Fog/Spot Lights and the law

[Arthway]

I have a Nissan Terrano II TDI SE Touring 1998. In addition to the main Headlights/Sidelights, there two smaller lights inset in the front grill which are described in the Nissan Terrano Owners Handbook as "Front fog lights" (Pages 1-16 and 7-26). The bulbs give off the standard white light, not the yellow ones).

I had a read of some of the older posts about front lights and the law, but would welcome input as I'm finding it confusing.

These lights are activated by flicking a switch towards the windscreen on the left pogo stick which controls all the lights. They work provided that the sidelights are ON or the headlights as well (in both dipped and Main Beam - no indication comes on the dash regardless.

If the switch is flicked further to the windscreen, then this will activate the rear fog light as well - and this brings a yellow warning light onto the dash.

In my innocence, I assumed that these front ones were called spot lights, rather than fog lights - but what is the official position regarding their use as the law stands - are they *fog* lights, *spot lights* or *driving lights*?

I live in a country area where a significant part of our regular journeys are in poor or non exisitant lighting (plus potholes - worst in 30 years!). It would be a pain to keep remembering to switch them on and off.....

Thanks

 

[jims-terrano]

Front fogs and no there isn't an indicator light to say they're on. They do make a bit of difference on dark roads but if the boys in blue catch you using when its not foggy they tend to get upset. Perfectly legal to use in poor visibility conditions though and a lot of manufacturers fit them.
You'll need driving lights to supplement your high beam. Some people use those LED lightbars these days. I fitted osram night breaker headlight bulbs which made a difference, these aren't those blue coloured HID Xenon type bulbs. Our lens have the wrong pattern for HIDs so they won't do much apart from blind other drivers.

 

[macabethiel]

Fog & Spot Lights

The basic rules when I was in the Police Service for post 1970's vehicles were that there was a minimum height for a Headlamp that used to be that the centre line of the Headlamp had to be 2 feet from the ground this was reduced slightly by metric units to 60 cms. Hence why the likes of Lotus did Pop-Up light to lift them to the required minimum.

Any Headlight had to be capable of being dipped so it had to comply with the dipped beam regulations. All other lights if below the 2 feet fitting rule were classed as Fog lights and could only be used in conditions of reduced visibility, fog & sleet. Manufacturers named lamps with clear lenses spot lamps and those with a ribbed effect were fog lights be they white or yellow.

Any light you fit at Headlight Height or above (There is a maximum height but not sure what that is now it's quite high methinks around 5 feet) is effectively a Headlight or Driving Light and must be fitted in pairs and either be such that it complies with the dipped headlamp rules or goes off with main beam.

 

[Arthway]

Thanks to both of you for your input. From what been said, it seems best that I avoid using these lights, or just remember to switch them off whenever there is oncoming traffic (as per normal dipping of headlights).

As to what constitutes "reduced visibility" - I read somewhere that it was below 100metres, but a friend of mine got pulled over sometime back and was told it was 25yards.......

 

[Monaro Pete]

As to what constitutes "reduced visibility" - I read somewhere that it was below 100metres, but a friend of mine got pulled over sometime back and was told it was 25yards.......

This should read "reduced brain capacity" as it seems the slightest bit of mist or heavy rain in darkened periods means the use of rear fog lights.