$110 Fine for having my fog lights on

[Laminge]

Originally Posted by Mark s

Are they really?

I guess the people who have pulled out in front me over the past 2 years & 40,000 k's in Sydney must me headlight blind. The amount of times it has happened would be in the 100's.


On the times where I have fortune enough to pull up next to someone who has pulled out in front of me, they have said they never saw me. I have heard the same thing from many riders who have been near killed on the roads.

Will you stop pulling up next to me, I didnt see you the first time what makes you think I saw you the 2nd, 3rd or 4th

[Fev]

Originally Posted by Mark s

Are they really?

I guess the people who have pulled out in front me over the past 2 years & 40,000 k's in Sydney must me headlight blind. The amount of times it has happened would be in the 100's.


On the times where I have fortune enough to pull up next to someone who has pulled out in front of me, they have said they never saw me. I have heard the same thing from many riders who have been near killed on the roads.

some people are just lazy, they take a glance and pull out.. if they dont look long enough to judge what it is and how far away - well eventually they will learn to drive safer.. although unfortunantly that may be at the expense of someone elses life or their own..

[Mark s]

Originally Posted by Laminge

Will you stop pulling up next to me, I didnt see you the first time what makes you think I saw you the 2nd, 3rd or 4th

Sorry about that. I will mount some BA driving lights on my bike so you will be able to see me next time, I might look fully sick as well.

I will also make sure to wave and smile in stead of being a rude P@#$K, maybe thats why people pull out in front of me.

[Mark s]

Originally Posted by Fev

some people are just lazy, they take a glance and pull out.. if they dont look long enough to judge what it is and how far away - well eventually they will learn to drive safer.. although unfortunantly that may be at the expense of someone elses life or their own..

Thanks for that. I feel oh so much safer with my headlight on now, and ready to face another trip home on Sydney's major roads. Maybe I get get some paddle pop sticks and tape them to my forks, just so those lazy drivers can hear me as well.

[EgoFG]

Originally Posted by Mark s

Thanks for that. I feel oh so much safer with my headlight on now, and ready to face another trip home on Sydney's major roads. Maybe I get get some paddle pop sticks and tape them to my forks, just so those lazy drivers can hear me as well.

Prolly on the munny there.

All drivers are being trained to watch for speed limit signs, and their speedo - not to look at the road and traffic conditions.

So be it in a Car, or wrapped around a bike - we had all better get used to the fact that most drivers will not see us.

The Bummer for the Bike riders is that they have more on the line.

.... The last time I drove to the road circumstances I copped a fine .... now I ignore the road, and look at the signs/speedo. The signs tell me what to do, I do not need to think !

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Mark s

Are they really?

I guess the people who have pulled out in front me over the past 2 years & 40,000 k's in Sydney must me headlight blind. The amount of times it has happened would be in the 100's.


On the times where I have fortune enough to pull up next to someone who has pulled out in front of me, they have said they never saw me. I have heard the same thing from many riders who have been near killed on the roads.

One of my employees used to work in Canberra 20 years ago for one of the "consultant" groups that make $lots doing research into transport issues.

One of the projects he was working on was analysing motorcycle data and suggesting ways to improve safety.
They did a paper on the headlight issue and were told to delete it as it was a political issue and was NOT to be investigated. When he objected (he rides) he was "threatened" with transfer to another section
He did have a copy of the paper but it is now lost in time but the results were not what they wanted to hear.

[aualright]

Originally Posted by tex

FOG LIGHTS as fitted to late model cars don't dazzle anything. Bloody HID equipped cars do. make them illegal.

They (foglights) have weak as puss globes and point at the bloody ground! Well at least they have in the two rexes Ive owned, and the last two Falcons. My other cars have not had them.

Oh, and holy moly it's illegal, well, that would make it something worthy of $100 fine..... bullcrap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Revinue for the GOV!!!!! That's it.

I am happy to see a dark coloured car from 1000m away on a dark day on the highway............. and if it's because it has it's foglights on, good on em...

What should be illegal is DRIVING LIGHTS on - aka SPOT LIGHTS. There's a world of difference.

I was under the misconception that driving lights were ok as they are pointed to the ground and aren't high beam, even in the Territory. I've never had a problem with cars coming the other way that have their driving lights on and when it is raining heavily during the day I'll use them and the parkers. With the kids in the back, I generally drive with the lights on at all times just to be sure, but in certain conditions as mentioned the driving lights seem to be less obtrusive than headlights, yet still visible enough to be noticed.

For those that know Mona Vale road in Sydney well, there is a cop that sits in his VZ just as it hits the 90km zone after St. Ives, going east. Only last Saturday night I came up to him with all lights blazing (except high beam) and from the angle he was parked I could see his face clearly (so my lights were pointed straight at him). Didn't do a thing, but I suppose he was after speeders only as they get him his quota alot quicker.

