When do YOU use your fog lamps?

[Phugoid]

I always see people tooling around with their fog lamps on with their headlights. Seems they don't wait for the fog to roll in anymore. I've just started using them in rain and slop and they help a little.

 

I think I'm going to use them more because the soob looks to tough with 'em on.

 

Reid

[ShawnW]

If you clean the headlight lenses and put some really good bulbs in you might quit using them. I used to run them alot before that.

[JohnVT]

I too just like the way they look...

 

but I also use them for fog and other times when the roadway or markings on the roadway close to the front of the car are hard to see - usually in rain or snow.

[fnlyfnd]

More light (if aimed properly) can never, ever, be a bad thing.

[Bmm001]

As I have heard (correct me if I'm wrong), true fog lights are yellowish. Subes have just plain white lights that are more correctly classified as "driving lights." I run mine all the time because they light up more of the road without the high beams, plus they help in the rain/snow.

 

Brian M.

[elcaminokurt]

I run with mine on all the time, because the switch is soooo far away on the dash, I cant seem to find enough energy to turn it off!:-p Seriously, I mostly like the looks, but I suppose if a person used them less, the bulbs would last longer! Kurt

[Martinjmpr]

Rain, snow or fog. Honestly, they don't seem to do too well at cutting through thick fog, but the main reason I have them on is not for me to see, but for others to see me. The Subaru (even the OBW) is a low-profile vehicle and I've noticed some people have a nasty tendency to pull out in front of me when I'm driving down the road. So anything to increase my visibility to others, I figure, is a good thing.

 

BTW, what I'd really like to get would be a rear fog light. I saw one, on a Jeep, back in 1999, but haven't seen them since. An extremely bright rear-facing red light that can be seen at a distance even through thick fog. What would be awesome would be if I could replace my 3rd brake light with this one and have it wired to the fog light switch.

[SakoTGrimes]

I use the lights pictured on top just about whenever it won't blind oncoming traffic, and I use the ones pictured on the bottom when people are tailgating me with their brights on:)

[jamal]

As I have heard (correct me if I'm wrong), true fog lights are yellowish. Subes have just plain white lights that are more correctly classified as "driving lights." I run mine all the time because they light up more of the road without the high beams, plus they help in the rain/snow.

 

Brian M.

 

They're not necessarily yellow, although I hear yellow can increase visibility in rain and fog and stuff. What classifies a beam as "fog" or "driving" or whatever is the beam pattern. A fog light will put a light right in front of the car so you can see the road close, when it's all foggy and the like, whereas a driving beam will put a lot of light down the road. For this reason, you'd also not want to put driving lights in the fog light holes on a Subaru (which a lot of people do). I've noticed that stock fog lights tend to be fairly useless in actual fog on most cars. If you want to replace them, however, there are much better fog lamps available, such as the Hella 500s.

 

 

BTW, what I'd really like to get would be a rear fog light. I saw one, on a Jeep, back in 1999, but haven't seen them since. An extremely bright rear-facing red light that can be seen at a distance even through thick fog. What would be awesome would be if I could replace my 3rd brake light with this one and have it wired to the fog light switch.

 

You can buy a 3rd fog lamp, and I believe they're mandatory in Europe or something. Here they are at rallylights.com, my favorite store for auxiliary lighting.

[mikkl]

You can buy a 3rd fog lamp, and I believe they're mandatory in Europe or something. Here they are at rallylights.com, my favorite store for auxiliary lighting.

 

The only caution I would give is to check local laws and see what restrictions they have about using them when it is NOT foggy. Having been in Europe behind folks with their rear fogs enabled on a clear night, I can tell you it makes it quite difficult to drive. You certainly do not tailgate!

 

In sloppy weather, however, rear fogs are quite nice and I miss the option.

 

mikkl

[nipper]

BTW, what I'd really like to get would be a rear fog light. I saw one, on a Jeep, back in 1999, but haven't seen them since. An extremely bright rear-facing red light that can be seen at a distance even through thick fog. What would be awesome would be if I could replace my 3rd brake light with this one and have it wired to the fog light switch.

