Anyone ever cited for using fog lights?

[John_H]

So someone has been cited! (albeit 32 years ago)

The current Oregon Revised Statutes have mentions of 300 candlepower and - for fog lights - 75 feet max distance for "the intense part" of the beam. The way I read things, if you were under 300 candlepower or under the 75ft requirement, you should have been fine. If you were 300 or more, dimming those would have been appropriate. Ah, the joys of lawing.

[AlanPerry]

Originally Posted by John_H

So someone has been cited! (albeit 32 years ago)

Someone was cited for driving lights, not fog lights.

The current Oregon Revised Statutes have mentions of 300 candlepower and - for fog lights - 75 feet max distance for "the intense part" of the beam. The way I read things, if you were under 300 candlepower or under the 75ft requirement, you should have been fine. If you were 300 or more, dimming those would have been appropriate. Ah, the joys of lawing.

That is the difference between driving lights and fog lights. That is why CruisingAZ was cited.

[John_H]

AlanPerry. In the future please tell me what I should post before I post it so you don't have to say I'm wrong.

Driving lights and fog lights are often used interchangeably. I do not know that the lights in the '68 were more than 300 candlepower nor do I know for certain that what are described in most literature as fog lights are less than 300 candlepower.

You keep chiming in to point out things that aren't obviously compliant to your own view of reality.

When you see you're replying to me please do me a favor and look at your response a second time before posting. One of my unfortunate pet peeves is being told "you're wrong" without actually being wrong; I don't mind being wrong and prefer to learn but When I say the sky is blue I don't like being corrected that the sea is actually greenish around most populated areas.. For that I ask that you please take a second look before replying.

Thanks.

[CruisingAZ]

Originally Posted by AlanPerry

Someone was cited for driving lights, not fog lights.

That is the difference between driving lights and fog lights. That is why CruisingAZ was cited.

Okay you can say you were wrong now! Back in the days when I got my cite, fog lights were yellow and driving lights were white, the only difference was the lens (same candle power). Today fog lights are white!

[Karl Roth]

Driving lights and fog lights are two very different animals. They should both be shut off with oncoming traffic.
karl

[John_H]

Originally Posted by Karl Roth

Driving lights and fog lights are two very different animals. They should both be shut off with oncoming traffic.
karl

This isn't clear (according to accepted use) which is part of the reason for this thread. Oregon law seems to suggest that if the candlepower is under 300 or if the brightest part of the beam hits the road no more than 75 feet ahead, there aren't restrictions, otherwise they need to be shut off.

[The Rigger]

Originally Posted by John_H

This isn't clear (according to accepted use) which is part of the reason for this thread. Oregon law seems to suggest that if the candlepower is under 300 or if the brightest part of the beam hits the road no more than 75 feet ahead, there aren't restrictions, otherwise they need to be shut off.

If the main beam is hitting the pavement <75' ahead of the vehicle, they'd kinda have to be fog lamps, wouldn't they? (or else *incredibly* poorly-aimed driving lamps, I suppose...)

As far as the color of the light is concerned, that's irrelevent to the lamps' purpose. What differentiates fog lamps from driving lamps is the beam pattern and focus point, not the lens color. Always has been, always will be.

[The Rigger]

Originally Posted by Karl Roth

Driving lights and fog lights are two very different animals. They should both be shut off with oncoming traffic.

Amen.

[SubSlr88]

Originally Posted by Bum-bling-B

Ah boy. This is a subject that I've seen debated very passionately over the last few years. I hate the SUV/Trucks that have them as a lot of them seem exceptionally blinding bright. I normally don't drive with them on in my car EXCEPT around dusk/dawn when a lot of the other cars are driving around with no lights I turn my parks/fogs on.

FWIW - it's illegal for a moving vehicle to have parking lights on at any time in Florida. That's been a law here for many years. . . but you see it all the time. Dusk, daylight, rain - it doesn't matter - it's illegal.
I don't imagine you'd ever get stopped or ticketed for it, but . . .

Florida Drivers Handbook page 25 - "Driving with parking lights only (in place of headlights) is against the law."

[Bum-bling-B]

Originally Posted by SubSlr88

FWIW - it's illegal for a moving vehicle to have parking lights on at any time in Florida. That's been a law here for many years. . . but you see it all the time. Dusk, daylight, rain - it doesn't matter - it's illegal.
I don't imagine you'd ever get stopped or ticketed for it, but . . .

Florida Drivers Handbook page 25 - "Driving with parking lights only (in place of headlights) is against the law."

Thanks - actually I knew that it has been that way forever here but it doesn't mean I'll stop. As I said, most of the other cars are driving with nothing on. The bobbing of the Smart when going through town and the car going through the gears gives the illusion you're flashing your lights. If you've spent time looking at other smarts with their lights on you'll know what I'm talking about. That's why when it is mostly light outside I choose the fogs on my car that is equipped with them. On the car that doesn't have them I use the headlights.

You're not one of those guys that screams at the kids walking by on the sidewalk, "GET OFF MY LAWN!", are you? just kidding....

Now, I suppose you NEVER go over the speed limit as well. I mean we've got to go by the book, right? EVERYDAY I see cops cars do an illegal merge up here in my parts.....I've yet to see them pull themselves over and write a ticket. I mean, it's in the handbook - the meaning of solid and dashed lines. I could go on and on about what the handbook says is illegal that people do daily that are life threatening dangerous.

The parking lights on the Smart are puny. Not much light at all. Headlights IMO are a bit bright even when aimed correctly.