'Why do people turn on their car FOG lights, when it rains?

Question

Explain that logic - and don't give the rubbish about visibility?! High intensity fog lights only make the rain conditions worse. And don't forget what the rules are re turning on fog lights!

Answer 1

you don't say if you are referring to front or rear fog lights.

in the UK all cars are fitted with rear fog lights as standard and the lav states only to be used in certain circumstances when visibility is poor - unfortunately loads of drivers just turn them on when it rains and and the glare frustrates and blinds the drivers behind - i hate fog lights - do cars in USA have rear fog lights !!

Answer 2

It Doesn't Even Have To Be Raining Or Dark, I See Them Every Day In Broad Daylite! Most Of Them Don't Even Know Which Switch Is Witch And Therefore They May Accidentally At Some Point Have Switched Their Foggys On And Every Time They Use Their Sidies Which In Lots Of Vehicles Is Automatic These Days The Foggys Are Always On! Please Check All Those Who Read This Because It Is A Moving Violation To Show Your Foggys In Conditions Other Than Fog & In These Cases Points Don't Meen Prizes!
Good Question Mate.
Have A Gooday And A Bonza 2007 & Please Drive Safe!

Answer 3

Assuming we are taking about night time...having fog lights on when it rains lights up the ground immediately in front of the vehicle. Oftentimes the rain will cause a reflection on the road and the lines separating the lanes is difficult to identify on some roads and the fog lights provide peripheral identification of your location in the lane.
Additionally, it helps other drivers identify your vehicle. New York has a neat law that requires headlights to be on when the wipers are. The fog light supplement that requirement in order to make the car you're in more visible to others near you; it could be the difference that prevents them from changing lanes into you when you are located in someone's blindspot.

Using fog lights at any other times than rain, snow, or actual fog is indicative of someone who thinks their car looks better with them on or because they think more lights are better. In those cases, they are not fog lights anymore, they are called "cool guy" lights. One note of clarification, people who drive all the time with "cool guy" lights on would have them on in the rain as well so that could account for a significant portion of the rain fog light drivers. All other normal people with fog lights on in the rain do so for the aforementioned reason above.

Answer 4

I agree with xaviersmork. Also, it depends on the conditions at the time. I had a car with fog lights and sometimes it made visibility better but sometimes they made it much worse. If it is foggy at all it definitely makes it worse. But it really does depend on the exact conditions.

I agree with the people on here who are saying that people turn them on because they think it's cool or whatever. I see that all the time. But speaking from experience, it definitely can go either way.

Answer 5

Broadly speaking fog lights at any other time than dense daytime fog in light traffic indicate that the driver has a major malfunction and the rest of us should be glad that we are being warned. (I know, I've often sat on the M25 on a wet Friday night with enough red illumination to get a sun tan).

Answer 6

I know that you are supposed to have your lights on when it rains it is illegal not to in NYS. I guess some ppl are just a pain in the a** with the bright fog ones they must think they are cool or something...lmao

Answer 7

Why are the car makers making brighter and brighter lights, it only makes it harder to see, even if it is not raining. Cars coming up the road is blinding, it is terrible you can't see, and on top of that they have fog lights that are really not because fog lights are to be pointed downward and be yellow. I won't put my fogs on, and my regular head light are to bright too. I would like to put something over them to help with glare.

Answer 8

i'm assuming you're talking about rear fog lights. there is a possibility that the driver has left them turned on from a previous foggy day. have you ever noticed that the vast majority of cars that drive in the fog with front SIDE LIGHTS on are silver or white and are as near as damn it are invisible?

Answer 9

Fog lights are low to the ground, and aim to the center of the road directly in front of the car, or rather they should be. Put aside the people using the lights to make their presence more substatial and look at the benefits. The lower lighting in bad weather allows you to see the road when you otherwise can not, becuase they light up the closest part of the road. The beam is far more concentrated for the purpose of shining through fog or whatever, then the wide broad beam of your regular lights.

Answer 10

because they are brain dead the same as when the fog clears they still keep them on or they like to see pretty lights on the dashboard