[PR] RSA Issues Road Safety Alert on Misuse of Fog Lights and Faulty Vehicle Lights

Victor

http://www.rsa.ie/NEWS/News/MISUSE_OF_FOG_LIGHTS_AND_FAULTY_VEHICLE_LIGHTS.html

RSA ISSUES ROAD SAFETY ALERT ON MISUSE OF FOG LIGHTS AND FAULTY VEHICLE LIGHTS


The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is advising drivers, today 19th November 2006, to check that all lights on their vehicles are in good working order. They are also being asked to turn off fog lights when driving in good weather and to repair faulty vehicle lights without delay.

In issuing the advice Mr. Noel Brett, Chief Executive, RSA, singled out the problem of fog lights, “front or rear fog lights must not be used unless visibility is seriously reduced. In clear weather they are liable to cause glare or dazzle other road users and can make it difficult to see your brake lights.”

Highlighting the growing use of front fog lights by drivers Mr Brett said that “Many drivers seem to be under the impression that front fog lights are car spot lights. They are not, they are fog lights and front fog lights can be just as dazzling as rear ones. For example they can cause a dazzling reflection when driving on wet roads. They also create a pool of light on the ground immediately in front of a vehicle which a driver can have difficulty seeing past.”

Focusing on the problem of broken headlamps on vehicles Mr Brett said. “Vehicles with a broken headlamp can easily be mistaken for motorcyclists. A driver mistaking a car for a motorcyclist can result in devastating consequences. I would urge drivers to check their headlamps and if broken, repair them without delay.”

He also added that, “While the National Car Test is helping to greatly reduce the incidence of faulty lights in vehicles they do need to be checked regularly.”

“To be effective headlamps, stop lights, indicators, number plate lighting and reflectors should be kept clean and in good working order at all times. So I would ask drivers, perhaps over this weekend, to park their vehicle away from traffic and ask a family member or friend to observe each light as you activate it. If you discover a problem, repair it without delay before bringing the vehicle onto the road again.”

In good driving conditions the headlamps in the average car enable the driver to see for about 100 metres on an unlit road and for about 30 metres on dipped headlamps. Rear red lamps are necessary to warn following traffic. Enhanced red lamps should only be used in dense fog, falling snow or heavy rain conditions and never during ordinary visibility when they tend to blind traffic approaching from the rear.


Ends

For further information contact:

Brian Farrell, Communications Manager, Road Safety Authority, Tel: 086-3881009
Or
Ger Kenny, Carr Communications, 087 – 2488393

Editors Note
Lamps and Reflectors: A vehicle must be equipped with the following.

• Two headlamps to the front
• Two white front sidelights
• Two red rear lamps
• Two red stop lamps
• Two red rear reflectors
• Number plate lighting at the rear
• Direction indicators to the front and rear (which must be amber in colour)

WhiteAp

We'll see if it makes any difference, but I doubt it... There are still a load of muppets out there who still think that putting their fog-lights on makes their peugeot 205 or BMW look ultra-cool.

What's scary though is that there are bus & taxi drivers that put their fogs on too...

Drax

More announcements.... This is another ploy to 'keep 'em happy'... but until the gardai start pulling people over and issuing points for it, it will just continue as ever.... :mad:

parsi

Ah yes, front foglamps. Micras have them on in normal visibility but they seem to mysteriously switch off in the fog...

Add to that list the guys with one headlamp who feel that if they put on the single high beam it will make up for the missing light.

