[jksgoh]

Originally Posted by BMW //MPOWER

It's interesting that NSW & QLD have this law and VIC doesn't. I must say i noticed it when i moved up here, as back in Melbourne everyone (Police included) drive with them on, honestly i don't see any issue with using them.

The people who claim they are bright or irritating are simply experiencing issues which are common amongst many cars which have been in a minor accident, that being mis-aligned headlights & foglights in many instances which causes them to be at irritating angles and dazzling for other motorists.

The issue behind it is they are generally reffered to as driving lights rather than fog lights as traditionally foglights are a dimmer yellow colour.

Personally i think that the bimmers look a lot better with the fog lights on. (My 2 cents)

Im pretty sure that it is illegal in victoria as well...
sorry, this is my first post here and i dont even have a 3! but i was snooping around looking at a few things and thought i would contribute.
also, i think the term "driving lights" refers to lights which act in a similar manner to high beam.
just my 2 cents

[spartiatis]

This whole issue cracks me up...

For "fog lights" to be effective they much have a primary color, considering they dont... THEY ARE DRIVING LIGHTS!!!!

Driving lights offer a wider angle of light on the roads... Two weeks ago they saved me when a Kangaroo jumped onto the road (NO FOG)

They one good thing about melbourne is that unless your killing someone they dont pull you over! they collect all their money from speed cameras...

[MFKN3]

Originally Posted by spartiatis

This whole issue cracks me up...

For "fog lights" to be effective they much have a primary color, considering they dont... THEY ARE DRIVING LIGHTS!!!!

Driving lights offer a wider angle of light on the roads... Two weeks ago they saved me when a Kangaroo jumped onto the road (NO FOG)

They one good thing about melbourne is that unless your killing someone they dont pull you over! they collect all their money from speed cameras...

yeah I've always thouht the same thing. Fog lights are yellow and bright as hell. These are driving lights and all cars including hyundais have them these days. I am ket to have a cop pull me up over this one, and boy will they cope an earful from me if they do!!!

I think charging someone for this is pathetic.

[1q2w3e4r]

Why? Because your aware of the road rules (obviously) and don't follow them. Try watching as far up the road as you can see (as your supposed to) fog lights only show directly in front of the car and point down, which isn't where you are supposed to be looking. They are however, as others (and myself) have pointed out irritating to on coming traffic. They don't look "cool", regardless of what people think.

But, that's just me and everyone is entitled to do as he or she wishes Just pay the fine if your unfortunate enough to get one.

[VGR00]

Originally Posted by 1q2w3e4r

Why? Because your aware of the road rules (obviously) and don't follow them. Try watching as far up the road as you can see (as your supposed to) fog lights only show directly in front of the car and point down, which isn't where you are supposed to be looking. They are however, as others (and myself) have pointed out irritating to on coming traffic. They don't look "cool", regardless of what people think.

But, that's just me and everyone is entitled to do as he or she wishes Just pay the fine if your unfortunate enough to get one.

+1 Yes, lot's of people have them on but that doesn't make it right or legal. If you want to use them in a built up area and get fined then thats your call.

[AndDee]

I have been warned once about using my fog lights on my Subaru.

Went through a booze bus, and passed the breath test, before driving off another officer comes up to me and gives me a lecture about the new rules and how I shouldn't be using the fog lights unless it is "dangerous or hazardous conditions"

I asked if rain came under this and he said "depends on how heavy the rain is"

I only now use the lights when driving on rural or country roads on both the Suby and BMW. They do provide extra light and any extra light is a good thing when wombats, kangaroos and other creatures are around!

Added to this the Suby has weak headlights, so the driving lights do help alot!

[johnnydad]

If fog lights improve the spread of lighting, then they are incorrectly aimed. They are meant to produce a broad, low light just in front of the car. They are thus of virtually no use in clear (and raining) conditions at normal road speeds.

[JamieA]

When I got my first car with fog lights, I used them all the time until I got warned about it by the cops one night.

Now I only use them when I am driving on the open road at night. I know they don't allow you to see any further, but with Xenons, they do fill in the near area of the lighting stage, and for some reason it makes me feel more comfortable driving in the middle of the night on the Coorong road dodging all those kangaroos, bunnies, foxes, and in the past 4 weeks deer, a HUGE black cow and last weekend a group of 5 drunk guys walking in the middle of a 110km/h road far outside of town - ie in the middle of nowhere!

Now what really irritates me is people who use their REAR fog lights, especially in a country where they are very very rarely needed, and especially Hyundai Excel drivers, for whom this may be the one and only feature of the vehicle so they feel that it MUST be used at all times.





Now, in this regard, the ultimate sadness is seeing BMW drivers with their rear fogs on during crystal clear evenings, because frankly, we all should know better...

[JamieA]

Originally Posted by Prowess Symphony

rofl @kangaroo jumping onto the road. Australia is awesome!

Seems like they are way strict on cars though. I mean a ticket for fog lights?

Kangaroos on the road are common in Australia and a very real danger on the road. Large ones can become very dangerous when hurt, and we Aussies have all heard the local urban myth of someone being clawed to death by a hurt roo coming in through the front window during a collision

Many country Australian roads have absolute carnage on their sides with kangaroo roadkill. The problem is somewhat exacerbated by the difficulty kangaroos have in going backwards, so they aren't like other animals that can run back frightened, they kind of have to keep going in the same direction and you have to either brake hard or hope there is enough room on the road to steer behind them.

I have hit a roo with my car, click here for the story and pics I was lucky that the damage wasn't too extensive, though it did write off many expensive components in the front of my car...

Having hit one is a good outcome because I have missed many many more on the open road. I find the Xenon lights are a help one from seeing them, but they also seem to stun roos that are on the side of the road wondering if it would be a good idea to hop in front of that big bright thing coming towards them in the night...

[JamieA]

Originally Posted by Prowess Symphony

Are kangaroos as tough as deer when hit? Meaning do they do more damage to the car then they do to themselves?

And I cant imagine being clawed to death by a kangaroo stuck in my windshield. Thats scary.

And kangaroos have trouble turning? lol, I had no idea.

Depends, some of them are huge, and they definitely win the contest, but mostly they come off second best.

As for trouble turning, the Kangaroo and the Emu are on our Australian coat of arms because they are supposedly not capable of walking or moving backwards...

[AndDee]

Originally Posted by Prowess Symphony

Are kangaroos as tough as deer when hit? Meaning do they do more damage to the car then they do to themselves?

And I cant imagine being clawed to death by a kangaroo stuck in my windshield. Thats scary.

And kangaroos have trouble turning? lol, I had no idea.

On my drives to the snow during winter the following need to be avoided

Kangaroos
Wombats
Koalas
Deer
Stray cows
Rabbits - Not really concerned about them

Keeps you awake at 5am in the morning that's for sure

So far over the past few years:
3 close calls with kangaroos
2 hits with a kangaroo, nothing major though
1 close call with a deer
1 close call with a koala
1 close call with a wombat
Few dead rabbits