What is the Benefit of Fog Lights?

[Jucius Maximus]

Do fog lights on a car have any benefit other than cosmetic?

Do they actually improve visibility in fog?

[KawaiiTentacleBeast]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automot...ting#Fog_lamps

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...fog_lamps.html

Basically it's a good way to spot ricers and idiots in a crowd.

[mr_sandman]

we had fog lights on our 08 Caravan rental, they were useless in thick fog, it actually made the visibility worse!

[TheRide]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automot...ting#Fog_lamps

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/t...fog_lamps.html

Basically it's a good way to spot ricers and idiots in a crowd.

Idiots being the ones that aim it improperly. Please aim your fog/auxillery lights properly to the ground and not to on-coming traffic or our rear view mirrors.

[Pete_Coach]

True fog lights work very well when used properly. They should be (as another poster said), be aimed parallel to the ground and only a few inches above the ground. They should also be used by themselves, meaning, turn off the headlights and only use he fog lights. This reduces the glare created by the wide beam of the headlights. They should also be slightly yellow to cut the fog.
The same aiming process goes for the driving lights.

[squall458]

True fog lights work very well when used properly. They should be (as another poster said), be aimed parallel to the ground and only a few inches above the ground. They should also be used by themselves, meaning, turn off the headlights and only use he fog lights. This reduces the glare created by the wide beam of the headlights. They should also be slightly yellow to cut the fog.
The same aiming process goes for the driving lights.

Not totally sure, but my fogs dont come on unless my headlights are on? I tried to find a way to keep them separate, but I havent figured it out yet.

[ichpen]

Not totally sure, but my fogs dont come on unless my headlights are on? I tried to find a way to keep them separate, but I havent figured it out yet.

THat's quite correct. I believe the earlier poster meant to say high beams not your regular headlights (dipped).

[SkylineR34X]

In order for fog lights to be effective, it should not be used in combination with low or high beam.

The reason why fog is mounted low is to reduce the glare caused by water droplets in fog. Having low beam and fog lights on at the same time is completely useless.

And yes it is true that most North American car's fog lights are for cosmetic purpose only. European (ie. BMW/Audi) can have Fog lights on without having to turn the low beam on.

[gman]

The stock fog light that comes with my van did improve visibility in fog. Not by much though.

[ShadowVlican]

my stock fogs are for show

[torrento]

so.. fog lights are illegal during normal driving conditions? (according to Wikipedia). Does that apply to Ontario drivers as well?

[DJ_Peanuts22]

so.. fog lights are illegal during normal driving conditions? (according to Wikipedia). Does that apply to Ontario drivers as well?

apparently not, because it's always been a "trend" here in toronto

[SkylineR34X]

No it is not illegal to use fog lights in Ontario.

HTA states that the maximum number of forward pointing lights for illumination purposes is 4. So 2 for low beam and 2 for fogs is perfectly legal.

[VorteC]

My fogs aren't really useful for forwards visibility.. but they do provide around 160 degrees of lighting.. that's like my peripheral vision lol. I use it to read house numbers at night when I'm driving down streets. If they were yellow or something, I guess other cars can see my car better in the fog.. however they're colour matched with my HID lowbeams.

[Pete_Coach]

My fogs aren't really useful for forwards visibility.. but they do provide around 160 degrees of lighting.. that's like my peripheral vision lol. I use it to read house numbers at night when I'm driving down streets. If they were yellow or something, I guess other cars can see my car better in the fog.. however they're colour matched with my HID lowbeams.

You have the lower lights pointed so high that you can read house numbers? Isn't that one of the complaints about these lights? Improper aiming?