Have you ever been driving at night and the rear view mirror was suddenly filled with a blinding glow of white light that caused you to adjust your rear view to the night setting? How about driving on the highway on a clear night and being suddenly blinded by the combination of headlights and fog lights from oncoming vehicles?
The textbook definition of fog lights states that ‘they are intended for use at low speed to increase the illumination directed towards the road surface and verges in conditions of poor visibility due to rain, fog’. This sort of implies that unless the weather is bad and visibility is bad or there actually is fog and visibility is bad then there is no legitimate reason to use them. However, it seems that every vehicle you see on the roads today have their fog lights on regardless of weather.
In some states there are definitive laws regarding the use of fog lights and these laws are enforced. Maybe we need these law to be enforced on all of our nations highways rather that in selected areas. The use of fog lights when road and weather conditions don’t warrant it is a blatant show of disrespect for others. In many cases the brightest lights are being used on vehicles that are so tall that the driver can’t see the effect when they are properly aimed, so what’s the point? Fog lights were not installed for good looks or to enhance the appearance of your favorite SUV. So let’s all be a little more respectful of others and turn them off until we really need them!
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