 

i know they are made, and may be incorporated into the rear taillight assembly on jdm ... but have yet to trace one down. i was thinking of somehow steling one off a jag

 

nipper

[subie94]

don't have fog lights but i do have these

 

still haven't aimed em yet due to the fact that the way i have em mounted is kinda loose.not secure an bounce.

aim to much towards center.

[bjwirth]

They're not necessarily yellow, although I hear yellow can increase visibility in rain and fog and stuff. What classifies a beam as "fog" or "driving" or whatever is the beam pattern. A fog light will put a light right in front of the car so you can see the road close, when it's all foggy and the like,

I never understood fog lights (except for the "cool effect"). one night I was driving home in the fog and turned on the fog lights. I saw the low wide beam pattern the fog lights produced, but it didn't help me any. even if I can see the road 2 feet in front of me, unless I'm going 5 mph, it does me no good. by the time I see an "obsticle" 2-3 feet infront of me (where the fog light casts its glow), it's too late for me to react.

[swc7916]

I never understood fog lights (except for the "cool effect"). one night I was driving home in the fog and turned on the fog lights. I saw the low wide beam pattern the fog lights produced, but it didn't help me any. even if I can see the road 2 feet in front of me, unless I'm going 5 mph, it does me no good. by the time I see an "obsticle" 2-3 feet infront of me (where the fog light casts its glow), it's too late for me to react.

 

If the fog is soo thick that you can't see more than 2 feet in front of the car, you shouldn't be driving more than 5 mph, if that. No fog light is going to allow you to drive 50 mph in that kind of weather.

 

Fog lights have to aimed low - if the lights are aimed too high you will be blinded by the light reflecting off of the fog. I think that they help in the fog, but I use them mostly to make my car more visible to other drivers - especially when it's dark and raining. I came close to broadsiding a car that pulled out in front of me once, and now I try to make sure I'm a visible as possible.

[nipper]

i use them when the rodas are wet, as they reflect better the area in front of the car then stock headlights. i also use them in snow and fog.. sa the thoery is that they get under the fog to light up the road, and not bounce back in your face. In snow they wont bounce the light back in your face.

 

Never overdrive your headlights in bad weather.

 

 

nipper

[charm]

The problem I see with most fog lights and driving lights is that while I can see you for an instant, I'm left blinded by this misaimed light. So great, I saw you, now I'm blind, have no idea where the road is, and cross into your lane and we have a head on collision. Why? Because you wanted me to see you so you turned on more lights. This is, obviously, a sore subject for me. I think that unless there is actually dense fog that requires you to slow WAYYYY down, fog lights and driving lights should be illegal. I think that the temporary blindness they cause, much like that of misaimed headlights, likely leads to more car accidents then we realize. Please use your lights with care, it may save your life.

[Tiny Clark]

I just love it when people use them if the roads are wet, the glare of two sets of lights makes it so much easier for me to see, NOT! I guess that's why you're not supposed to use them in Germany except for fog.

 

Fog lights are also set up to spread light to the side of the road, not just in front of the car.

[nipper]

Well also europe has differnt light standards then the us (light patterns and brightness), and i do beleive they are much more strictly enforced. i have watched inspections here in the us and never seen anyone check heeadligh alignment, just that they work.nipper

[the_bard]

The problem I see with most fog lights and driving lights is that while I can see you for an instant, I'm left blinded by this misaimed light. So great, I saw you, now I'm blind, have no idea where the road is, and cross into your lane and we have a head on collision. Why? Because you wanted me to see you so you turned on more lights. This is, obviously, a sore subject for me. I think that unless there is actually dense fog that requires you to slow WAYYYY down, fog lights and driving lights should be illegal. I think that the temporary blindness they cause, much like that of misaimed headlights, likely leads to more car accidents then we realize. Please use your lights with care, it may save your life.