****

[Fev]

Originally Posted by Mark s

Thanks for that. I feel oh so much safer with my headlight on now, and ready to face another trip home on Sydney's major roads. Maybe I get get some paddle pop sticks and tape them to my forks, just so those lazy drivers can hear me as well.

:( sorry dude but im not gonna give you false hope! its a sad world!


when push comes to shove, do whats right and safe.. not what the rules dictate.

[burnz]

pennie's for a thought....
fog light's 55w (all brand's)
commodore's high beam 55w all model's

foggie pointed on a wet road, may as well point them on a mirror!
so if you think 55watt's arnt bright something's wrong!!

[Mark s]

Flappist, I have heard of the study and the results did not surprise me in the least. IIRC the whole headlight thing was a total ****, and the Govt way of making it looked like it was doing something. A little like speed cameras I guess.

Fav, your not giving me any false hope. I have been using the roads for over 20 years and have driven bikes, cars, trucks and APC's on the roads. I am also very well aware of the dangers not only I face on the road but most other roads users. My remark about feeling safe now because I use a headlight, and paddle pop sticks was a joke.



Again as I stated before this view on headlights making you safer on the roads, have yet to be proven to me. I am relaying my experiences on the roads, more so over the past 2 years on riding most days into the CBD from the North West of Sydney and the amount of near misses. Sure there so some people in a rush and don’t think, but from speaking to other riders and also my experiences on the roads, I have found that many drivers failed to see the bike, also bikes put themselves into situations where they are not seen by cars.

Many people claim to use driving lights because they are seen on the roads, my original comment was to say that I have found this not always to be the case, when on my bike and backing it up from my own personal experiences.


IMO I think people drive around with driving lights, because they think it looks cool and for no other reason. Why else would people have them on when the weather is good in the middle of town, during the day.

[FPVF6X201]

To those that complain about others using fog lights............Whinge whinge whinge, there are far more important things to worry about. Get over yourselves.

[Tiapan]

i thought it got interesting when i saw the thread went for six pages.... how wrong was i!

[BAWagonWheels]

Originally Posted by FPVwannabe

To those that complain about others using fog lights............Whinge whinge whinge, there are far more important things to worry about. Get over yourselves.

just be aware knowing you had your fog lights on which caused an accident which glare was too much for oncoming traffic, you will bear the cost of someone's injuries, damages or even death, whether it be others or yours. play it safe and use your fog lights in foggy or extremely adverse conditions.

if the above happens or you get booked for illegally using fog lights then you shouldn't be whinging!!!! you brought it upon yourself by not respecting the road rules and other people who use the roads. grow up!!!!!!

[Abacus]

Originally Posted by FPVwannabe

To those that complain about others using fog lights............Whinge whinge whinge, there are far more important things to worry about. Get over yourselves.

Seems to me that most of the guys whinging are the clowns who know use of the fog lights is illegal, drive with them on anyway, and then scream their tits off when they get booked.

[FPVF6X201]

Originally Posted by BAWagonWheels

just be aware knowing you had your fog lights on which caused an accident which glare was too much for oncoming traffic, you will bear the cost of someone's injuries, damages or even death, whether it be others or yours. play it safe and use your fog lights in foggy or extremely adverse conditions.

if the above happens or you get booked for illegally using fog lights then you shouldn't be whinging!!!! you brought it upon yourself by not respecting the road rules and other people who use the roads. grow up!!!!!!

Highlight 1: your kidding right??? How many clowns have misaligned headlights that cause more glare than any foglight correctly aligned will.

Highlight 2: If i get booked, tuff for me i agree. But i wont let some wowsers in here dictate what i can & can't do. Some say its the law, how many can say they haven't broken one law or another. As i said, there are more important things to worry about. Bridge is that way ----->

[xtremerus]

If fog lights are illegal to use in the daytime in clear weather, then headlights on in the same conditions would be illegal, wouldn't it?.
I smell a revenue raiser.

[zetec jim]

Originally Posted by xtremerus

If fog lights are illegal to use in the daytime in clear weather, then headlights on in the same conditions would be illegal, wouldn't it?.
I smell a revenue raiser.

i agree. and to all those people who "can't stand!" people that drive with their foggies on... go get ****ed off about something that matters.

[XRtowcar]

From the Ford website for the FG XR6:

Key Features

The Falcon XR6 includes all the features of the XT plus:

* 6-Speed manual transmission
* 17" x 8" XR 5-spoke alloy wheels^
* Sports Control Blade Independent Rear Suspension (IRS)
* Sports body kit with side skirts and rear bumper
* Sports rear spoiler
* Front fog lamps
* Sports leather wrapped steering wheel with mounted audio controls
* Alloy pedal covers
* Cloth trim sports seats

Guess they are fog lights after all.

[BionicGT]

Originally Posted by Abacus

The BFII owner's manual clearly calls them fog lights.