BrianD3

Personally I have never been seriously dazzled by front fog lights and don't see what the big fuss is about. The RSA rep makes some good points about the "one eyed monsters" that can be mistaken for motorbikes. It would be good if the following were also mentioned:

-cars with badly aligned dipped lights or dipped lights that seem far brighter than standard

-cars towing (overloaded) trailers which push the back of the car down, the front is now pointing up in the air with the lights blinding everyone

-idiots who won't turn on their dipped headlights in condition of poor visibility

-idiots who park against the traffic flow with their dipped or main beams on

-unlit trailers and machinery on the road. Low loaders with machinery jutting out over the side of the loader with no marker lights

-stupid tractor and machinery drivers who think that blinding following drivers with rearward facing white floodlights makes up for a lack of proper red rear lights

Owen

Nope, never been blinded by front fogs either to be honest. What irks me are people who when their rear windscreen is fogged up, turn on their rear fogs - because the rear fog dash light is the same colour as the rear windscreen demister. Nutjobs ... and of course, there's no point in putting your fulls on behind them either, because they wouldn't realise the message you're trying to send.

Hotblack Desiato

BrianD3 wrote:

Personally I have never been seriously dazzled by front fog lights and don't see what the big fuss is about.

Good for you.
Lots of people including myself would disagree with you though.
Foglights in good visibility are unnecessary and illegal, end of. On wet nights they're particularly nasty.

The RSA rep makes some good points about the "one eyed monsters" that can be mistaken for motorbikes.

So the implication is that it's OK to overtake when it's only a motorcycle coming? :eek:

It would be good if the following were also mentioned:

Good points, I'd add LHD cars without beam blockers
At the end of the day, all of this is down to Garda enforcement, or the total lack thereof.
Inappropriate or illegal lighting is dangerous and should be a points offence.

Stark

BrianD3 wrote:

Personally I have never been seriously dazzled by front fog lights and don't see what the big fuss is about.

They're okay on some cars where there's no glare. On other cars they can give a fair bit of a glare, not enough to blind like main headlights but still irritating.

parsi wrote:

Ah yes, front foglamps. Micras have them on in normal visibility but they seem to mysteriously switch off in the fog...

Probably because a Micra's "foglights" aren't actually proper foglights. They're just small headlight bulbs which will actually reflect off heavy fog and blind the driver if used in fog. Good foglights are meant to be aimed low and emit narrow beams of light.

highdef

I have proper factory fit fog lights on my car - as in the are that yellowy color - they dont seem to be cause any glare whatsoever but still haven't had a chance to use them yet as there has been no fog!!!! Why ont cars have the proper yellow fog lights anymore - Does anyone agree that they are more practical?

Hotblack Desiato

highdef wrote:

I have proper factory fit fog lights on my car - as in the are that yellowy color - they dont seem to be cause any glare whatsoever

Not from where you're sitting, anyway!

The point is that fog lights are focused and aimed to penetrate thick fog. They're not appropriate for use in clear air. Also bear in mind that some people are more sensitive to glare than others (and that this has nothing to do with the quality of their eyesight)

Owen

The front fogs on my car have a throw of about 10 foot in front of the vehicle, and are angled downwards. Even when I'm on the bike, and she's driving the car, they're not blinding. Not legal either, but not blinding*

*editing the post to say we don't make a habit of this, it was purely for testing. k?

jd

ned78 wrote:

The front fogs on my car have a throw of about 10 foot in front of the vehicle, and are angled downwards. Even when I'm on the bike, and she's driving the car, they're not blinding. Not legal either, but not blinding.

If the road is wet, and it is dark(ish), it is a completely different matter.
It is a really bad habit to get into. And no, it doesn't look cool. Well my 4 year old nephew thinks it does, but I'll excuse him.

Owen

Cool, my dear friend, is a very personal thing. Some people like hoodies, some people like pink shirts. Go fig. I don't use front fogs outside the conditions that warrant them, but I always feel the people who complain, are the same people who go to live gigs and complain the music is too loud.

BTW, have you ever tried *not* looking at the lights. It's kind of like looking at the Sun, stare into it, it has ill effects, it's probably the same with any lights, be they dipped, fog, or main beam. Try looking at eye height, in other words, look at the drivers, you'll find anyway with your eye sight focused up there, you'll see a lot more than when you're looking at lights inches off the Ground.

