Threatened with a fine for NOT having fog lights on

[XRLENC]

I'd first like to state that I have a lot of respect for police officers and know they generally have good intentions, but this encounter had me fuming.

I was just pulled over on the way home from breakfast, for a regular breatho in a residential street, and the first thing the officer said was, "Why haven't you got your fog lights on?". Now I know its illegal to have them on when the conditions don't require them to be used, but not to have them off when the conditions do require them to be used. Or at least, the police officer believes the conditions do.
Anyway, I responded with "Because it's not foggy and I can see fine without them." Now the part that got me fired up was his response, "Maybe not here, but around Toolamba way it is. We could argue about this all day and I could still give you a fine, I'm just telling you for next time."

Firstly I'd like to note that Toolamba is 10kms in the opposite direction to where I was heading, so how that means I should have my fog lights on where I was located is beyond me.
Secondly, my one sentence responce was hardly arguing. Thirdly, it wasn't foggy.
And fourthly, IT WASN'T FOGGY!

I looked up on Vicroads website to see if there were any regulations that I wasn't aware of, that gives Police the right to inforce you to use your fog lights, but couldn't find anything, and so there shouldn't be. Especially considering a huge majority of cars on the road aren't even fitted with them. And another thing, aren't fog lights intended to give me more visibility, not make me more visible to other road users? Which should leave the decision whether they are needed or not up to me.

I'm probably just being a whinger but I just found the little altercation I had laughable and highly unreasonable.
What are peoples opinions? Should police be able to enforce you to use foglights, or should the decision be left up to the drivers discretion?

[ozpacman]

Sounds like he'd gotten out of bed on the wrong side than morning mate - I don't blame you for being miffed with his attitude.

The legislation in Qld at least is pretty clear about only using fog lights when the conditions are actually foggy at the time, so you were definitely doing the right thing by leaving them off if their use wasn't warranted.

Russ.

[AGRO]

Where was the officer from?
Was he the Murchison officer, or TOG?

[Elks]

The whole fog light rule thing is stupid.

I use mine all the time as a sort of daytime running lights. And have done so for te 13 years I've had the car. Fog lights aim low and wide and don't startle on coming traffic.

Maybe the copper had just been given a roast by his boss over not enough I infringements. And can put your encounter down as a warning to prove he's doing something.

[pottery beige]

It was a test

See if you were a foglight dh

[Itsme]

I think constable plod lost the plot!

[BadMax]

Sounds like he got a knock back earlier in the morning.

I detest people who persist in using fog lights in all conditions! They are not required, you don't look cool, they're a PITA in the rear vision mirror and in many cases misaligned! So how would you ever know if they startle on coming traffic when your in your own drivers seat!

Phew, end rant.

[nstg8a]

I fail to see how anyone could be 'startled' by fg fog lights..., I've seen candles with more light output than those things.

[uniacidz]

Oh wow

Can only laugh






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[XRLENC]

He was a Shepparton office AGRO, I was in Mooroopna

[kenz]

Probably should of had them on mate it was a bit foggy up in brisbane the other day what a goose

[rdmr]

You have every right to be ****ed off, what a dh.

[blackf6]

You are just lucky he wasn't Judge Dredd bud. Might not have been able to tell the tale. Sentence- DEATH!!

[MattstaF6]

Tell em to get stuffed

[jpd80]

This is where you need to have your answer prepared, don't argue but make him aware that you do use them judiciously.
"I switched them off just a short time ago because the fog is much lighter here,"

[1TUFFUTE]

Originally Posted by Elks

The whole fog light rule thing is stupid.

I use mine all the time as a sort of daytime running lights. And have done so for te 13 years I've had the car. Fog lights aim low and wide and don't startle on coming traffic.

Maybe the copper had just been given a roast by his boss over not enough I infringements. And can put your encounter down as a warning to prove he's doing something.

I too use mine a lot....not only to make me more visible to other cars but because there are some very sketchy edged roads near me and the extra low wider light helps see the extremities not only at speed but when maneuvering into driveways or car parks.
I feel the whole police argument about distracting other drivers is COMPLeTELY bogus these days....espescially with many cars running highly distracting led DRLs, and they are legal.
Doesn't hurt that we see a Camry police car about once a week in our area driving around with his fog lights ON.....so screw that idea

I would have asked for his name and complained!!!

[marcyeo]

I had the reverse situation - when I was rolling around in my Mazda MPS in Sunny coast the country road the night before was foggy and I put my foggy's on and left them on the next day.

Got pulled over by a booze bus and the officer pinged me for leaving my fog lights on...

You just can't win either way - just nod and say "Yes officer, thank you officer, won't happen again officer.."