The confusion over Driving vs Fog stems from the initial BA release when Ford fitted "Driving" lights. However, the switch controlling them didn't meet ADR rules and Ford had to remove them on XRs already made (and fit or get dealers to fit blanking plates) or retro fit them with cornering lamps in some non XR models.

They then became fog lights which is what they have been from BA onwards after the initial release ADR compliance stuff up was fixed.

[BionicGT]

Originally Posted by xtremerus

If fog lights are illegal to use in the daytime in clear weather, then headlights on in the same conditions would be illegal, wouldn't it?.
I smell a revenue raiser.

Fog lamps have a low wide spread in order to work effectively in fog. The wide spread means they shine into the oncoming traffic lane - hence the glare fog lamps give in clear conditions. Headlights are designed to not shine into the oncoming lane.

[290v]

I use my Fog lights for open highway use instead of my headlights during the day

[zetec jim]

Originally Posted by BionicGT

Fog lamps have a low wide spread in order to work effectively in fog. The wide spread means they shine into the oncoming traffic lane - hence the glare fog lamps give in clear conditions. Headlights are designed to not shine into the oncoming lane.

I was of the school that they were designed to give you an idea of where the lines on the road were in fog. And still reckon that projector lamps and xenons are a brighter to oncoming traffic than little 55W bulbs.

[BionicGT]

Originally Posted by zetec jim

I was of the school that they were designed to give you an idea of where the lines on the road were in fog. And still reckon that projector lamps and xenons are a brighter to oncoming traffic than little 55W bulbs.

Fog lights are deliberately low-mounted and have a beam that is shaped to point downwards and have a wide spread. This avoids the reflection you get from the water particles in fog from normal lights that are higher mounted (and why low beam gives you better visibility in fog than high beam).

I agree that xenons can be annoying and many find them a nuisance on the road. Because they are so bright, to be legal they must be self levelling and have built in headlamp washers.

[LUXO_8]

Originally Posted by BionicGT

I agree that xenons can be annoying and many find them a nuisance on the road. Because they are so bright, to be legal they must be self levelling and have built in headlamp washers.

the self leveling is actually quite slow, and designed so your lights are level when you have a load in the back, not to keep the lights level over bumps and undulations. some cars have a manual adjustment on the dash for this, most now are automatic though

xenon headlights arent a problem... people just pick them out because they're white/blue not yellow/white like a regular bulb.its the many incorrectly adjusted or 100w bulb replacement headlights that are way to glarey which are the real problem

[Parfrey]

maybe people should stop stairing directly into headlights?? i dont think fog lights are annoying at all... incorrectly aimed headlights however are really bad.
If everyone always agrees with the new laws and rules that come in no one will be allowed to drive at all soon!

[randel]

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

Having fog lights on in your car at night makes it more difficult to see objects further in the distance toward the end of the main beam. Its because there's more light concentrated nearer your car and your eyes adjust more to that brighter light, so its more difficult to see further away.

best comment imo

[LUXO_8]

Originally Posted by xhxrsix

maybe people should stop stairing directly into headlights?? i dont think fog lights are annoying at all... incorrectly aimed headlights however are really bad.
If everyone always agrees with the new laws and rules that come in no one will be allowed to drive at all soon!

BINGO..!!

[xy500]

Originally Posted by tex

I don't drive with fogs on btw, never have I said I do, just that it is a nonesense that people reckon they get dazzled by fog lights.

dude, have you not read the rest of this thread? i thought it was quite clear from the consensus of people here that FOGlights do dazzle. driving lights are another issue and fall on the same page as driving with high beams on.

in my case, driving in the country at night on unlit roads foglights are so dazzling i often confuse them with high beams, hows that for a comparison? they shine in your eyes almost as bad as high beams do, ever had someone drive at you on an unlit road at night with their high beams on? it is a miracle i haven't had accidents on these occasions because you cannot see anything, even the road markers when this happens.
With high beams the cause of this is that they shine parallel to the road (ie straight into oncoming drivers eyes), they use a parabolic reflector with the globe positioned so as to give a concentrated (pencil like) beam and they are much brighter. Foglights also point straight into oncoming drivers eyes but are not as bright. Low beams point downwards and to the left a little so as to NOT point into oncoming drivers eyes by design, the globe for these are either in a spherical reflector, or a parabolic one but with the globe postioned so as to dissipate (spread) the beam. There are specific design rules that state the way headlights should be setup for safety of other drivers.

as for revenue raising, the police don't even fund themselves for a start so they're not exactly making money. Being a rapist is illegal, but you don't here people calling that revenue raising, what about dangerous driving? or running a red light? the police are there to try and protect you from others like you. which is hard to do when people refuse the follow the law.

[ebxr8240]

If the lights are dazzling you that bad ? They are NOT fog lights..
Fog lights don't have pencil beam..
Or have been tampered with...

[xy500]

oh - well it was bright! i didnt stop him and ask what type of lights they were, but they were lower to the ground than the headlights