Using Fog Lights As Drl

[IINexusII]

Has anyone tried this? you can get just the fog lights to come on by pulling it and trying to keep between the off and the sidelights position. i was wondering if maybe cutting parts of the switch inside to be able to pull the switch from the off position to get the foglamps? by default the fogs wont come on unless the switch is in the sidelights position

[Lenny]

Has anyone tried this? you can get just the fog lights to come on by pulling it and trying to keep between the off and the sidelights position. i was wondering if maybe cutting parts of the switch inside to be able to pull the switch from the off position to get the foglamps? by default the fogs wont come on unless the switch is in the sidelights position

Hi,

Nice idea but id sooner purchase a 3way relay to allow the fogs to switch on with your ignition/engine

Then off when you turn off engine

Aswell as off when you turn on your low beam

[Stoney871]

Also the legal side must be considered-

It is not permitted to modify fog lights to become drl, if the light comes on with the fog lights switch then it is still classed as a fog light and therefore illegal to use unless visibility is severely impaired.

[Pitmonster]

Using fog lights in the daytime - or when it's not foggy - will *ahem* change the way other drivers percieve you... in a bad way, if you know what I mean ;-) *

Also, fogs dazzle oncoming drivers, because they are designed for low-visibility conditions and are higher intensity than normal lights.

Modifying your fog lights can also be an MOT failure.

Finally - and most importantly - it will also get you a fixed penalty notice, which means 3 points and a £60 fine.

Happened to a mate of mine a couple of years ago.

So please don't use your front fogs like this, or modify them in any way. If you want DRLs then buy & fit some proper ones. The £60 fine you avoid will easily pay for a good set.

Sorry if I sound like an ar5e, but its something I feel strongly about.

* if you didn't get the subtle hint, it means that other drivers will call you very bad names, no matter how good you think it looks.

[stevegtuk]

I think it would be a nice thought, save having to fit extra lights but as the above have said its againstthe law, you have to fit seperate lights to have as drls

[mixmasterlooney]

The highway code makes no mention of front fog lights as front fog lights are optional not a requirement. highway code says fog light should be used when visibility is less than 100 meters, otherwise it can dazzle drivers and yes of course rear fog lights can be extremely bright.

Front fog lights do not dazzle this is a myth, they aren't brighter than driving/dipped or normal lights either. The difference between fog lights is that they are lower and the beam is aimed at a much lower and wider angle to light up the road surface rather than illuminate the actual FOG drops/particle which is what full beam does.

It then becomes a grey area as there are many circumstances that meets the requirement for the use of fog lights that isn't actually fog. for example. Night driving with no street lighting. in this case visibility is less than 100 meters because the highway code does not specifically say "fog" not only that, "fog" and "mist" aren't the same, smoke could also be something else that gives reason to use fog lights.

Now obviously driving behind someone on a road with no street light would make it easy to see the other vehicle rear side lights well over 100 meters. as for front fog lights no one can see over 100 meters in the dark.

More grey area is this 100 meter judgement... everyone will have a different idea of what 100 meter is roughly.

Front fog lights are not apart of an MOT test as they are optional. However you might still fail an MOT for using the front fog lights as DRL because the symbol for the DRL is incorrect and may cause confusion. Putting a DRL sticker over the front fog light symbol should be enough, although i would imagine the same needs to be done on the dashboard lights

I am not sure how dave's mate got 3 points for using fogs as a copper would need some evidence to show that you the driver did not have fog visible less than 100 meters on your current journey, massive grey area. (Fog can be mist in summer too)

[Marcr1]

I see lots of people drive around with fogs on, in all honesty they don't blind me anywhere near as much as the stupid Mercedes drivers with their xenon lights. Some of them are ridiculously bright yet they always get away with it :/

[stevegtuk]

whether they blind or not, using fog lights that are there as foglights is against the law and anyone that uses them when its not foggy is breaking the law and its only a matter of time till they are pulled.

If you put an additional lights right next to the fog light you could use them as a drls providing they are within the specified positions in the regulations. Daft i know but, thats life, rules have no common sense.

