No sympathy here I am afraid. Should be a fixed £300 IMO. You cannot even claim to not be aware of them on. In the Fabia, you have to actively put them on. Some cars do have indication that is not clear though. The MR2 has an illuminated switch when the front fogs are on, but I cannot see it from the driving seat.

Chris

I've only ever used fogs once in the past year of driving.

No sympathy unless it was a genuine error. The rule is simple, and some commonsense on top which has also been mentioned. 100m or less visibility, fog, spray or falling snow. If you're not sure what 100m looks like, it's about 3-4 normally spaced street lamps. Out of consideration for others, if you are using the rear fog and become followed constantly and safely by another vehicle, switch it off until they cease following you. It is more comfortable for them and safer for you both. I think a short sharp shock is needed with some. It wouldn't take too many Kevins in their Saxo's to get fined £500 for it before word got around on Barryboys, MaxPower et al and they all switched 'em off.

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

Amanda, mine are driving lamps , and quite useless in fog

Out of consideration for others, if you are using the rear fog and become followed constantly and safely by another vehicle, switch it off until they cease following you. It is more comfortable for them and safer for you both.

It never ceases to amaze me how few people think about the masking effect the fog lights have on the brake lights. I almost never see the person in front switch off the fogs once I catch them up.

Chris

It turns out my fog lights were on, for which I was unaware.

Can I ask how one would put on fog lights on a Fabia?

The reason I ask is on many cars made in the last 10 years you cant leave them on from the last time you used them, ie, they self cancel. So, if that is the case then either you knowingly put them on OR you dont know how to operate your cars controls properly.

As you can tell, I dont have much sympathy for this and saying you didnt know you had them on infront of a copper would make them feel the same as it shows a little incompetence.

A better response would be.......

"Ah, sorry officer, I just past someone a few moments ago with their fogs on so as its a great annoyance I thought I would give them a quick flash or two with mine to point out the error of their ways, I must not of switched them off when I did that. Im ever so sorry."

You are right in that its very unusual to get fined, plod would usually use things like this as an excuse to stop you (they need an offence, they cant just randomly stop people) and check you out. Normally, they would of just slapped your wrist. Either she was having a bad day, or you upset her, maybe without knowing. Many plod use the "attitude test" on their customers. First 5 seconds or so is enough to decide whats gonna happen to you.

Steve

Out of consideration for others, if you are using the rear fog and become followed constantly and safely by another vehicle, switch it off until they cease following you.

I do that too, although until now I thought I was the only one judging by the number of people that "forget" them.

Steve

"Ah, sorry officer, I just past someone a few moments ago with their fogs on so as its a great annoyance I thought I would give them a quick flash or two with mine to point out the error of their ways, I must not of switched them off when I did that. Im ever so sorry."

110

Flashing lights. Only flash your lights to let other road users know that you are there. Do not flash your lights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users.

And the reason why...

111

Never assume that flashing lights is a signal inviting you to proceed. Use your own judgement and proceed carefully.

Two wrongs 'n all that.

Amanda, mine are driving lamps , and quite useless in fog

I knew that :P(you know me well enough to know I would appreciate the difference surely:D), that’s why I called them a light pod:rolleyes: Men and their pods!

Can I ask how one would put on fog lights on a Fabia?

The reason I ask is on many cars made in the last 10 years you cant leave them on from the last time you used them, ie, they self cancel. So, if that is the case then either you knowingly put them on OR you dont know how to operate your cars controls properly.

As you can tell, I dont have much sympathy for this and saying you didnt know you had them on infront of a copper would make them feel the same as it shows a little incompetence.

A better response would be.......

"Ah, sorry officer, I just past someone a few moments ago with their fogs on so as its a great annoyance I thought I would give them a quick flash or two with mine to point out the error of their ways, I must not of switched them off when I did that. Im ever so sorry."

You are right in that its very unusual to get fined, plod would usually use things like this as an excuse to stop you (they need an offence, they cant just randomly stop people) and check you out. Normally, they would of just slapped your wrist. Either she was having a bad day, or you upset her, maybe without knowing. Many plod use the "attitude test" on their customers. First 5 seconds or so is enough to decide whats gonna happen to you.

Steve

The phenomenon of front fog lights being used incorrectly is a relatively new thing. Not too many years ago, most cars would have not been fitted with front fogs. Those that were tended to be owned by people who were aware of how to use them and did not feel the need to "bling up" the appearance of their car at night by running with them on.

