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R56 Rear fog light ticket!

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  #26  
Old 10-27-2008, 07:15 AM
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I beleive they're illegal in Oregon, but then everything is illegal in Oregon
 
  #27  
Old 10-27-2008, 07:38 AM
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Better yet, convert the rear fog into a third backup light...
 
  #28  
Old 10-27-2008, 07:42 AM
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+1 for only using the rear fog in poor visibility. We have a couple members that tend to turn them on when on group runs. When they are a car or more ahead you don't see it of course but then the road turns you suddenly see it... Invariably several people react as if it's a brake light. Borderline dangerous.

I run my fronts often to make myself more visible. The rear I run only in fog, heavy heavy rain, or when road spray is making visibility very poor.

A funny rear fog story for all. Had my car in the body shop a couple years back. There was minor rear damage and they replaced my rear aero kit bumper skin. The date and time I was to pick up the car arrived. I called to confirm it was ready and the fellow said we had a problem. He and the tech had been working on my car for hours and hours, trying to trace wireing etc, and simply could not get the 'brake light' in the bumper to work. Did it work before the accident he asked.

I said: "You mean the brake light down in the the bumper, that's actually a rear fog light"

Him: "Uh, What?"

Me: "Go start the car, and then hit the third toggle switch from the right..."

Him: "Be right back", a minute goes by...
Him: "Your car is ready"
 
  #29  
Old 10-27-2008, 09:20 AM
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I say your lucky....he could have given you a speeding ticket...even if you weren't speeding. I just got a ticket for speeding 35 in a 20...no radar, he estimated his speed!!!!!! I wish I got a parking ticket.
 
  #30  
Old 10-27-2008, 10:51 AM
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Originally Posted by r56mini
15 mph over.
My apologies for my abysmal math skills. My point is that a parking ticket sure beats a speeding ticket, and the cop really cut you a break!
 
  #31  
Old 10-27-2008, 11:58 AM
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Um, I believe that it's 15MPH over, not 25, right?!
 
  #32  
Old 10-27-2008, 12:03 PM
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Maybe the true purpose of the rear fog lights are to force the car behind you to stay way back out of the blinding range. If you are blinded by the light, you are too close...

Originally Posted by geekswrath
I can speak from first hand experience that the rear fogs can be quite distracting and a little dangerous when not used properly.

I was up at the dragon this weekend for MSSD and went out motoring with friends. It was dark and a little foggy at one point but not so foggy that I couldn't see around me. Well wbarnhill turns his fogs on and I immediately went blind. It's like having the brakes on all the time. Once he he hit his brake, forget about it. I was well and truly blind.

Morel of the story, only use your rear fogs when rear visibility may be an issue (extreme rain, fog, etc).
 
  #33  
Old 10-27-2008, 12:09 PM
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Even in Germany these fog lights ARE HIGHLY REGULATED BY LAW!!!
IT is illegal to use them at all in the city and I forget the autobahn rules, but visibility better be less than 50 meters
In America I would expect about the same rules, if it is not really.....really bad, leave them off.
American laws can be rather stupid. For example in my state, you MUST have windsheild wipers, but you do not have to have a windshield....just another example of crazy laws.
 
  #34  
Old 10-27-2008, 12:20 PM
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And in Kali if you have your wipers on you must have your headlights on. No mention of using your windshield washers and wipers on a sunny day. Which leaves it up to the PD to interpret the law when you decide to clean your windshield of grime. Just sayn'.
 
  #35  
Old 10-27-2008, 12:31 PM
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Rear Fog Lights ticket is STUPID. I have no clue whats going on with police. Instead they should concentrate on crime and violence then "rear fog light tickets". Just simply stupid. And most of the cops are jealous.

I been using rear fog lights in all my previous cars and never had any problem. I will go to court and fight over the ticket. Rear fogs are used for visibility and its a safety advantage. No wonder every car in Europe has rear fog lights.
 
  #36  
Old 10-27-2008, 12:42 PM
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Yeah, it's dopey that they have to make laws regarding common sense things about cars, like you have to use headlights until an hour before sunup and an hour before sundown, you have to turn off rear foglights in good weather, don't use rear foglights in town, you have to wear seatbelts, etc. Jeez!
 
  #37  
Old 10-27-2008, 12:55 PM
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Originally Posted by uniqueMR
Rear Fog Lights ticket is STUPID. I have no clue whats going on with police. Instead they should concentrate on crime and violence then "rear fog light tickets". Just simply stupid. And most of the cops are jealous.

I been using rear fog lights in all my previous cars and never had any problem. I will go to court and fight over the ticket. Rear fogs are used for visibility and its a safety advantage. No wonder every car in Europe has rear fog lights.
Rear fogs used in clear conditions is definitely not a safety advantage, as a matter of fact it is a safety hazard and, quite frankly, downright annoying in general.

If the rear fogs were turned on by the OP in clear conditions then the ticket, or at least an annoying visit to the courts for the OP, is warranted, imo.
 
  #38  
Old 10-27-2008, 01:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Need
Maybe the true purpose of the rear fog lights are to force the car behind you to stay way back out of the blinding range. If you are blinded by the light, you are too close...
So two or even three cars lengths back results in being blinded by the car in front of you. Sounds like a great "safety" feature to me.

Then again no one seems to understand the porper use of high beams either.
 
  #39  
Old 10-27-2008, 01:21 PM
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Originally Posted by geekswrath
Then again no one seems to understand the porper use of high beams either.
They are not for trying to blind and annoy the person who just got done cutting you off?
 
