[gd1418]

@MadRash: like a seasoned journo you picked up the piece in my statement that suited you.... and ignored the first part that I've marked in bold. If the company fitted fogs are not tampered with their postioning, then no way they are glaring to oncoming traffic....

Originally Posted by gd1418

Ditto Samir. I still maintain that the fog lamps, that are positioned in the front bumper can no way be glaring unless they are somehow positioned as such.

I always drive in the city limits with the fogs on and till date no one coming from the front has dipped his beams or inidcated in such manner as that denotes that the fogs are hurting...

Originally Posted by MadRash

One can give thousands of innovative reasons for keeping the fog lamps on when there is no fog. But end of the day, if each and every car drivers lit up their fog lamps, our eyes will strain. And beyond a point, it will end up in accidents.

Than the fog lamps, the old model bulbs with no cover are very dangerous. They directly hit the eyes and it makes your eye strain a lot (found in buses, trucks, few cars and in Tata Ace). These bulbs should be banned.

[dushmish]

Check this out people


I agree with the first para in the article - "If you have got it, flaunt it!"

How I wish, we could stop people from flaunting fog lamps.

Fog lamps are designed to be used in fog. Fog is a condition of low visibility. Most places I have read say that for visibilities less than 100 metres. Fog lamps are placed at the lowest part of the front of the vehicle. They spread light more to the left and right and throw in the front as well. Please correct me if I am wrong in listing any of these facts.

With fog, low visibility, isn't that people will be driving slow (you can barely see up 100 metres). Someone can do quick math and find the speed limit possible. Just put things in perspective, one covers 100 meters in 6 seconds with normal visibility (@60 kmph). If we assume that the driver is expected to drive slow during fog (you may choose to disagree) and that the fog lamps are so designed that they will illuminate the immidiate ground ahead of the car (many who use fog lamps have said this on the thread).

Well then, it is beyond my understanding that why on earth would someone want to see the ground 10 metres ahead at speeds of 50kmph on highway or in the city? The illumnitated area get under your car before you can see it at those speeds. I have tried parking my car in pitch dark and switch on the fog lamps. The length of throw of the beam is not more than 1 and half car lengths (mine is a Dzire). Your low beam would have illuminated this area a fraction of second ago as your car moved forward. Why would you want to see ground so close to your car so late?

[watashi75]

Originally Posted by dushmish

Well then, it is beyond my understanding that why on earth would someone want to see the ground 10 metres ahead at speeds of 50kmph on highway or in the city?

I agree. I don't see any compelling reason for using fog lights when there is no fog, unless the main beams are not working.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by watashi75

I agree. I don't see any compelling reason for using fog lights when there is no fog, unless the main beams are not working.

Watashi, I agree with you, but the problem is that too many in this country of equals are just that wee bit 'more equal'!!

They will defend unto death their right to use 'em!!

[dushmish]

Hey I missed pasting this link in my last post.

Driving Tip of the Moment: Fog Lights are for FOG!!

Ciao

[SS-Traveller]

the low beam doesnt light up the immediate front and periphery of the car, thats from where pedestrians and suicidal cyclists originate , and you are at a bigger risk if you are driving slowly... if you are driving in the 60's range, the time delay between an area being lit by the low beam and being covered by your car is less than , say when you are doing 30. during that time , you are assuming that nothing jumps out from your side out of nowhere. Ideally, you want to reduce that window, and the fog lamps eliminate it.
And my point is, these are not fog lights, these are auxillary driving lamps. If you are driving through non well lit areas, you need all the lighting you can get.

i had not felt fog lamps which are factory fitted to be an annoyance to the eye. Yes high beam is an annoyance but fog lamps-No. ...check if they annoy others or irritate the eye and they dont so i use them,simple.

...fog lights are adjusted to focus down so they are no problem at all.

...fog lamps, that are positioned in the front bumper can no way be glaring unless they are somehow positioned as such.

...stock fog lamps are never blinding.

With so much constrcution debris/stones/potholes/dogs on the road, its better to have the fog lamps switched on in Indian roads. I always have mine on during the night. If we have really good roads like in UK/US then we dont need to worry about fog lamps.

Fog lamps creating a dazzling effect is just a personal opinion.

BTW regarding some posts where people switch of headlight and use only parking and fog lamps, I think its recipe for disaster as you are making yourself less visible to other drivers on the road.

...I have no complaints against those who use fog lamps on clear evenings. I just ignore them with a smile.

All of the above quotes sum up so succintly, the wonderful people that we Indian are, in our road manners and driving "ishtyles". The quote below also echoes my sentiments.