More latterly, front fogs are standard equipment on more of the better specified options of a car model. People now like to show them off, so it is now commonplace to find cars driving around on front fogs in fine weather. Unfortunately, these poeople have not got the intelligence or consideration for others that would tell them to not use the lights inappropriately. The phrase more money than sense appies perfectly. I think that it is for this reason the police are starting to stop people and make an example or two. Thing is, ideally, they should be fining people enough to make it worthwhile and to get the message out.

As for the practicalities of using front fog lights, they should not be used in spray conditions and should only really be used when dipped headlights result in the kerb becoming invisible. Speed will of course be very very low in these circumstances. Since I have had my Fabia, I have encountered this condition twice in 112,000 miles. Once for a couple of hundred yards in Essex one evening and once for a couple of miles going across the Peak District late one night last year, so the fogs have had nearly 5 minutes of use, which I suspect is more than most folks will justify ever using them. Besides, even on the darkest road, the fogs only light up an area around 10m in front of the car, so in clear weather they will not add to visibility even slightly and may even reduce it by making near field vision sightly brighter, reducing the eyes ability to spot darker hazards further away.

Rear foglights are used as a marker to warn other road users of your presence in reduced visibility (ie less than 100m). They should be on in such conditions and switched off immediately you see the car behind has observed your presence. Brake lights are 21W bulbs, as are fog lights. Fog lights tend to be more directional than brake lights, so are bright enough that the person behind you may not be able to tell when you apply your brakes unless they are looking directly at the lights when they come on. Switching them off, the person behind can easily tell when you apply the brakes.

Chris

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 ?

Thought that was only rear fogs?

Am I the only one that is starting to feel sorry for poor Kablam. Yes we have sussed out his mistaken belief that fog light are cool, but I can’t help think he might have learnt his lesson by now.

So can we all agree, front fogs are a fashion accessory 99.9% of the time and shouldn’t be used unless conditions are truly terrible and rear fogs should be treated with greater respect and turned off when a vehicle is within easy viewing distance of your car (especially if they are sat behind you in traffic)

.

And the reason why...

Two wrongs 'n all that. .

Yeah, Yeah, we all know that..........

Your right, 2 wrongs dont make a right but more of a plausable excuse in modern cars than not realising you had put them on.

And can we all absolutley guarantee that we have NEVER ever used the headlights to "flash" people out of a junction.........

Or, flash to warn of a talivan.........

Or, flash to someone you know..............

Really........ you have never done that?

Your either a liar or the worlds best driver, but hey, you already knew that.

Steve

ive used my rear ones 2 or 4 times in a year and front ones probably about 6 times mainly in reduced visability on motorways from spray, but on one occasion real bad fog where i couldnt get above 20 mph and ended up with just fogs on as the dip was causing bad reflection.

Admittedly it was a bit silly. I do feel my rant was misunderstood - I know I shouldn't have been driving with fogs, and accepted (and now paid) the fine. What I was aggravated by was the way the Police officer mis informed me of what was legal/correct.

I’ve run out of popcorn:(:(

I’ve run out of popcorn:(:(

I hate Cray Fish.............:(

Admittedly it was a bit silly. I do feel my rant was misunderstood - I know I shouldn't have been driving with fogs, and accepted (and now paid) the fine. What I was aggravated by was the way the Police officer mis informed me of what was legal/correct.

Agreed, she should of kept her mouth shut if she wasnt 100% sure of the legal stance. At least you now know from people on here the right legal view.

Unfortunatly not all coppers know all of the law, it would be impossible. No doubt it wasnt a traf pol, as they would of been more accurate.

Steve

I hate Cray Fish.............:(

Just had sherry trifle:)

I have driven with my front fogs on at times but my Felly's front fogs arent exactly that blinding/powerful so they dont make any difference at all.

I have seen some cars though that do have powerful front fogs and they can be a tad blinding/annoyingly bright.

It turns out my fog lights were on, for which I was unaware.

Had someone else turned them on for you when you weren't looking?

Your easier to catch pal than a proper criminal

Had someone else turned them on for you when you weren't looking?

Must have been your friends young child that was climbing in and out of the car at your friends house.

I've used front fogs as extra illumination on dark country roads - they tend to give a good short range sideways illumination making the verge (and associated potholes) easier to see. I've been pulled for it, too, but I think this was an excuse to breathalyse me and look for other defects on a quiet Saturday night. I just tried to remain very calm and polite, and was eventually allowed on my way (after being informed of the possible £30 fine, but not fined on that occasion).

I counted the number of vehicles on the way home last night (18:30 and it wasn't dark/foggy/misty/dull/dusty etc)

5 cars past me with fog lights and side lights on and I past 6 lorries also with fog lights and side lights on, I only have a 30mile drive.

Whats worse is the lorry's fog lights are in their bumpers and they bounce round and are really blinding.