rear fogs on because they think it looks cool, then it's not such a bad thing.

Dave.

You dont get a dash warning for front fogs on the Fabia do you? I though just the fog light logo on the switch lit up.

You get a "beam pointing down" on the first click out (front fogs) and then an image of a light with a kind of # to the left of it on the 2nd pull (rear fogs)

I think since I've done my vRS front end conversion - at least 4 or 5 months ago - I've never used the front fogs. They might not even be working.

People who use rear fogs in light rain and then refuse to switch them of as conditions improve really annoy me. Sitting behind a car in town in a spot of rain and having to stare at his Death Ray fog lights at a junction is criminal. Even on Motorways when you can see clearly for a mile in the rain, the boney fingers of doom start to reach for their only factory fitted ‘extra’:thumbdwn:

Or when you get up behind them they leave them on blinding you and obscuring their brake lights.

It might be fair enough- but why try to mislead people on here by saying you weren't aware the lights were on when you quite obviously did know.

On the second point, try Independent Police Complaints Commission Home Page

But as they say ignorance is not a defence, to drive on the public roads as part of your licence is that you agree to follow the rules and laws of the road, you didnt so suffer the consequences.