I was pulled over last night and given a warning for driving with my fog lights on when it wasn't foggy out. The officer wrote on the warning that it was an illegal use of foglights. I have owned my car for over a year and never been harrassed before in this regard. Meanwhile, as I was waiting for the officer I got to watch at least ten other cars drive by me with their fogs on.

Is this law true or was I being singled out. On a side note I also have clear corners and the officer did not mention any problems with those so I guess I should consider myself lucky.

Edited to fix typo's


[Modified by Hyper165, 11:48 AM 7/7/2001]

 

I've never heard of that.. Are they yellow lights?
If not, just tell him they are "driving" lights, not fog lights.

 

Yo, not to be an *** but you shouldn't drive around with fogs on unless it's foggy. Nothing worse than a BMW 5 series dork driving around the mall with his PIAA HID Xenon Argon Focuz SuperWhite fogs on. It makes it harder to see for oncoming traffic.

 

My fogs are pointed towards the ground in order to better light up the ground directly in front of the bumper and before the spot where the headlights meet the ground.

Fog lights in general are not suppossed to be able to blind other people. They are meant to be lower than the normal headlights. That is what makes them effective since headlights catch too much of the vapor from the fog and create a whiteout condition. I do agree that some people do not have their fogs properly set especially trucks.

 

On a side not I just checked the PIAA site and they list my fogs as driving lights. I have the 1100 series.

 

That's bullshit. I've modded out just about every car I've ever had to have always on fog lights. (Or Racing lights... they make your car go faster. lol) And have never had any problems.

 

Still, no matter how your fogs are pointed, a bright light at the front of your car still sends light forward. This is why fog lights don't come on with your normal headlights. There's always a switch for them. I think if it isn't foggy what do you have them on for...

SUVs and BMW drivers are usually the worst offenders. "Ooh, look at all this lighting power, I'mma use it all the time."

 

*cough* guilty, as charged. lol... sorry

 

I can't see worth a **** w/ the standard projector lights...driving lights were the first thing I bought for my car. I have a switch for them, but I have them set to come on anytime my parkin lights/headlights come on...

Let me see if I can find a MA statute for you on the use of the lights...do you have the code that he "supposedly" cited you for? I may be able to use that to find what he meant. Personally, I think it's bullshit. But as long as the light was white or yellow, there should be no way he can give you a ticket for it, regardless of why you had it on. Just my .02

 

They are driving lights so next time explain that to the officer and if he give you a ticket.... "tell it to the Judge"

Make sure you mention the wattage of the bulbs. If it's low then this guy is just pulling your chain.....

Oh and I too drive with my factory installed driving lights all the time... day or night and have yet to be pulled over for it.

 

What about factory equipped cars that have day time running fogs?

My brother's IS300 has fogs that run during day time and night time.?

 

I guess the yups demanded it...

 

I found a table of citable offenses....

It gives a code # for lighting, you may be able to find something out using that # to further investigate the law...If I find anything else, I'll update...

http://www.state.ma.us/courts/courts...ssess2001.html

 

you've been singled out,dude!

 

typer98, do you remember the wiring for this? I think it require switching 2 wires around so that the driving lights come on with the parking lights (and headlights), right? If you have it written down or something, please let me know. Thanks.

 

The only time the lights are required to be off is when your high beams are on.

 

i did when i was on the auobaun in deutchland. i rented a Ford Mondeo and was driving with the lights and fog lights on. he didn't care that i was going 240 kph.

 

That's a good story...

 

Cosworth...I think that is correct, however, a friend of mine did the install for the lights, I really didn't see exactly what I did. But that is how mine work, when parking and/or headlights come on...

 

Every state is different, but in Michigan you can have 4 white lights and 2 yellow lights (corner lamps) on the front of your vehicle at any time. Assuming they are of legal wattage.

Mattj

 

i dunno about everywhere else, but when driving on the dark highways of VT, i need fogs. it's a pain to keep turning your high beams on and off all the time, so fog/'driving' lights are a must. anything less is almost unsafe.

 

Eric actually if they are Driving lights and sold as that, then you should be able to get away with it if you fight it, Charley has some pages from different sections of the law that show this. It worked for him anyways.