How 'bout we all agree to make sure our lights are aimed? As long as they have their fog/driving lights properly aimed, I don't mind seeing oncoming SUV's with them on. Aimed at me, however, they get really annoying really quickly. Same applies for a set of normal headlights... if it's misaimed, they're blinding.

 

Same goes for those gawd awful blue lights... they're a hindrance, not a help (blue light scatters more easily). They tend to hurt my eyes, too... nothing I can't cope with, but it's a pain in the arse to be trying to drive at night and deal with a pair of complaining eyes.

 

No more ranting, I promise ;o)

[bjwirth]

If the fog is soo thick that you can't see more than 2 feet in front of the car, you shouldn't be driving more than 5 mph, if that. No fog light is going to allow you to drive 50 mph in that kind of weather.

Ok, maybe I was exagerating a bit. but I still don't see how seeing an "oval" right in front of your car helps you drive through the fog. Is the only function of a fog light a guide to help you "drive between the lines?" if I'm hearing this right, then you focus a good part of your attention to driving "straight" by looking down and to the sides, but not looking ahead where you're going, say 10-20 yards? SO if you hit something, at least you were going straight?

[nipper]

How 'bout we all agree to make sure our lights are aimed? As long as they have their fog/driving lights properly aimed, I don't mind seeing oncoming SUV's with them on. Aimed at me, however, they get really annoying really quickly. Same applies for a set of normal headlights... if it's misaimed, they're blinding.

 

Same goes for those gawd awful blue lights... they're a hindrance, not a help (blue light scatters more easily). They tend to hurt my eyes, too... nothing I can't cope with, but it's a pain in the arse to be trying to drive at night and deal with a pair of complaining eyes.

 

No more ranting, I promise ;o)

 

Everyone needs a good rant

 

 

Actually the blus lights that arent true blue lights, are dangerous. They may look cool, but they wash out in the rain. i tried them, and after a month i had to get rid of them as i might as well be driving with my headlights off in the rain for all the good they did.

 

 

nipper

[dpoppeli]

I have read that you can't just buy a blue bulb and put it into a standard halogen housing and expect to get the same lighting levels as that of an OEM Xenon setup. The aftermarket approach is suppose to actually decrease light while annoying oncoming cars.

 

Getting back to the fog-lights... I rarely use them since I rarely drive in fog/rain; I see no benefit in clear weather. I'm curious whether anyone has retrofitted the Hella 500's mentioned previously into stock fog-light openings on a new generation Subaru however and whether the original wiring/fusing is adequate.

 

Also, I recently lost one of my stock fog-light "stone guards". I'm wondering if they're at all effective to begin with (as stone guards). I'm afraid to find out from the dealer how much they cost to replace.

[Juan]

I think the folks at Subaru are on top of your complaints. The 2005 (6?) doesn't allow use of brights and fogs at the same time. Still, I wonder if the fogs shut down when I pull back on the lever to flash the brights. I will have to check.

 

I drive with my lights full on all the time -not just in 'default' driving-light mode- and keep my fogs on 90% of the time as to be seen. I figure it's less expensive for me to replace bulbs than to have someone repair my car.

 

I don't think people get into a head-on because of bright fogs. Been driving for thirty years in Pacific Northwest and the thought never even crossed my mind.

 

Jess

[subie94]

I think the folks at Subaru are on top of your complaints. The 2005 (6?) doesn't allow use of brights and fogs at the same time. Still, I wonder if the fogs shut down when I pull back on the lever to flash the brights. I will have to check.Jess

 

ummm...my 85 gl wagon with factory fogs did that.(not to burst your bubble)

[otis]

The 2005 (6?) doesn't allow use of brights and fogs at the same time. Still, I wonder if the fogs shut down when I pull back on the lever to flash the brights. I will have to check.

I think almost all cars do that (fogs turn off when you turn on hi-beams). I know that hi-beams are worthless in the fog- even detrimental. what puzzles me is that instead of turning off the fogs when you turn on the hi-beams, it should be the other way around- the car should disable the hi-beams when you turn on the fog lights. right?