I was driving with my fog lights on this evening... ba-da-bing ! !
Just a little bit of stand-up (sitting at the computer) comedy there..

Was temporarily stuck behind an older Honda Accord, which had some body work in progress, the majority of the tail-end painted flat black. This was unique because there was no glare, no reflection of the light from the Fit coming off of that surface of the trunk or rear bumper.

With my headlights (super-white xenons) and fog lights (matching xenons) on, from a few car lengths back, I could distinctly see that my entire light pattern coming from the Fit was all just at and below the top edge of the Accord's trunk, none higher than that.

Talk about considerate lighting ! No hint of illuminating the back window, back of other driver's head, no sign of getting anywhere close to lighting up the rear view mirror. The whole inside of that car in front of me was still dark, untouched by the light.

It was as if time stood still. Poetry in motion. A wonder to behold.

Hallelujah, I yelled out. No, not really (the Hallelujah part). Moving on, then.

e.b.

 

mm well i noticed lately from walking (still no DAMN Fit ;*( that aim is only half the equation to glare. Headlights can have good aim and still be bright as hell head-on. Especially fog lamps. Now i don't own a Fit or not but i "Think" that if a fit doesn't have those projectors inside the lamp, then it would be pretty bright straight on. I theorized that because without that cover, the bulb is just in plain view, and if you've ever seen that, it's @#$%ing bright!

I still love them anyway so w/e

 

Funny. I feel the same way! Everyone thinks I'm always high.

 

As soon as I dropped/lowered my car, I feel like I need the fog lights constantly on just to see a car's length in front of me. I never really cared about what the trend is these days, I just do what I think is cool. Anyway, I guess I'll keep this thread in mind when I have the itch to turn on my fogs. I guess I need to get those HID headlights soon. Any advice?

 

Is there a sign-up sheet or do I just leave my fogs on?

 

I drive with all my lights on 24/7. It is not called showing off it is being smart and safe. We have a very tiny car and the best way for others to see us is to have our lights on even in daylight. There are no laws against fog lights in Cali, except that you can not use them in place of your headlights.

I get cut off by SUV's a lot less when running my lights during the day.

 

My god you are nutz. How can you even begin to compare the tiny amount of light coming from our fogs to someones hi-beams or a light bar.

Every big ass SUV and truck out there has brighter lights that are higher off the ground and shine directly into my rear window on both my FIT and my 06 civic.

Did your mom drop you on your head? I cant believe you put the term honda FIT and light pollution in the post.

Most nights I have to flip my mirror and point my side mirror up. Even them the entire cab of the Fit/Civic is lite up from the truck / SUV behind me.

It is not as bad in the FIT since my rear window is .5%. The civic is non tinted and even on stock suspension sits lower than the FIT. If I had a dollar for ever time a suv/truck blinding me I would be a rich man

 

Totally agree with you Chris. Our Fits are can easily be overlooked if my lights are not on. Just recently during our rain storms, I was cut off by someone on 80 west, the guy or gal at the last second realized I was on the lane that they were going on and pulled back after double taking and noticing my lights. Bottom line is always have your light during rain, fog, dusk and night.

What part of Sac are you from? I work near Natomas. See you around, Alan.

 

I live in Herald and work dowtown.

Something many Californians forget that as of 2007 it is the law to run your headlight anytime your wipers are going.

Would be nice if the FIT had daytime running lights.

We may be the only state with that law.

 

Here's how I look at it. What's the biggest difference between driving during the day and driving at night? Visibility. In my experience, small Hondas have always had below average lighting from the factory and at least to me, the fogs help with road illumination a fair bit.

I don't think the "blinding other drivers argument" applies so much. Fogs are low and designed to be aimed low so that you don't get glareback in the fog. If they were aimed high enough to blind other drivers, you would also blind yourself in the fog...defeating the purpose of having them in the first place. As far as I know, there's no law here in Alberta that says you can't use your fogs all the time, I leave mine on.

 

I dont think the road illumination applies so much...(unless conditions are...how you say...ahhhh yes, less than desireable)
Why are people hung up on the "blinding aspect" I dont get that. It doesnt have to be "blinding" to be a nuisance or to lower visibility.
Light spreads alot! And usually diffuses to a nice and contrast depriving
glow.
As far as the part about blinding yourself if...
that doesnt quite hold water...in the fog....a little bit...but... In the rain! not so much, at night not so much.
More light more glare. Whether its indirect or direct.
Do you blind yourself with your headlights in the fog... hope not, you have to drive with them on you know. That would be silly if they designed it to blind you! Get my point?

 

Until those pricks in large SUVs turn off their lights when behind me I'm keeping my fogs on

 

I look at it from a saftey standpoint rather then "I'm kool look at me".
Driving on freeways in California with tracker trailers and other large SUV's they tend NOT to see you on the road. IMO using your lights helps aviod accidents on the roads. People on the road definetly notice you when both sets of lights on....mission accomplished!!

 

i didn't realize so many had modded their fogs to be on ALL the time. if they are on during the day, there is no way that blinds ANYBODY.


if you are still operating them on stock components, they are not bright at all. bright enough to illuminate a different portion of where you are driving, but no brighter than the headlights.

 

Well I am "that guy" who drives with their fogs on. I like it because it adds more peripheral lighting.

But I think people who drive with their high beams on are 100 times more annoying. There seem to be quite a few of those in Central FL.

 

after almost getting hit 3 times on the freeway in 2 months, i always drive with the fog/parking lights on. chalk it up to the lights or chance, but i haven't had anyone try to merge into my vehicle as i pass them since. ie, i'm in the middle lane, and people from the right lane kept not seeing me and then switching lanes to pass with me there. only seemed to happen at night, so it probably doesn't help that i have NHBP fit.

i observed other fits with their fog/parking lights on, they weren't blinding at all. maybe the '08s are different or something.

 

Are those too bright? lol. My headlights and fog lights are on whenever the engine is running. It's just safer. And I'm pretty sure in California you can have you low-beams and fogs on anytime and it's legal. You just can't have high-beams and fogs, that's why the fog lights turn off automatically when you turn on your brights.
It's strictly preference, some people don't drive with their lights on during the day because they bulbs burn out sooner. Personally, I don't mind spending $60 every few months to replace the bulbs. There's enough stuff to worry about in the world, I choose not to make money one of them.