Are Fog Lights for Looks or for Seeing the Road on Foggy Nights?

Question

It used to be that fog lights were to light up the pavement in front of the car without the reflection of the headlights off the fog and back into the drivers eyes. Now, most cars only let you turn on the fog lights along with the headlights, making them useless on foggy nights. I guess they must be just for looks.

Answer 1

Why not experiment...Next foggy night, cover or disconnect your fog lights and see how well you can see...They're not useless when used with other lights, you just don't notice the difference.

Answer 2

Fog lights are yellow to cut through the fog easier. They are NOT supposed to help you see! They are supposed to make your car easier to BE SEEN by other drivers! your normal low beam headlights are sufficient for most foggy situations. If the fog is too dense to see through it is time to pull off the road and wait for the fog to lift.

Answer 3

Fog lights are supposed to have a yellow tint to them which purportedly increases the visibility in foggy conditions. This may have been true at one time when you could turn them on separate from the other lights, but in areas where you cannot do that, then you are installing them for looks. However off road driving lights are very effective in increasing your vision in unlit areas. They cannot be used when there is oncoming traffic though.

Answer 4

This depends upon the placement of the lights. Nowadays, there is a certain crowd that installs fog lights for "looks", and manufacturers are aware of this- they manufacture cars with fog lights without regard to functionality.

However, most persons really don't do much driving in heavy fog, so the question should be "are they really necessary?"

Answer 5

Have you ever been walking with a woman who's shorter than yourself when she has an umbrella? You might as well call the paramedics on the first drop of rain. Those little metal bits on the edges really hurt when you keep getting poked in the head by them. EDIT: Well said Albino Zoo. I have gotten into the habit of holding my head at my temple to stop such injuries. So if you see a short woman with an umbrella next to a tall guy with his hands around his face, looking like a horse in effing blinkers. Be sure to say Hi. That will be me. lmao EDIT2: That is so true Live Laugh Love. We can't stop you but our injury lawyers can sue you for damages! lol (not serious hon, just messing about with ya)

Answer 6

I agree, they aren't very effective in fog, but the short range illumination patern makes them a nice adjunct to the longer distance headlights. I don't care what they look like to others; I keep mine on with the headlights for better low beam visibility.

Answer 7

Fog lights on most newer cars are for seeing better in fog,rain,snow,or any time there is excess moisture(mist) in the air.They are intended to work with the headlights.I sell VW cars.Most of our models have fog lights that work really [e-mail]

Answer 8

Fog lights provide a wider beam pattern and are mounted lower than headlights to illuminate below the normal line of sight to minimize reflected light and help you see better in adverse conditions.

Answer 9

fog lights must a color in them cause whit light is blinding in the fog the white lights people drive around with on are called driving lights and are coincided high beams to the drive code and you can be cited for driving with them on some city's site some don't but either way, try this on a real foggy day or night you can see farther with your lights out than on the whit light illuminates the fog and makes it harder to see , great question take care, you can see farther and clearer with colored lights in th fog, fact true fog lights are colored yellow amber and so on driving light are white or no color

Answer 10

Depending on the utilization you do of these precious objects, they can save your life one night and make you realize that even if they seem to be just for looks.

You never know when something which appears useless to you can reveal a pretty valuable aspect of it's nature...

I hope you'll find it out the right way.