Was a little foggy out and dark so I turned on the lights, including the "fog lights". Turned off the fog lights. Turned on the fog lights. Don't really notice a damn bit of difference.

They don't point far enough down the road to even see the light they cast, other than a small bit I can see through the side window.

Was the same way with my Altima's "fog lights", I think the manufacturers are just putting these lights on because people think they look cool. Would be nice to have some function as well instead of just another bulb to burn out. I suppose they make the vehicle a little more visible at night.

Are they able to be aimed higher?

 

I would agree. They seem to shine light more to the sides than to the front of the car.

 

Fog lights explained...

Do fog lights work Do they help you see through... | Car Talk

How Do Fog Lights Work? | eHow.com

 

After reading the articles above and the posts it's hard to see (pun intended) how these fog lights do any real good. But they sure do look nice!!!!!

I would turn them on just to be seen better by oncoming traffic.

We could all just get something like these on the front of our rigs....

Edit: Then again the light bar looks a little heavy. Might tip the Fit over, forward. Ha!

 

I like using them on dark rural roads, they help light up the surrounding area to the sides quite a bit.

 

Fog lights properly installed have beams that cross not too far in front of the vehicle.The reason is that long range lights aren't much good in fog and the side of the road is far more important to your driving safety thann long range. The fog will prevent any light system from penetrating far. If thats your goal ingrared and heat sensing systems offer real solutions.
Here's a tidbit: in rain or fog polaroid glasees will help; they have less glare effect.
BTW these come from the rally side of the bench racers. And its not a rec that marketing is a proficient spec selector.

 

I find they help quite a bit in thick fog to see the white lines on the roadway so one can remain in their lane. It truly is a great benefit and comfort to me to have them.

I also use them as Sooznd mentions to light up the areas to the side to give a little bit of illumination to see better what is around the car.

 

I know that's why people like them, but I question wether that helps in any substantive way. Lots of light close up will get more light to the eye, undilate the eye, slightly saturate the low light receptors, etc. What you want is more light further out where obstacles are. How relevant is stuff just off the road when you're already passing that point?

 

I agree with you, that's why you never put on high beams during fog.

I've had vehicles with real fog lights that projected further down the road and illuminated the road enough to see the lines in front of the car without reflecting glare back. Not as far as the low beams illuminate, but far enough to see ahead of the car without headlights on. If you ask me, the fog lights on the fit are not properly aimed. They need to project a bit more forward, and even more to the sides then they currently do.

Edit - low beams should project 400 feet in front of the vehicle. Good fog beams should project at least 200 feet in front of the vehicle at a 180 degree sweep. These are more fill lights than anything.

 

I wish I had them in that quick moving fog bank or cloud in the mountains, was very difficult to see the yellow line and the white along the curbside, especially knowing no curb and 1000 foot drop, managed to stay behind local truck that passed me, hoping he remembered all the curves and would use brakes when he didn't.

 

Roads here have trees growing right up to the pavement on the 2 lane rural roads I drive on down here... When it is foggy deer and wild hogs become a serious hazard that fog lights have allowed me to see in time to avoid on more occasions than I can remember.... I am in the process of doing numerous modifications that include an aftermarket bumper, front mount intercooler, and retrofit HID headlights so I will have to be more careful when there is fog coverage...

 

Fog lights are placed low on the bumper to illuminate the road signs and lane markers below the fog while keeping glare off the fog to a minimum for the driver. They're not really supposed to be that bright. They don't really do that much when it's just "a little foggy".

There is a difference between driving lights and fog lights.

 

i think you mean polarized

that said, glasses that make and develop instant photos would be pretty cool.

 

I thought it funny in Europe the standard requires fog lights on the back of the car. An extra bright red light with a switch on the dash. Front fogs not so. After witnessing some of the Belgian pileups during heavy fog I understood why.

And all the cars I've had with front fog lights (3) I never used them. Doesn't get that foggy here outside of San Diego on a spring morning (yikes!). But they do look nice.

 

Another issue is that the fogs can't be turned on independently of the main lights. If you can just use the fogs, you can reduce the backscatter which can be a problem in foggy weather. But frustratingly the Fit (in fact most US cars, if not all) only allow operation with the headlights on. So really they truly are just for looks.

 

I wonder if you can mod them so they'll turn on without the headlights. I forgot that they won't turn on independently.

Also they won't turn on with high-beams, which is kind of silly. Real fog lamps act as nice fill in lamps for high beams.

 

Wait .. what? I'm confused, sgtbaxter. You said in two posts:

1. That's why you never put on high beams during fog.
2. Real fog lamps act as nice fill in lamps for high beams.

Am I missing a connection somehow on what you're getting at... ?

 

There is no connection.

Don't use high beams when it's foggy!

However, anyone who's had real independent fog lamps with good coverage can tell you they will fill in the area closer to the car that high beams don't cover and give you a more complete light pattern than just high beams alone.

I used to use the fog lights in conjunction with high beams on my Miata all the time, especially late at night driving through deer infested areas. Helped to see deer off to the side of the road that were closer to the car. I also used just the fog lamps during daytime fog conditions, helped me to see the lines better and other cars see me coming.

 

HIDs in foglights... problem solved

 

For the most part, they are just for looks.