One can give thousands of innovative reasons for keeping the fog lamps on when there is no fog. But end of the day, if each and every car drivers lit up their fog lamps, our eyes will strain. And beyond a point, it will end up in accidents.

@dushmish, anupmathur, watashi75 and some others in the no-fog-lamp-without-fog minority - let's just grin and bear it, and keep one of those hunting spotlamps (the type that has a piercing beam and runs off the cig lighter socket through a coiled cord) in our cars. They'll work beautifully to light up the oncoming drivers' faces when they're watching the debris and the suicidal pedestrians with their fog/driving lamps on.

[greenhorn]

SS traveller, You are assuming that fog lamps blind everyone on the road. As we've seen here , a lot of us have no such issue.And as long as it is legal here ( you still havent shown any proof that it is illegal in India) We will continue to use them, and those of you with hypersensitive eyes who cant stand others foglamps and dont need their own can stick to their self righteous stance.

Note : I am talking only about OE fogs, which I reiterate, are more auxillary driving lamps than pure fogs. aftermarket lights are another thing altogether.

[SS-Traveller]

@greenhorn: No, no, no, no and absolutely no. I am not assuming anything at all - whether OE fog lamps or retrofitted lamps. In ALL the articles that ask us not to use fog lamps, including Driving Tip of the Moment: Fog Lights are for FOG!!, the authors are not differentiating between any types of fog lamps.

Fog lamp use is NOT illegal in India? Read this document ARAI Light specs.PDF
Page 8:
Front Fog Lamp means the lamp used in case of fog, snowfall, rain
storms or dust clouds to improve the illumination of the road..

And the hunting spot lamp that I was talking about is ABSOLUTELY not illegal in India.

Those of us who don't want to use fog lamps without fog, have the option of using the spot lamps. Sure, they have extremely high-intensity bulbs, produce a thin parallel beam of light, can be handheld or mounted to the A-pillar, and are meant to blind wild animals. After all, the Indian roads are no better than a jungle out there.

EDIT: Mathur-saab, just missed your post about the relevant chapter from MVA - that's from UK!!! You do remember they don't have potholes there, of course? Indian rules are thought to be different.

For heaven's sake, we also have the rules here, just that we also have a set of stupid semi-literate law-enforcers who don't know the laws themselves...

[anupmathur]

Here is what seems to be the relevant chapter from the MVA.
Please see the table toward the end.

?????????????????????

Does that page open? It does when I click it! .......series of unfortunate/questionable events, LOL!!

[greenhorn]

@ SS traveller. I dont see anything relevant in the spec there.

Anupmathur, the page does work. It says any manner of use which may

cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other persons using the road.

Is prohibited.

That does not imply that fog lamps will cause dazzle or discomfort. the same is written about headlamps as well
And that's the point here. How many of us feel foglamps dazzle or discomfort? cops might suddenly feel that every foglamp seems dazzling, but how many of us do ?

Used so as to be lit at any time other than in conditions of seriously reduced visibility.

I think a lot of highways and village roads qualify . Indian roads are far worse than UK roads
Maybe we should have a poll .

Mods, Can we have a poll attatched to this thread, if the thread starter is okay with it,
DO you find OE foglamps Annoying or causing discomfort?

Options
Yes, No, Depends on the circumstance ( please specify)

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

It says any manner of use which may cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other persons using the road is prohibited.

It also says this:

(b) Used so as to be lit at any time other than in conditions of seriously reduced visibility.

[greenhorn]

agreed. I guess I'm wrong, but I suppose we'll just continue to make use of a loophole in ye olde indian laws then

[SS-Traveller]

Fog lamp use is NOT illegal in India? Read this document Attachment 108815
Page 8:
Front Fog Lamp means the lamp used in case of fog, snowfall, rain
storms or dust clouds to improve the illumination of the road..

Originally Posted by greenhorn

@ SS traveller. I dont see anything relevant in the spec there.

@greenhorn: Please read the bold part in the quote again - the law CLEARLY says you can't use fog lamps in INDIA in clear weather.

You still want a poll on whether fog lamps can be used in clear weather, please go ahead. Mods can also allow a poll on whether you can shoot people you don't like.

The law says you can't. In India too. Period.

[greenhorn]

the law just says what they can be used for. It doesnt say what it CANT be used for. It does say that the purpose is to improve the illumination of the road. Either way, I've already conceded defeat

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by greenhorn

Either way, I've already conceded defeat

Greenhorn, I respect you for that.
But please don't say that it is not clearly stated in the MVA that using fogs is prohibited when visibility is not seriously impaired!