this is me

I just wondering how often do you guys use your fog lights.
I use mine most of the time until last nite. I just got a 50 bucks ticket for using it. That stupid cop said it was "illegal" to turn it on when the weather is not consider as hazard. I was like wtf.
Is it true? i saw people with their fog lights all the time. even when daylight. BTW i live in massachusetts. Damn it! this really pissed me off. Those dumbass have way too much time on their hands.

Alexxx

I heard something about that...check your state laws. Did you have them on with the headlights or the parking lights(fog mod)?

WiLz

my fog lights are on whenever my headlights are on...

Beason

the more light the better off is how i see it.

Iggy

So letme get this straight. It was dark and you had your foglights and headlights on at the same time? If so, take the pr|ck to court. Now if you just had your fogs on without the headlights at night you don't have much of a case.

Iggy

asloudasitgets

i never use my fogs

DMan

You got to be kidding. I always drive with my fogs on, because I can see the road better directly in front of the car. I also think it makes the car look better. Almost every car I see on the road use their fog lights.

Wow, I didn't have a clue it could be illegal.
.

Raheel

Maybe that cops Tickets were due and he was short one so Hes like lets give this COOL AWESOME TL A TICKET.. I bet he was just Jealous that his crappy Ford didnt have fog lights hehe!! Also are your foglights stock or do you have special lights in them like PIAA, HID Or what?

rominl

look up the DMV rules for your state to see if that's legal. here in CA there has been a lot of talk about whether it's legal or illegal, and also about yellow and clear fogs.

i looked it up, and also told by my traffic school instructors, that there are no rules saying that you can NOT have fogs on with headlight. you can't turn on the fogs without the headlight though. also there is no laws on yellow and clear fogs so they are ok.

the law basically says there can't be more than 4 lights on at the same time

egilsrud

I always leave my fog lights switched on so that they come on with the headlights (I haven't done the mod to turn them on w/ parking lights only).

Most luxo-car drivers (BMW, Mercedes, Lexus etc.) 'round these parts do the same.

WiLz

do the parking lights count?

copland007

I always run with my fogs on at least. When dusk time comes I also flip on headlights.

This is interesting. I have been trying to do some searching for the law, but can't find it.

Here's something fun, not very helpful, but...
http://www.state.ma.us/courts/courts...ssess2001.html


-copland007

rominl

nop it doesn't. i forgot their exact definition but it's something like lights that you can use to driver

copland007

I found a line for Wisconsin:
http://www.dot.state.wi.us/dsp/lawofmonth.htm

Still can't find anything for Mass online

rysky007

OK unless u got like 20 of those KC lights on ur truck, why are they bickeing about something like fog lights, i mean, governemnt in some countries worry about feeding their ppl, ours worry about how many and when we can and cannot use our fog lights, its persnal property, we should have the free use of it at our will but to a limit, but not like this.....

Alien

do u guy no how to wire the foglite so it only turn as dtr....
like those on audi....

agean

mine are always on. i love the way the car looks with just the fogs and parking lights on.

plus, its a quick clue that the cars modded, you'd be amazed how many old tl drivers look at me when they realize that they cant turn on their fogs without the headlights

RedIntegra

I usually have them on during the night with my regular lights, no problems in the Greater Boston Area (95/93/128/Pike/City). Do you have after market fog lights, maybe you had High Beams on? Did you get stopped for something else? What City/Town were you in (was it a State Trooper or a Local Cop)?

Personally I prefer to have the fog lights on 'cause the light is wide and provides greater visibility for me side to side. So for me it's a safety thing.

stiletto

Does this not refer to the fog light modification? I understand in lieu means in place of. but I might be wrong. Sounds to me like a completely bogus ticket. Just shut your trap till the court date and in front of the judge remind the officer that they are there to protect and to serve and by doing what he did to you he is neither protecting nor serving, quite the contrary he (she) is just wasting waluable county (state) resources and that should make them ashamed of themselves. In addition, better time might be spent downing some doughnuts at the local rest stop where they can observe suspicious activity by loiterers.

The police are getting out of hand in this country. :yack:

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

I rarely use my fogs... especially since I cracked the driver side lens and haven't replaced it yet

Once I fix it I'll go back to the old pattern, which was my parking lights and fogs while the sun is starting to set... and once it's dusk, headlights on only....

SimTypeS

I always have my parking lights on, and did the fog light mod, and the fogs are ALWAYS on. Plus, I changed my parking lights to clear, so it looks a lot better. I like that because my tailights are on, so all the dumb asssses out there will see me. When I park the car and get out, the lights are still on.

Yaron2

ALL THE TIME!

Nick

I never heard of this 'law' in MA and almost everyone drives with their fogs on. It not only increases driver visibility, but also enables your car to be more easily seen by others. Perhaps the cop thought the alignment of them was the issue? Some cars/SUVs can be quite annoying when their fogs look like high beams.

TWong

That's what happens when you live in a BS state where bureaucracy is king. If you look at Coplands link, they can pretty much write you a ticket for anything they feel like.

I got stopped once for Yellow Fogs by Statey. Said they were distracting. Where as the Old Geezer ES300 doing 75 in the passing lane and not moving out of the way for her wasn't?

A friend (chic) got reamed for those Blue-ish tinted PIAA's in Newton, said that was unauthorized use of Blue lights (reserved for cops.)

pianoman41

I can only speak for MA, so everything you read below is for MA *ONLY*:

There is a law in MA regarding use of fog lights. It's under 540 CMR 22.05 (3) and it states that fog lights can only be used "....whenever reflection from fog, snow or other atmospheric conditions make it impossible for the operator of a motor vehicle to see clearly substantial objects for the prescribed distances...." The key phrase in the law is "atmospheric conditions" and darkness in and of itself does not constitute an atmospheric condition. Therefore, you can only use fog lights legally in inclement weather--be it rain, snow, sleet or fog.

