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Vehicles in France and England used to be equipped with yellow head lights as standard equipment. Their weather often had fog, so all of their cars and trucks had yellow head lights as standard specifications. Back in the day, if you registered your car in France or England, you had to convert or retro-fit your car to yellow head lights. The yellow really did make a difference. The white did/does reflect back more than yellow.
True "fog" lights are yellow.
Of course I drive with my moonroof open in the rain, just because I paid for it. After all, I'm not the one that gets wet - just the passengers behind me.
Vehicles in France and England used to be equipped with yellow head lights as standard equipment.
France was the last European country to drop yellow in the early 1990's.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jksa09
Their weather often had fog, so all of their cars and trucks had yellow head lights as standard specifications.
I don't think front fogs are required anymore in Europe. They are essentially worthless anyway. But a very bright single red rear foglight is required on all cars in Europe. It must be turned off when not driving in fog.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jksa09
Back in the day, if you registered your car in France or England, you had to convert or retro-fit your car to yellow head lights. The yellow really did make a difference. The white did/does reflect back more than yellow. True "fog" lights are yellow.
The wavelengths of yellow and blue/white do not differ enough to have an effect on reflectivity from fog droplets, if that is what you are thinking. Yellow helped a little against large snowflakes, but not much in fog.
In Germany it is illegal to use front fogs if visibllity is greater than 50 meters. And it must be fog; you can't use them in rain only. The German police enforce this rule. In England the visibility must be less than 100 meters to legally use front fogs. Same as Australia. The fine for first offense is about $75-$100.
Only in the U.S. with its "up yours" attitude do drivers run their font fogs day and night and to hell with oncoming traffic.
I'm afraid another part of the reason folks have their foglights on is fashion.
Didn't you know it's "sporty" to have your fogs on ?
All the old guys out there are trying to show the young pups that they can still cut it, and their fogs mean you better look out, their sports car will blow you away.
It's a fashion statement.
You may think you look cool with them on, but most of the other drivers have a different opinion.
Guess what everyone, this is the correct answer. Just ask any kid that has them on their cars. They first change the light bulbs and then change the direction they point to.
France was the last European country to drop yellow in the early 1990's.
I don't think front fogs are required anymore in Europe. They are essentially worthless anyway. But a very bright single red rear foglight is required on all cars in Europe. It must be turned off when not driving in fog.
The wavelengths of yellow and blue/white do not differ enough to have an effect on reflectivity from fog droplets, if that is what you are thinking. Yellow helped a little against large snowflakes, but not much in fog.
In Germany it is illegal to use front fogs if visibllity is greater than 50 meters. And it must be fog; you can't use them in rain only. The German police enforce this rule. In England the visibility must be less than 100 meters to legally use front fogs. Same as Australia. The fine for first offense is about $75-$100.
Only in the U.S. with its "up yours" attitude do drivers run their font fogs day and night and to hell with oncoming traffic.
Thanks for the update. It has been a long while since I was in Europe.
I still think in my "old school" way that the "yellows" are "true" fog lights. The rear single fogs were just starting when I was there.
All the white, and blue/white are just additional/helpful lighting.
Only a nusiance if the wattage/brightness and the aim of the beam is to draw attention to themselves or blind oncoming driveres.
Maybe if some of you would buy a vehicle that was more than 2inches off the ground, my lights wouldn't default high-beam in your face!
?????
My Tundra is more that 2 inches off the ground.
What is your comment about "default to high-beam in your face"
If another driver is coming at me with high beams, I click mine on, until they click theirs down.
This has nothing to do with "fog lights".
Vehicles in France and England used to be equipped with yellow head lights as standard equipment. Their weather often had fog, so all of their cars and trucks had yellow head lights as standard specifications. Back in the day, if you registered your car in France or England, you had to convert or retro-fit your car to yellow head lights. The yellow really did make a difference. The white did/does reflect back more than yellow.
True "fog" lights are yellow.
I lived in England for 50 years and yellow head lamps have never been standard . Extra fitted fog lamps could be fitted that were yellow and you could buy yellow lens covers if you were travelling to France but not in England
I can only imagine I've posted in this thread before, but as an fyi, with new HID and projector headlights, fog lights are not necessary like they used to be because the new headlights have sharp light pattern cutoffs. At least that is what was explained to me, and it makes sense considering what fog lights were intended to do.
Lots of people mistake fog lights for driving lights.
Nowadays, European cars also have rear foglights, and what really bugs me are the people that drive with those on, because they are as bright as brake lights.
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yellow fog lights
