Factory Fog Lights any good?

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: bmwjohn
The amber in fog lights is a debateable issue. Amber produces less light, possibly less glare to oncoming drivers, and might reflect less light from rain and fog particles vs white light. All french cars had amber lights at one time....


The French used selective yellow lighting for tactical reasons in 1936. It allowed them to identify the nationality of a car at night. But it does have a side benefit. It reduces the shorter blue wavelength light that is difficult for the human eye to process.

 

[Spazdog]

I use mine when the conditions are appropriate. In fog or mist.
They work well.

 

[rpn453]

Originally Posted By: ffhdriver
I bet most of you that say the fogs are useless have never checked to see if they're aimed properly. Right??


True for me. I figured the ones on my Mazda3 were non-adjustable or that they'd have set them up properly at the factory. But there is a procedure in the service manual for adjusting them up or down. I'll have to check them out sometime.

 

[Jim 5]

Originally Posted By: ffhdriver
I bet most of you that say the fogs are useless have never checked to see if they're aimed properly. Right??


I bet most people that say this have never examined most factory fogs (or at least the factory ones in all of my previous cars).

 

[Spazdog]

my foglights aren't mounted below the bumper. They are incorporated into the headlight assembly. If your headlights are aimed properly, the fogs are as well.

They work much better in the fog than the OEM lights under the bumper on my PT. The PT's don't really do anything in fog or mist...or any condition. They are extra lights under the bumper for the sake of being extra lights. As a consequence, they are never on.

I drove in fog so thick that you couldn't see the traffic signals until you were within 30 or 40 feet of the intersection. The 6's fogs illuminated the road stripes well so at least I could stay pointed in the right direction. The H1s in the low beams weren't doing anything. Being able to see the road with minimal glare sold me on the design.