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View Full Version : Foglights and Legality.



canadian_hustla
02-27-2005, 08:32 PM
Just wondering what your opinions are on the legality of foglights at night. I have heard different views, people saying they are completely legal... and others saying they are not. Do police pull over for this sort of thing, (has anyone been pulled over)?

most boxes say "offroad use only".. but if the foglights are white, wouldn't that be legal (given they aren't aimed at eye level)

thanks!

googe
02-27-2005, 08:46 PM
i dont have an answer, but im curious why youd want your fog lights on anyway?

canadian_hustla
02-27-2005, 08:51 PM
brighter, plus it makes my car look better because the front bumper is small and disproportionate.. the lights sort of even out the car.

most people drive with them on :thumbsup:

lone_one
02-27-2005, 09:06 PM
yes, I have been pulled over for having Fog Lights on, but never issued a ticket, as I think it is a grey area of the law. I dont believe it is illegal unless it is blinding the oncoming traffic. I think it is one of those things cops pull you over for so they have a reason to maybe issue a ticket on another offense.

When I got pulled over for having them on, I was then issued a ticket for a crakced shield.


hope this helps.

canadian_hustla
02-27-2005, 09:09 PM
yes, I have been pulled over for having Fog Lights on, but never issued a ticket, as I think it is a grey area of the law. I dont believe it is illegal unless it is blinding the oncoming traffic. I think it is one of those things cops pull you over for so they have a reason to maybe issue a ticket on another offense.

thanks, just wondering what color they were. I think cops would be more indifferent to white than to something like blue/red/yellow etc.

from what i understand, you are only allowed white or amber on the front of the car, and red on the rear.

SAiamNE
02-27-2005, 09:10 PM
I can't see them being illegal.
On my RX-7 they are my day time running lights.
The only time i can turn them off is when i have my brights on..

Honda_002
02-27-2005, 10:02 PM
If you look at alot of trucks like dodges and fords they come stock, so I dont see why it should be a problem, as long as they arent as bright as your brights on your headlights.

canadian_hustla
02-27-2005, 10:20 PM
well that is what i am thinking, i had some old ones I bought from canadian tire, and the cops left me alone. But now I recently acquired some PIAA's, and they are BRIGHT. so yeah, maybe just aim them down. I have seen numerous cars with pink and blue foglights, i wonder if they get tickets

lone_one
02-27-2005, 10:36 PM
If I can remeber correctly, I think they were blue.This was years ago and I think they were blue CAT EYEZ, if that was the correct name for them. (cant remember the name of them exactly)

Godfuader
02-27-2005, 11:32 PM
Originally posted by SAiamNE
I can't see them being illegal.
On my RX-7 they are my day time running lights.
The only time i can turn them off is when i have my brights on..

Same on my '90 Celica. shit better not be illegal. The casing is shaped into the front and is all factory.

SilverBoost
02-28-2005, 01:32 AM
Well I had some chic in a Jeep last week blind me because her Trail Lights - attached to her side mirrors at eye level - were blaring in my face. Pretty sure that's not legal. Anyone know for sure? They were like Hellas or something.

Honda_002
02-28-2005, 03:59 AM
lights on her side mirrors?:english:

SilverBoost
02-28-2005, 04:13 AM
Originally posted by Honda_002
lights on her side mirrors?:english:

(said in a long drawn out talking-to-a-2-year-old tone)
Yeah on her mirrors.... you know the ones that let you see behind you... the ones on the "side" of your car. Maybe you've noticed them when you look out your window. Forgive me if I call it something different than you, but you could have figured it out. Would it have helped if I just said "mirrors", or would you have asked "which ones?" How long have you been waiting to use that emoticon anyhow? Man I wonder somtimes... :rolleyes: :D

Xtrema
02-28-2005, 09:00 AM
Since manufacturers are putting fogs in their cars, it shouldn't be illegal.

There may be a law somewhere that states what angle is acceptable but I doubt cops will be stopping you and try to measure that.

heavyD
02-28-2005, 11:07 AM
Fog lights are daytime running lights on some new Audi cars as well as others so I don't think it's illegal.

cloud7
02-28-2005, 02:00 PM
I recall reading somewhere (most likely the traffic act) that you are allowed upto 4 auxiliary driving lights on a vehicle... provided they don't blind people and are of the legal colours, of course.

Honda_002
02-28-2005, 02:17 PM
Originally posted by SilverBoost


(said in a long drawn out talking-to-a-2-year-old tone)
Yeah on her mirrors.... you know the ones that let you see behind you... the ones on the "side" of your car. Maybe you've noticed them when you look out your window. Forgive me if I call it something different than you, but you could have figured it out. Would it have helped if I just said "mirrors", or would you have asked "which ones?" How long have you been waiting to use that emoticon anyhow? Man I wonder somtimes... :rolleyes: :D
ooo those
gotcha:thumbsup:

canadian_hustla
02-28-2005, 05:57 PM
recall reading somewhere (most likely the traffic act) that you are allowed upto 4 auxiliary driving lights on a vehicle... provided they don't blind people and are of the legal colours, of course.

can you remember if that was per side? or just altogether?

some people at night have two sets of fogs, etc etc.