Now for those of you with the fog light mod wondering if that is legal--it is. The section continues to state that fog lamps "...may be used in conjunction with, or in place of the headlamps otherwise required...." when atmospheric conditions exist--whatever gives you the best visibility. So if it's real foggy out you can legally drive with just your parking lights and fog lights and no headlights.

As for running fogs in the day time, this is also legal. 540 CMR 22.05 describes operation of headlights on vehicles, but the regulations only apply when headlights are required, which in MA is one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise. So as long as you are running the fogs during the day or at dusk, this is legal. It's only after dark they must be off unless you have inclement weather.

BTW, the fine for this offense is $35, not $50. I'm not sure what Chapter and Section the cop wrote you for, but I'd at least check that part.

rysky007

i drive with fogs and parking lights on all the time unless its sunny, even at night at 3 am i sometimes drive around town with only fogs and parking if im on well lit streets other wise i kick on my reg lights....

VolkRacing

I had fogs on my lude a while back...I got pulled over for all the usual reasons, exhuast, clear sidemarkers, no front license plate, too low, blah blah blah....

I was driving w/ my piaa superwhite headlights and fogs on....he claimed my headlights were blue and then pointe to my fogs...and asked what are those...
what a jackass...

cop: what are those?
me: foglights...
cop: where's the fog?
me: There isn't any....
cop: so why are they on?
me: Just in case it gets foggy
cop: you're not supposed to have them on when it's not foggy I could give you a ticket...
me: so if I were driving with my windshield wipers and it wasn't raining would you give me a ticket? or just call me a dumbass and laugh at me....

He laughs and gives me at ticket for all the other stuff but not the fogs...go figure...jerk

copland007

pianoman41, thanx for the info, I was having the hardest time trying to hunt down that stuff

Soooo... It sounds like for us mass peeps that we can run with parking lights and fogs only during daytime. But we have to shut off the fog-lights and go to headlights only at night?

I'll have to remember to flip them off then

That's a bummer because I think the extra light put out by the fog lamps really helps.

-copland007

this is me

I got the headlight going with the fog. My fog ligjts are the syverstar. He stopped me for turning on the fog lights. I live in Lowell and while i was driving up to NH to the pheaant lane mall that nite.
Damn i cant find any law that say fog lights are illegal. But i asked a couple people and some of them said that it is illegal. some just dun even have a clue.
Its only $50 bucks. i dun want to appeal it in the court. That just a waste of my time.
Maybe that ******* just wanted to ticket someone with a cool headlight. He probably jelous of me driving the cool TL as he drives the piece of **** Crown Victoria.

ferizzo

Pianoman, thanks for the 411 on the 911! It still sucks and I guess that is one more thing I am guilty of! I had no idea this was illegal.

peiqinglong

Hrmmm...I've nevered used my fog lights either

jdone

Fogs don't help you see any better in clear weather, it's just a placebo effect and it annoys other drivers. In most incorporated areas it is against the traffic laws. From my experience they don't help much in the fog either-they are just decoration. Driving lights are another story entirely.

Mr Hyde

Arent these technically driving lights anyway?? If so that law doesnt apply does it?

If my headlights are on, so are my "fogs"

BLEXV6

Mine are always on when the headlights are on.

this is me

Woah!! you're the first one i heard that said fog lights dont help lighting up the road. To me it's a different between light and day.
Annoy drivers?? what are talking about. Have to seen those green fog or the really bright yellow on other cars compare to a stock or in this case a sylverstar.

rominl

haha that's some lame BS. i would love to have him tell me exactly which law i voilated

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/tocd12c2a2.htm


this is a link about the law in CA, i dont' see anywhere it says it's not allowed to turn on fog lights. i go to airport with my fogs on all the time, i never have problems with the cop right beside

rominl

yup, you got your point. in our manual or on acura page the light is defined as road lamps.

rominl

can't agree more. after driving cars with fogs i just cant drive anything without it anymore. seems like i can't really see the road right in front of me clearly. and if your fogs are aimed correctly, it won't annoy anyone. if anything our headlights will annoy more people

eggbert

Oh yeah. Illegal in most places to use the fogs when the weather isn't bad.

Also, it's illegal to have the fog lights on without the low beams on (for those out there who have monkied with their wiring) - and I think it's illegal to have the fogs on with high beams.

Personally, I like them on when it's really dark out and you're trying to find a driveway or have to turn. I like them for their function and safety. Not sure how much better things are when it's really foggy. I hadn't seen much fog since I got the TLS.

What I don't care for is the fogs on with no other lights. In my opinion, it ends up looking more juvenile than cool. I read a funny article in a BMW magazine about drivers who ride with their fogs on or who have wired them to come on without the low beams - the article was called something like "Don't be one of 'those' guys". Pretty funny.

pianoman41

But just remember, like just about any other minor traffic regulation, many jurisdictions either don't know or don't care about them. You could pass 30 cops with your fog lights on and never get stopped. Maybe they don't know, maybe they don't care. It's just the 31st one that does know and care you gotta watch out for......

It's not just MA either. Many states have these types of regulations. I'm not saying *not* to do it, just be forewarned if someone was looking for a reason to pull you over, you just gave it to them.

Oh, and BTW as the original inventor of the fog light mod, I can say that I drive with parking lights and fogs on almost daily, whenever it is (1) dawn or dusk, (2) raining/snowing/foggy during the day, or (3) driving on a crowded interstate during the day (helps those slowpokes in the left lane see you sooner in their rear view ). I'll usually switch them off and go with just headlights unless the atmospheric conditions warrant the fogs. But that's just me.....