Why do people drive in good road conditions with foglights on? (red light, brake)

[frankpc]

A bright pool of light from fog lights directly in front of your vehicle is probably not where you want to focus your vision on a clear night ... Here's a snip from Stern's article I linked to earlier:

"In clear conditions, more foreground light is not a good thing, it's a bad thing. Some foreground light is necessary so you can use your peripheral vision to see where you are relative to the road edges, the lane markings and that pothole 10 feet in front of your left wheels. But foreground light is far less safety-critical than light cast well down the road into the distance, because at any significant speed (much above 30 mph), what's in the foreground is too close for you to do much about. If you increase the foreground light, your pupils react to the bright, wide pool of light by constricting, which in turn substantially reduces your distance vision—especially since there's no increase in down-the-road distance light to go along with the increased foreground light. It's insidious, because high levels of foreground light give the illusion, the subjective impression, of comfort and security and "good lighting".

Frank

[steve54]

Originally Posted by frankpc

A bright pool of light from fog lights directly in front of your vehicle is probably not where you want to focus your vision on a clear night ... Here's a snip from Stern's article I linked to earlier:

"In clear conditions, more foreground light is not a good thing, it's a bad thing. Some foreground light is necessary so you can use your peripheral vision to see where you are relative to the road edges, the lane markings and that pothole 10 feet in front of your left wheels. But foreground light is far less safety-critical than light cast well down the road into the distance, because at any significant speed (much above 30 mph), what's in the foreground is too close for you to do much about. If you increase the foreground light, your pupils react to the bright, wide pool of light by constricting, which in turn substantially reduces your distance vision—especially since there's no increase in down-the-road distance light to go along with the increased foreground light. It's insidious, because high levels of foreground light give the illusion, the subjective impression, of comfort and security and "good lighting".

Frank

NIce point Frank but it seems you're (we're) arguing against people who just want to use equipment because they paid for it ( I bet they don't use their moonroof when it's raining or people who don't accept that a bright pool of light immediately in front of your vehicle will detrimentally affect your night vision . You ca'nt react to things lit by the foglights because at 30 mph your reaction time is over 60ft i.e. beyond the spotlight effective area

Also I'm referring to the lights at or below the front fender , not daytime running lights

Here's another opinion
Fog lights are designed to give off a very wide beam of light, often cut off at the top and focused at a low level. They are almost always either clear white or selective yellow, though other colors have been tried. Directed at the surface of the road, these lights should be used when driving at slower speeds in poor driving conditions. The most common visibility problems while driving come from fog, rain, floating dust, and the various forms of snow. Normal headlights tend to produce a ton of reflective glare in these conditions. Instead of illuminating the road, standard lights reflect off the nearby particles in the air, right back at the driver. This excessive glare means that, at times, normal headlights can hurt your visibility as much as they help.

Projector fog lights are meant to be used in foggy conditions because of the reduced visibility. If you do not use the fog lights how they are intended it can be dangerous for you and other drivers, such as using them during clear driving conditions. Fog lights are designed to light up the road underneath the fog rather than lighting up the fog as your high beams do.

Incorrect use of fog lights , poor driving conditions, foggy weather, fog lamps, accidents, foggy weather

http://www.caradvice.com.au/3119/fog-light-fury/


I really just see it as discourteous to oncoming or drivers in front as they WILL affect their night vision too

Come to think of it I paid for my four way flashers maybe I'll start driving with those on too

[steve54]

Originally Posted by GarnerMama

My fog lights are set to a default too and I love them. They're like rory's....it's a wide, low beam, so low that it's on the ground...no way it could shine in someone's car. High beams are another story...hate when they're behind me.

So low and short it doesn't serve any purpose other than to light the roadway up UNDERNEATH the fog layer.
FWIW I meant to say short and wide beams of light in my previous posts - my bad

[zinner]

All my cars have them and you have to manual turn them on every time you get in the car, there is no accidentally turning them on.

I usually keep them on cause they light up the road more and makes it easier to see. Aux driving lights comply with all the laws and they aren't like high beams, they point at the ground right in front of the vehicle.

If you wanna whine about glare and being blinded, how about ppl with aftermarket HID's or big trucks with lift kits. Those are annoying but I have enough tint on my car windows so they don't really bother me that much.

[CHTransplant]

I have to say, despite all the debate on this, I've never once been annoyed by another car's fog lights.

[steve54]

Originally Posted by zinner

All my cars have them and you have to manual turn them on every time you get in the car, there is no accidentally turning them on.

I usually keep them on cause they light up the road more and makes it easier to see. Aux driving lights comply with all the laws and they aren't like high beams, they point at the ground right in front of the vehicle.

If you wanna whine about glare and being blinded, how about ppl with aftermarket HID's or big trucks with lift kits. Those are annoying but I have enough tint on my car windows so they don't really bother me that much.

I don't really see foglights in the same was as auxiliary lights . Foglights are embedded in the front fender or below and light the roadway immediately in front of the vehicle. To me auxillary driving lights are usually mounted at the same height as the headlight unit and should be adjusted to work at long distances to augment the OEM lights ( I'm visualizing Rally cars) ( Not Raleigh cars)

[samdan]

Originally Posted by steve54

OK - Question: Why do people drive in good road conditions with foglights on?
I have noticed a tendency for many drivers to drive with the foglights on all the time. Have they just forgotten to switch them off after the last incident of foul weather or do they believe that any extra light is better at night? Is it illegal to drive with foglights on in good conditions? ( It is in England)
Not only do the extra lights, which are designed to pick up the road edges in bad weather, glare into the eyes of oncoming drivers but they worsen the owner drivers night vision by lighting only narrow band close to the front of the vehicle
In England there is an auxillary dash light ( similar to main beam warning light) that comes on when you foglights are lit, I checked my car and there is only a small LED on the switch

You didn't know?The weatherman said there was a chance of flurries.Can never be to carefull.

[whiteboyslo]

Originally Posted by steve54

I really just see it as discourteous to oncoming or drivers in front as they WILL affect their night vision too

how does a set of lights set at a lower height (and often much lower wattage) cause an issue for oncoming drivers? i understand that using them in clear conditions may not serve much of a purpose, but it seems a stretch to say they affect other's vision at night.

i've never once found myself blinded by the foglights of oncoming traffic.

Mike

[TuborgP]

Originally Posted by rory breaker

It provides significantly more light in the area immediately in front of your car and especially to the corners, widening your beam pattern...and the purpose of lights on the front of your car is to...provide...light.

Why WOULDNT someone use them?

Yeah, why not use them they improve your vision and are not blinding.

[mtta]

Well I guess we know why people drive with them on. They think they're entitled to just because they bought them, more light makes them feel safer, and they don't think they bother anyone else.

I think it's a fact that a flash of bright light makes the pupils constrict, which affects vision. Of course everyone would respond differently - some would say they're bothered, others wouldn't. I was taught in driver's ed that brights shouldn't be used unless you're in a rural area or bad weather, and you should turn them off when oncoming traffic is present.