Before anyone flames me, I don't use Fogs when it's not appropriate!

jd

The main point I'm making is that they can cause glare in wet weather, ie without looking directly at them. I don't stare at the beams, but that doesn' disqualify me from offering an opinion. I still think using them unecessarily is naff though!
jd

Owen

jd wrote:

TI still think using them unecessarily is naff though!
jd

And that's a matter of opinion. I agree with your opinion, but lots wouldn't. Take your sig for example, a lot of people would think Sea Angling is 'naff' too. Hell the stuff in my signature is snore worthy. The point is yes they're illegal, and the legislation is never enforced, but I've never ever been bothered by them. I guess I choose not to get bothered by them, and can't understand people who fume who are! Driving's stressful enough

jd

I can see your point ('cept bass fishing ain't naff!!), but I as I said it is a bad habit to have, as it causes reflected glare when the road is wet. Go over the Connor Pass in foggy weather and you'll know exactly what fog lights are for. Fog lights don't stress me out, but are worth a comment after 1or 2 glasses of wine

Victor

ninja900 wrote:

So the implication is that it's OK to overtake when it's only a motorcycle coming? :eek:

To a degree, it very much depends on the road circumstances. And its not just about overtaking, its about judging the passing distance against the edge of the road and parked vehicles.

Further, it can be distracting as the oncoming driver / crossing pedestrian tries to gauge distance - is that a car in front of another car, or is it a motobike in front of another car.

WhiteAp

And as if to prove a point, Irish motorists yet again show they haven't a clue...

Peasouper out there today and only about 20% of people have their fogs on, and they are probably the gobsh**es that have them on all the time anyway...

highdef

I noticed on my walk that all the Luas trams had their rear fog lights on. Fair play to them. Meanwhile, the majority of cars had NO lights on even though dusk was falling and visibility was horrific - Are these people stupid, ignorant or a mixture of both. Even more amusing are the people driving with only their "candles" on, otherwise known as parking lights!!! Tossers!

Hotblack Desiato

Victor wrote:

ninja900 wrote:

So the implication is that it's OK to overtake when it's only a motorcycle coming?

To a degree, it very much depends on the road circumstances. And its not just about overtaking, its about judging the passing distance against the edge of the road and parked vehicles.

As a motorcyclist I'd take the view that if there's not enough room to overtake if there's a car coming, there's not enough room to overtake if there's a bike coming. After all, bikes get blown about by crosswinds and have to swerve to avoid potholes, oil, muck, etc. which most car drivers don't even notice. Oncoming traffic doesn't have the right to impinge into my lane.

parsi

ned78 wrote:

The point is yes they're illegal, and the legislation is never enforced, but I've never ever been bothered by them. I guess I choose not to get bothered by them, and can't understand people who fume who are! Driving's stressful enough

I got stopped by a Gendarme in France (Dives Sur Mer) last year for driving with my front fogs on. He told me to turn them off. Only reason I had them on was that I hadn't beam benders and it was night time.

Supercell

I drive with my front fogs on down country roads as often passing other drivers that don't dip their headlights or trucks with high set lights totally dazzle me to the point of not being able to see the area lit by my dipped lights.

They illuminate the ditch well and help to keep me on the road otherwise I'd be totally blinded and likely to drive into the ditch.

My front fogs do not point up and to be honest have no problems with oncoming drivers with them on either (unless they are a 4x4 lit up like a fcuking Christmas tree which some people seem to think is necessary for on road driving also).

dame

Longfield wrote:

I drive with my front fogs on down country roads as often passing other drivers that don't dip their headlights or trucks with high set lights totally dazzle me to the point of not being able to see the area lit by my dipped lights.

They illuminate the ditch well and help to keep me on the road otherwise I'd be totally blinded and likely to drive into the ditch.

My front fogs do not point up and to be honest have no problems with oncoming drivers with them on either (unless they are a 4x4 lit up like a fcuking Christmas tree which some people seem to think is necessary for on road driving also).