[Kil4Collingwood]

I went into mooroopna this morning from tatura, was very foggy the back way not sure about on the midland hwy but if the cop wants to fine people how about nabbing the $&/!wits driving through thick fog with NO lights whatsoever! The number of them I saw this morning:screwy:

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[2011G6E]

Fog lights aim low and wide and don't startle on coming traffic.

You'd be one of the very very few that have them aimed like that...

The staggeringly vast majority have them with obviously replaced much brighter bulbs, and have obviously tried to make them aim straight ahead like spotlights. They blind the hell out of you. Very annoying.

[buggerlugs]

Copper tried to tell my neighbor he'd caught him talking on his mobile phone while driving. Neighbor said he was having a scratch of his left ear. Copper said, "No way, I definitely saw you talking on the phone" Neighbor says " I have hands free, I don't need to pick it up !!" Copper then demands to see the phone and goes thru it's calls. Hands the phone back and without a word walks back to his unmarked car and drives off......

[thefargo]

off topic, but we have a lot of bicycles around here with flashing white lights on the front of the bike, some have flashing red at the rear.
Are road users permitted to have flashing white lights? I grew up with motor cars having flashing white indicators, but then in 1973 (I think) amber became the rule, for the front.
There were no fog lights in those days.

[fordomatic]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

Copper tried to tell my neighbor he'd caught him talking on his mobile phone while driving. Neighbor said he was having a scratch of his left ear. Copper said, "No way, I definitely saw you talking on the phone" Neighbor says " I have hands free, I don't need to pick it up !!" Copper then demands to see the phone and goes thru it's calls. Hands the phone back and without a word walks back to his unmarked car and drives off......

i had this exact same thing happen to me in Redcliffe QLD. i was there for work and got pulled over for talking on my phone. I got so angry at them before handing over my phone, i understand they get people pulling there legs all the time, but surely they know when someone is being honest. He didn't even say sorry for the accusation, so i bid him farewell with a nice kiss blown his way

By the way, 10 years driving high powered cars and i've only been fined once, that was for speeding. I'm always nice at breatho's, random checks etc but this guy was being totally unreasonable

[Tassie f100]

As I understand you can have headlights or foglights on but not both at the same time.

[Ben73]

Most stupid thing I have heard for a while. No matter what you do there will always be someone saying you are doing the wrong thing.


On rainy days I like having lights on, but I prefer to have my fog lights only on if it's day.
I have noticed on other cars that sometimes if they have lights on during the day it can be harder to notice their indicator from certain angles due to the headlight over powering them.

Since my indicator is right next to my headlights I prefer to have foglights only on.
I never use fog lights at night, unless it's very foggy.

[Jack960]

I always use mine at night :/ I find they help light up the sides of the lanes which is helpful because the headlights don't cover much area up close. Actually helped me avoid hitting a couple of animals over the years.

[CyberWasp]

Stupid question, but aren't the lights on the front of the BA+ Series Drivers Lights?
I always thought Fog Lights to have a yellow lens because white light reflects back off the fog, and Drivers Lights to aid in side visibility close to the front sides of the car when driving at night.

[Focused]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

i understand they get people pulling there legs all the time, but surely they know when someone is being honest.

Oh yeah because it's usually quite obvious when someone is lying... their nose usually increases in length... Think about it from their perspective and just show them your call history and they'll let you go.

[silver_xe]

For all you people that use their fog lights in all conditions, Have some thought for other motorists and Motorcyclists. As a Motorcyclist i find Fog lights extremely dangerous at night as they ARE Distracting and usually are not aimed to the side or downwards. How would you feel if i had my high beam on you? I Accept the fact that as a motorcyclist i have less protection than in a car but i should not have to be endangered by arrogant assholes driving around with fog lights on when not required. And in all seriousness when it comes to the extra visibility of the fog light, What is that going to achieve?? The short amount of time you would have to react with the extra light they provide is next to no use at all. Once again have some consideration for other motorists, there is a reason why they are illegal to have on when the conditions don't require them!

[jimt3te50]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

Stupid question, but aren't the lights on the front of the BA+ Series Drivers Lights?
I always thought Fog Lights to have a yellow lens because white light reflects back off the fog, and Drivers Lights to aid in side visibility close to the front sides of the car when driving at night.

I actually thought they were originally ADR'd as cornering lamps like the old E series Fairmonts/Lanes and there was a recall or something of the like to have this corrected because they were never officially certified as fog lights at the time?

Not that it matters a squat. The officer was just being a douche with a capital BAG...

[Iggle Piggle]

I actually find the police blue and red flashing lights quite distracting and have to push my rear view mirror down so they don't annoy me while I am driving.

/bad joke

Pretty sure fog lights are only to be used in foggy conditions or when having your car photographed by a car magazine.