Fog Lights,One Headlight blown and the other on High Beam.

Submitted: Friday, Mar 27, 2009 at 18:27

ThreadID: 67261 Views:2635 Replies:3 FollowUps:2

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Member - Warfer (VIC)

While driving last night to pick my daughter up from sport about 20kms away i could not get over the amount of newer cars with there fog lights on..I don't know if my eyes were getting tired but it seems to me that with the 4 lights on they are a lot brighter,not quite like high beam..I'd say about 99% of vehicles that had them,they were on..Now some say its illegal and some don't.I could not seem to find much on this site through the search forum under (fog lights,illegal etc etc)..So i searched google till i got to this..

"CHANGES TO ROAD RULES

From 16 April 2008, Victorian drivers face new laws when using fog lights.

New fog light law

Under a new law, front and rear fog lights can only be used in fog or other hazardous weather conditions. Previously this law only applied to rear fog lights. Fog lamps turned on when there is no fog can cause glare, affecting other road users' ability to see and drive safely. This law is also effective from 16 April 2008.

Now i am sure this subject has come up on Exploroz here before.

Another thing i noticed was the amount of vehicles with one headlight blown and they had the other on high beam to compensate,four cars in this time had this and they were roughly 2000 onwards to late (year)..

Yesterday i also noticed (did a lot of noticing lol) a 4wd with all the lights working on the rear bumper bar but nothing on the vehicle itself,this happens quite a bit and i am thinking its about time Victoria had a compulsory Yearly or Two yearly Road Worthy Inspection..

The Government are churning over billions of dollars in camera scam revenue but its not addressing the above issues,I suppose if you look at a cost ratio, Police in a car issuing a $160 fine compared to cameras clicking over like Pokie Machines..

I hardly ever see police pull people over anymore..

Cheers

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Reply By: Tim - Stratford (VIC) - Friday, Mar 27, 2009 at 18:51

Friday, Mar 27, 2009 at 18:51

G'day Warfer,

Jeez, with all those lights on you could hardly miss them could you.

The local traffic guys down here did a speal in the local rag when the Road Rules changed. They had an unofficial "Amnesty" period and often tell motorists to turn them off rather than booking them. Some cars don't have an indicator light to show the fog lights are switched on!

Some of the newer 4by's, I think some patrols and pajeros, didn't comply with ADR's as far as the visibility of rear lights due to the rear mounted spare - hence the lower bumperbar lights for these. In their wisdom they didn't even put globes in the higher 'lights' to save cost. They look good when all hooked up - not very green though - use too much power :-)

Tim

AnswerID: 356626

Follow Up By: Member - Warfer (VIC) - Friday, Mar 27, 2009 at 19:15

Friday, Mar 27, 2009 at 19:15

**Jeez, with all those lights on you could hardly miss them could you.***

Hiya Buddy

I dont usually get out at peak hour'ish much so it was a big surprise.The "Amnesty" is probably ok but wonder how many switch back...

Did not get to do the Avon route that Robin Miller gave me,Thought i'd wait till the bush fires calmed down,will do it though,hav you anymore trips coming up..

Cheers

FollowupID: 624682

Follow Up By: Tim - Stratford (VIC) - Friday, Mar 27, 2009 at 19:25

Friday, Mar 27, 2009 at 19:25

Heading off in the morning for the weekend - just for the night to give the kamper a run.

Next decent trip may be in the school holidays - depending on work - otherwise it is the Boy's trip (about 12 4wd's) in May.

FollowupID: 624685

Reply By: Wherehegon - Saturday, Mar 28, 2009 at 12:18

Saturday, Mar 28, 2009 at 12:18

Have noticed with a few 4wd's that the rear tail lights in the actual body panels are there for decoration only, they usually contain the blinker and reverse light, the red light is generally just a reflector, the red ones in the lower bumper bar are generally the tail/brake lights. Obviously cost cutting. They went to all the trouble to make sure all new vehicles have a stop light either in the rear parcel shelf or up high on the rear doors of station wagons and 4wd's to stop rear ending and yet they put the other stop lights in the lower bumper these days when all they have to do is run a few extra wires and hook up the dummy lights that are generally there in the rear quarter panels. Some people have gone to the trouble of hooking up these lights so as to be more noticable when ihitting the ankers to people behind that like to sit so close you cant see their bonnets. Thats where a good solid Hayman Reese Towbar comes into play :).
I think the reason more poeple these days seem to have blown headlight globes is a lot of them drive with them on as a lot of the vehicles have settings for auto lights on, turn off when you open the door and may have got home the night before therefore on again the next day when they start up.
The worst of the driving/fog (depending on who you talk to) I think is the earlier model commodores VX's especially, they are extremely bright. We had them on our s pack and yes I did use them on open roads as the spread beam on them to the side of the road was brilliant, but I always flicked them off when saw a vehicle approaching as not to dazzle the oncoming driver ....WHG

AnswerID: 356719

Reply By: Member - Smiley Bill - Saturday, Mar 28, 2009 at 19:03

Saturday, Mar 28, 2009 at 19:03

Hi Warfer,

I think you'll find the "Fog" lights you mentioned are really Day lights, designed to make your vehicle more visible to other road users. During the day they are ok but at night, because they cannot be aligned like headlights, they dazzle oncoming traffic hence cannot be used unless in adverse weather conditions, same as the High Intensity rear fog lights.

"Blown headlight and high beam people" are just lazy wankers. Both groups don't care about other road users and cause accidents.

When new vehicles are designed and built they have to satisfy Australian Design Regulations (ADR's). In this case Rear lights must be visible for a certain distance from certain angles. When a rear tyre carrier is bolted on this buggers the roadworthiness of the motor vehicle therefor extra lights are added to comply. Most are disconnected because they are not needed.

SB

AnswerID: 356743