  #40  
Old 10-27-2008, 01:21 PM
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Originally Posted by stan11003
He ran my info and came back and told me he would just give me a parking ticket and send me on my way. Told me not to do more than 75. Any on else get this treatment?
Oh, I so wish I could get that kind of treatment! They would have searched my car, docked me for 90 in a 65, handcuffed me, thrown me in jail, impounded my car, punch my dog, and take a dump on my porch!

...


Ok... maybe not that extreme, but I would have got a ticket for 80 and a citation for improper lights and would have had to take it up in court. Never had a problem for the rear fog lights when I've been pulled over, which has always been and night and they were always on.
 
  #41  
Old 10-27-2008, 01:49 PM
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The rear fogs are "tailgater repellent" for me... I don't really use 'em for anything else.

...If you're driving with any lights on & get some moron tailing you, flip the rear fogs on for a second. With a well timed press on the accelerator, that tailgater is slowing up & wondering what the heck just happened as you've gained a few car lengths.

Even in Seattle I've maybe only once seen conditions bad enough to warrant the intended use of the rear fogs. I just liked getting the full switch bank...
 
  #42  
Old 10-27-2008, 01:50 PM
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Originally Posted by uniqueMR
Rear Fog Lights ticket is STUPID. I have no clue whats going on with police. Instead they should concentrate on crime and violence then "rear fog light tickets". Just simply stupid. And most of the cops are jealous.

I been using rear fog lights in all my previous cars and never had any problem. I will go to court and fight over the ticket. Rear fogs are used for visibility and its a safety advantage. No wonder every car in Europe has rear fog lights.
Did you read the OP? He was not given a ticket for the rear fog light, just a warning. Also, I don't consider enforcement of the traffic laws to be stupid. Violations of the traffic laws are stupid. There should be more enforcement, not less.
 
  #43  
Old 10-27-2008, 03:32 PM
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Originally Posted by miniclubman
You were doing 25 over the limit, and you got a parking ticket? ..and your complaint is????
I was gettin passed at that speed after the ticket I lowered to 72 and got flashed by angry drivers.
 

Last edited by stan11003; 10-27-2008 at 03:42 PM.
  #44  
Old 10-27-2008, 03:38 PM
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Just for the record the Cop was older and pretty soft spoken. He was not mean nor snide.
 
  #45  
Old 10-27-2008, 05:33 PM
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Originally Posted by miniclubman
Did you read the OP? He was not given a ticket for the rear fog light, just a warning. Also, I don't consider enforcement of the traffic laws to be stupid. Violations of the traffic laws are stupid. There should be more enforcement, not less.
Think the point was that the police could be doing better things than giving sensless tickets....my town is full of ticket happy cops with nothing better to do...not enough important things to keep them busy
 
  #46  
Old 10-28-2008, 07:11 PM
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I have to come clean...I use my rear fog light when it appears to be a low visibility situation not just when it actually is one. For example, if for some reason the driver behind me (in the right lane) appears to not see me and is following at a ridiculously close interval. I will turn on the rear fog and they will usually hang back a bit. Also, I have been known to respond to the person following me with the high beams always on in a similar manner. Other than that, I am pretty good about making sure I use the rear fog only during low visibility situations.
 
  #47  
Old 10-29-2008, 05:01 AM
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Originally Posted by geekswrath
I can speak from first hand experience that the rear fogs can be quite distracting and a little dangerous when not used properly.

I was up at the dragon this weekend for MSSD and went out motoring with friends. It was dark and a little foggy at one point but not so foggy that I couldn't see around me. Well wbarnhill turns his fogs on and I immediately went blind. It's like having the brakes on all the time. Once he he hit his brake, forget about it. I was well and truly blind.

Morel of the story, only use your rear fogs when rear visibility may be an issue (extreme rain, fog, etc).
Makes sense...I would use them in the same manner...but I would not use them for tailgaters...I like to drop nails insead
 
  #48  
Old 10-29-2008, 05:19 AM
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So what's the use in having them if you can use them in a state where the "use" is illegal?
From what I can tell, main use is to add a toggle to complete the switch row
 
  #49  
Old 10-29-2008, 06:40 AM
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Originally Posted by geekswrath
I can speak from first hand experience that the rear fogs can be quite distracting and a little dangerous when not used properly.

I was up at the dragon this weekend for MSSD and went out motoring with friends. It was dark and a little foggy at one point but not so foggy that I couldn't see around me. Well wbarnhill turns his fogs on and I immediately went blind. It's like having the brakes on all the time. Once he he hit his brake, forget about it. I was well and truly blind.

Morel of the story, only use your rear fogs when rear visibility may be an issue (extreme rain, fog, etc).
Whine whine whine... it was foggy, so I used the fog light. The big problem was that it was still a bit wet out so droplets on the windscreen meant that brake and fog lights reflected a lot which was quite distracting. I noticed this when cabriopilot (who I was behind) braked.

In any case, I apologized for blinding my poor motoring buddy.
 
  #50  
Old 10-29-2008, 09:28 AM
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Well, a law is a law, and if you break it, it really is not a senseless ticket. The cops don't write these laws, they're just doing their job. If it is a slow night, you are going to be more ticket-ready than on a busy night.

Don't break the law, and you don't get a ticket. I assure you, a lot of those cops believe a lot of traffic laws are dumb, too. They wouldn't want to get reported by an old lady, though.

It's happened...
 


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