I think these are the rules but havent given it a good read

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/schedule/2/made

there are more regs on here

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/contents/made

If you get pulled by a copper who has cameras in the car, then it would clearly show what the visibility is like at that exact moment so no way of arguing against it, so is it worth risking on the chance the car may not have cameras installed.

[artscot79]

just to clear it up if front fogs are fitted then it must be for the purpose they were designed for so you cant modify them many people drive wth fogs on doesnt make it right ive stated befor e round my way the plod are taking them out one by one from illegal drls to fog lights used as drls and it is annoying to be honest i understand what you mean about the xenons and agree some are very bright however they are legal wether i like it or not

drls on all cars are technically illegal as they must not exceed 1 degree dip any car that goes over a speed bump goes beyond that 1 degree so therefore they are illegal even if briefly the choice is youres at the end of the day personally is it worth being the unlucky sod who gets pulled and given 3 points and a fine

[mixmasterlooney]

I respect what you are saying steve i really do mate :- ) Truthfully i would not recommend the use of fog lights as DRL.

I had a look on the highway code and it seems it does actually mention front and rear, different to when i past my test :D anyways this is the extract

"You MUST NOT use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226) as they dazzle other road users and can obscure your brake lights. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves. Law RVLR regs 25 & 27"

As we all know anything in the highway code that is stated as "MUST/MUST NOT" is a legal requirement. Therefore steve is bang on.

However sticking with the topic this isn't about using fog lights

[artscot79]

its illegal to use fog lights as anything other than fogs so they cant be used as drls if you were stopped and i know this from a traffic officer as far as they are concerned they are fogs and yoiull be fined as using such drls for fogs are not approved lights you cant get approval for them as they are illegal like many of the diy drl kits on certain auction sites

[artscot79]

Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 concerns
restrictions on the use of certain lamps, hazard warning signal devices
and warning beacons other than those to which regulation 24 refers.



OFFENCE

No person shall use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road
any vehicle on which any lamp, hazard warning signal device or warning
beacon of a type specified below is used in the manner so specified.



Front fog lamp

(a) used so as to cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other persons using the road;

(b) used so as to be lit at any time other than in conditions of seriously reduced visibility;

© used so as to be lit when a vehicle is parked.

new cars with fogs as drls have different light markings so they are marked as drls and not fogs the list of markings is Front foglights have the ECE function code B marked on the lens or
housing. Running lights have the code RL. Headlights are C (filament dip
beam), R (filament main beam), CR (filament combined main and dip). HID
dip beam is DC, HID main is DR, HID combined main and dip is DCR.

you cant change the lens as the drls would have to be type approved in a lab for that car so either way they end up illegal

[Pitmonster]

To clarify : when my mate got pulled and fined, it was perfect visibility.

While I appreciate that the "100 meters" visibility is a fine line that can be debated when it's foggy or misty or whatever, this did not apply in his case because there was no fog or mist at all - it was perfectly clear and there was no justification to use them.

[Oliverb]

These are acceptable though right ? Before I go ahead and buy them...

They don't have to be manafacture fitted to use them do they ..?

[artscot79]

yes they are acceptable lenny has done this and knowes all about wiring them up

[Oliverb]

Thought so just double checking ;-)

[stevegtuk]

yes they are acceptable lenny has done this and knowes all about wiring them up

+1 yep they are legal, unless you go down the 1 degree rule as mentioned above, but very unlikely for any copper to pull you on that one.

As long as the actual fogs arent used, you can get away with almost anything as long as its white at the front.

I have a strip or leds behind the rad grill to light them up, they dont shine out and dazzle so not illegal either.

[Stoney871]

Totally concur with the fog light rules as shown by Arthur etc.

The 100 metre rule applies to the rear fog lights and severe reduction of visibility applies for front lights

If a vehicle is pulled over with any additional lights showing at the front of a vehicle and the fog lights switch is engaged then a penalty will be issued.

Best option is always fit a dedicated switch for drl lights.

In truth you're very unlikely to get penalised for drl unless they're stupid bright or badly positioned.

[IINexusII]

alright thanks for the replies guys, ill be fitting one of those phillips or osram DRL kits soon :)