If you need your fog lights to help yousee the ditch and keep you on the road then have you considered the fact that maybe you're driving too fast for the quality of the roads you're driving on (speed limits of 80 kph on bad roads does not mean it's safe to go that speed)? Perhaps the other drivers coming towards you are giving you a quick shot of full lights (also completely dangerous and illegal) because you're blinding them and they're trying to give you the hint to switch off your fogs? If everyone shows due care and consideration for other road users won't the roads be safer for us all??

dame

ninja900 wrote:

As a motorcyclist I'd take the view that if there's not enough room to overtake if there's a car coming, there's not enough room to overtake if there's a bike coming. After all, bikes get blown about by crosswinds and have to swerve to avoid potholes, oil, muck, etc. which most car drivers don't even notice. Oncoming traffic doesn't have the right to impinge into my lane.

Agreed, if there's anything coming, you shouldn't be overtaking motorbike, car whatever it is. Not too impressed with the folks who overtake a line of cars and expect the cars coming towards them to pull onto the hard-shoulder to avoid a crash.

Stark

dame wrote:

If you need your fog lights to help yousee the ditch and keep you on the road then have you considered the fact that maybe you're driving too fast for the quality of the roads you're driving on (speed limits of 80 kph on bad roads does not mean it's safe to go that speed)? Perhaps the other drivers coming towards you are giving you a quick shot of full lights (also completely dangerous and illegal) because you're blinding them and they're trying to give you the hint to switch off your fogs? If everyone shows due care and consideration for other road users won't the roads be safer for us all??

I've driven on good quality single carriageways without fog lights and with my dips on and I've still been blinded by oncoming full beams to the point where I've been unable to see how the road is bending. (In such cases, I've had to slow well down to way below the speed limit: safer but very annoying when you have a hundred odd miles to cover on those particular roads).

corktina

highly noticable in the fog yesterday that all the slow cars leading the queues coming the other way were driving on side-lights....

Fog lights when it's not foggy ARE dazzling, ARE dangerous and using them is a sign of an inconsiderate driver. The other thing is headlights with an adjuster on the dash....these are to lower your lights when you have a load (ie people or luggage) in the back....

Victor

ninja900 wrote:

As a motorcyclist I'd take the view that if there's not enough room to overtake if there's a car coming, there's not enough room to overtake if there's a bike coming.

Agreed, hence my caution in my answer.

jimmycrackcorm

I drive with front fog lights on when travelling down the country and I'm one of those guys who has no problem with others doing likewise nor am I blinded by other peoples front fogs.

To those people who complain about this practice, I'd like to make this point... If I accidentally leave my headlights on too long, I will get flashed at. However I've never ever been flashed at having front fogs on.

Rear fogs are a different situation altogether.

WhiteAp

jimmycrackcorm wrote:

I drive with front fog lights on when travelling down the country and I'm one of those guys who has no problem with others doing likewise nor am I blinded by other peoples front fogs.

Well bully for you Jimmy, but a) they are illegal to use in non foggy conditions, and b) there are a number of us out there that do get dazzled by them.

Incidentally fog lights should not improve your ability to see ahead as if correctly installed they are angled down so as to reflect light off the ground to light up the fog.

Bards

Comming home last night from Work... no Fog, Visibilty was good and was behind a Garda Van with his Rear Fog Light on. They should be setting the example...

dame

Bards wrote:

Comming home last night from Work... no Fog, Visibilty was good and was behind a Garda Van with his Rear Fog Light on. They should be setting the example...

Did you take the register number and report it? Why not?

Capt'n Midnight

BrianD3 wrote:

-idiots who park against the traffic flow with their dipped or main beams on

Idiots with foreign cars (the car was black) that park with the traffic flow, with their parking lights on.

Bards

dame wrote:

Did you take the register number and report it? Why not?

becasue you will have to give your name..and I don't want to be picked on by the Cops