We can all have our views but we do need to be abiding by the highway code (when was the last time you read it?!) and only using fog lights accordingly.

I think DRLs are excellent, especially LED ones, mainly because so many people don't use their headlights when required. I actually have my headlights on all the time. I have changed my headlights for the projector ones as they focus the light better so there's less dispersed light which is what tends to cause irritation to other road users.

The new cars with the under bumper LED daytime running lights I find are even brighter than the proper fog lights anyway.

^ Oh yes

I wonder when the Highway Code was last updated regarding fog lights, wasn't it written when they were big round yellow things attached to a couple of brackets

Yes that was something I was going to say! It's a bit daft when you look at the newer Volvos who have DRLs in the same place as the front fogs and are just as bright. Makes a bit of a mockery of things.

Just to chuck a spanner in the works, I was under the impression that most Manufacturers these days refer to them as "Driving Lamps", as opposed to "Fog Lamps"?!?

I wonder where you would stand legally if you threw that at an over-zealous PC.....  Foraging near Gaydon....
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MY13 HSE Lux SD4, Baltic Blue - current, 30,000> miles without fault
MY12 HSE 2.2 SD4, Sumatra Black - gone after 10 months/43,000 fault-free miles

In wet weather due to fog lamps being low, they reflect off the wet road surface & can dazzle oncoming drivers.

The idea of fog lights are that they are low to the ground so they can illuminate underneath the fog and at a lower level than the regular headlamps, thereby not reflecting back off the water droplets in the fog & into the drivers eyes.

Some people think there is some 'magic' in fog lamps so as soon as we get a bit of mist they switch them on to give superhuman vision.

They should only be used when vision ahead is down to 50 yards or less. That's pretty rare in this country in my experience.

Having said all that, I do use them on country roads where there may not be sufficient streetlights, mainly to illuminate the kerbs or road edges. Poke it, Poke it, make it do it again!!

Gone - 2008 Freel2 HSE Santorini Black
Hello - 2010 RRS TDV6 3.0 HSE Santorini Black

Tried the fogs on the way home down an unlit country lane, they brightened the area directly infront of the vehicle and the the side verges, they certainly didn't extend the headlights any. No extra use IMO, if foglights are extending the illumination range then something is wrong.

If your headlight range is to short you could try using the Headlamp Leveling control a bit, I played with that, its got a fairly big range. 
Hung like Einstein, smart as a horse.

Now that I drive a Freelander its very rare I have my foglights on, I think being higher up gives a better view of the road, but when I had my Clio I never had them switched off.

95% of my driving is down unlit country roads and I found they made a huge differance lighting up the grass verge, potholes and sunken drain covers.

Been pulled a few times but when I explained why I had them switched on never even got a producer.

I have seen on new cars however that when parking up, One foglight comes one to illuminate the kerb. How can this be legal under the highway code?

The use of fog lamps is covered under the highway code and it is illegal to use them when visibility is over 100 yds. They are completely unnecessary at ANY other time.

It may seem petty but I full beam anyone approaching with them on when visibility is clear. I cannot remember the last time when conditions were bad enough to warrant switching them on.

Certainly the idiots who use the rear fog lights in the rain need prosecuting!

And, can we please spread the message to the boy racers that your vehicle does NOT go faster with them on.

While we are on the subject of lights, when I was a lad you dare not go out on your bicycle at night without lights. These days it appears to be the norm not to have lights and just to make things worse, make sure you wear dark clothing.

Quite what the traffic police do these days is beyond me. I could position myself on any major road with a camera and snap numerous idiots on their phone every hour of the day. Last week I was puzzled by the speeding up and slowing down of a vehicle approaching me in the middle lane of the M40. When she passed me she was TEXTING, then proceeded to stay in the middle lane for miles - she was not going to shift either to let anyone pass her or for her to overtake. Tattoos - Why would you choose to look like the wall of a public toilet?

uh huh ...

but are you driving a batenburg retro reflective stickered vehicle which is labelled Polis down the side of it?

if you were, you'd probably see a lot less of what you describe. Said Polis motor tends to be a bit of a stick out from a long distance away. Its seen well before the Police can see a mobile being used.

I agree with you, the amount of times I drive home and see someone on a phone whilst driving, etc etc, when I've spent the last 10 hours looking for the same is unreal.

The Road Toad wrote:

The use of fog lamps is covered under the highway code and it is illegal to use them when visibility is over 100 yds. They are completely unnecessary at ANY other time.

It may seem petty but I full beam anyone approaching with them on when visibility is clear. I cannot remember the last time when conditions were bad enough to warrant switching them on.

You can't quote the 'Highway Code' and legal issues then in the next breath condone 'full beaming' another driver

Just to play a bit of devils advocate,as has previously been touched upon, how can someone sitting behind the wheel of thier own vehicle tell if the oncoming vehicle has his/her front fog lights on or have thier, perfectly legal, driving lights on? and just to confuse the matter further the law states that all new vehicles have to have DRLs on which manufacturers are making as bright as possible albeit the DRLs are usually strip lights so can be distinguished.

Ghyllie oo! Shiney!
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55 Nissan Navara SE Black - My Toy.
08 Freelander 2 XS Santorini Black - Her Majesty's Toy.

I purposely looked out for cars with their 'bumper lights' on last night and coming to work this morning, and there were quite a few. It didn't bother me in the least, there was no glare in fact the brilliance was no different to their 'dipped' beams. If a driver is being 'blinded' by driver/fog lights then they are maladjusted or lamped illegally.

I think it is other drivers 'old school' attitude and wanting to police the roads themselves, of course the police can/will stop you if they are bored as the archaic ruling is still law.

As said, DRL's have a much greater brilliance and glare, can be positioned exactly where the FL2's driving/fog lights are but are accepted because they have a different name .

Front Fogs give a hazy light, another give away is the sight of a vehicle coming towards with four lights, DRL's are supposed to extinguish when Headlights are on

My driving to and from work is mainly city roads and why they have their 'fogs' on I don't really know but it doesn't give my eyesight a problem, as for DRL's the drivers seem to delay until the last minute switching on their headlamps as if knowing they will extinguish the DRL's and they do distract in poor lighting conditions by their brilliance.