Khyron
02-28-2005, 07:18 PM
Friend's father got a ticket for having fogs on, BUT I can't remember for sure if it was AB.

I hate them with a passion (at night). If it's not foggy, turn the fogs off. Goes double for rear-fog lights. As DRLs, it's fine.

Khyron

ZorroAMG
02-28-2005, 07:30 PM
Here's the scoop people:

SAiamNE, Godfuader: Your cars have driving lights and daytime running lights, NOT fog lights. Fog lights HAVE to be turned on and off. Fog lights have a very short light spread and are low. Fog lights to the letter of the law technically should only be on in foggy weather and can only be amber or white.

Audi DRLs are NOT fogs. There is a seperate selection for fogs on the switch.

4 lights at the front of the car is the limit. Anything more is just rice anyway. Blue green, pink and purple fogs belong in Mexico (mmmmm.....nachos) and only fags run 'em in Canada.


Hope that helps

bent turbo
03-01-2005, 12:27 PM
Here's the scoop as I know it.

HTA says that you may not drive with more than four lights at a time. It doesn't matter what the combo, more than four and it's a ticket. Factory lights will turn off the the fogs if you hit the high beams

The problem is that cops are idiots, some cops. I should say ignorant. They don't understand the laws but enforce them anyway.

Case in point, being tickets for high beams and driving lights. The cop felt that highbeams were in addition to the low beams and the driving lights constituted six lights. He was wrong.

Basic rules
1) no more than 4 lights, no less than 2 (excl motorcycles)
2) must be white or amber, no other colours
3) (not sure but ) auxilliary lights are mounted at or below the level of the head lights.

Tuners are usually stung with blue light tickets. I've even hears of cops ticketing for HIDs because they look bluish., even though every german car on the road has the same lights. Seems the cops are really worried about a honda civic impersonating a snowplow.

And if the cop is a real a-hole even illuminated winsheild spray nozzles are ticketable.

R-Audi
03-01-2005, 12:42 PM
Originally posted by ZorroAMG
Audi DRLs are NOT fogs. There is a seperate selection for fogs on the switch.


Actually, depending on the year, Audi does use the foglights as its DRL's. Althought they can be controlled by a switch when the headlights are on, when the headlights are off, they are used as the DRL's.
At least on 2000+ A4's....

cloud7
03-01-2005, 05:04 PM
Originally posted by canadian_hustla


can you remember if that was per side? or just altogether?

some people at night have two sets of fogs, etc etc.

Taken from the HTA (so you're allowed 4 but can only use 2 at a time... to my understanding):

40(1) A motor vehicle may be equipped with fixed or movable
auxiliary lamps or fog lamps mounted on the front of the vehicle
and below the level of the centres of the headlamps and at a height
not less than 400 millimetres above the level on which the vehicle
stands.
(2) Not more than 2 auxiliary lamps or 2 fog lamps mounted on
opposite sides of a vehicle may be used and the use of those lamps
shall be in connection with but not in substitution for headlamps
except under conditions of fog or rain rendering disadvantageous
the use of headlamps.
(3) In no event shall the number of auxiliary and fog lamps on a
motor vehicle exceed a combined total of 4 and in no event shall
more than 2 of those lamps be lighted for use with lighted
headlamps.
(4) An auxiliary lamp or fog lamp on a motor vehicle shall be
adjusted and aimed so that when the vehicle is unloaded none of
the high-intensity portion of the light to the left of the centre of the
vehicle projects, at a distance of 8 metres ahead, higher than 100
millimetres below the centre of the lamp from which the beam of
light is projected.
(5) The term "auxiliary lamp" or "fog lamp" denotes any
combination of reflector, lens and lamp bulb designed to illuminate
the roadway close to and forward or forward and to the sides of the
motor vehicle and otherwise meeting the requirements of this
section.

canadian_hustla
03-01-2005, 09:36 PM
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Thanks for the above information, a lot of fine print and it sorta makes sense. As for the driving with 2 light on the front at one time, I would love to see cops waste their resources on pulling over all the factory cars with two head light and two below running lights!!!
:thumbsup:

and about cops pulling over for lighting tickets, i got nailed with a blue license plate (way back in the day when they were cool), and came out with $300 tickets total for driving without proper registration :confused: Point is, is that they will pull you over for bullshit offenses like that.

that piece of shit is long gone now :thumbsup: