# Fog Lights? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 25, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-lights/629386 "2012-07-25T22:58:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Alejo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7c8e57/32.png) [@Alejo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alejo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-lights/629386/1 "2012-07-25T22:58:36Z")
Why are cars in the US not equiped with \< bright red \> Fog Lights in the rear? Most counties in Europe require them. In a heavy fog it makes sense to me for any car in back of me to be able to see me and slow down/stop as much as it does for me to see ahead with the low \ fog lights I have in front. And yes police give substantial fines there for using fog lamps in clear weather. I wish they would do the same here in the US but that is another post… ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-lights/629386/2 "2012-07-25T23:05:12Z")
Because Americans don’t take driving seriously. It’s hard enough to get people to turn on their headlights when it’s dusk or dawn. Same in heavy rain or fog. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-lights/629386/3 "2012-07-25T23:07:17Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Because Americans don’t take driving seriously. Americans don’t drive They cruse 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![thatguyjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6de8d8/32.png) [@thatguyjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thatguyjeff)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-lights/629386/4 "2012-07-26T16:46:07Z")
Most jurisdictions require drivers to turn on their headlights during various forms of reduced visibility - any precip, fog, etc. And turning on the headlights activates the rear (bright red) tail lights as well. Basically, cars in the US are equipped as such. But there are plenty of dumbasses out there who don’t turn them on. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-lights/629386/5 "2012-07-26T16:50:34Z")
> [@Alejo](#): > > Why are cars in the US not equiped with \< bright red \> Fog Lights in the rear? > > Most counties in Europe require them. In a heavy fog it makes sense to me for any car in back of me to be able to see me and slow down/stop as much as it does for me to see ahead with the low \ fog lights I have in front. And yes police give substantial fines there for using fog lamps in clear weather. I wish they would do the same here in the US but that is another post… Of course, in Europe we have the problem of people who don’t turn them off when they’re not needed, dazzling everyone behind them. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-lights/629386/6 "2012-07-26T17:23:31Z")
> [@thatguyjeff](#): > > And turning on the headlights activates the rear (bright red) tail lights as well. No, taillights are not bright red. They are dim red (comparatively). Brake lights and European fog-tail lights are bright red. The OP’s point is that European fog-tail lights provide the same extra visibility over regular taillights that brake lights provide, and he wonders why this feature is absent from U.S.-spec cars. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-lights/629386/7 "2012-07-26T21:36:44Z")
The European red rear fog lights are as bright as US brake lights (in the range of 80-300 candela). The average American driver is so distracted that they’ll be confusing fog lights with brakes. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-lights/629386/8 "2012-07-26T21:41:40Z")
We can’t even get Americans to _slow down_ in fog, which is why we get 57-car pileups in California from time to time… ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-lights/629386/9 "2012-07-26T22:16:34Z")
> [@Alejo](#): > > Why are cars in the US not equiped with \< bright red \> Fog Lights in the rear? > > Most counties in Europe require them. In a heavy fog it makes sense to me for any car in back of me to be able to see me and slow down/stop as much as it does for me to see ahead with the low \ fog lights I have in front. And yes police give substantial fines there for using fog lamps in clear weather. I wish they would do the same here in the US but that is another post… Should the U.S. require the use of rear fog lights simply because Europe uses them or should there be an actual “need” for them here? I’m told that European rear fog lights are required use when visability is less than 150 feet. (The fact that they said “feet” instead of “meters” leads me to believe they might not know what they’re talking about 😉 ). Under what condidtions are you required to use your rear fog lights? Speed? Fog density? Terrain? City/country driving? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-lights/629386/10 "2012-07-26T22:21:04Z")
> [@thatguyjeff](#): > > Most jurisdictions require drivers to turn on their headlights during various forms of reduced visibility - any precip, fog, etc. And turning on the headlights activates the rear (bright red) tail lights as well. > > Basically, cars in the US are equipped as such. But there are plenty of dumbasses out there who don’t turn them on. This is different. The European fog light significantly brightens up the red tail light on the left side of the car. The first time I rented a car in Europe it was foggy and I clicked on the fog light switch, expecting to get something up front. It took me two days to figure what was happening when I flipped that switch. I don’t like them here because Americans never turn the damn things off. I’ve seen a few cars here that have them and the driver just leaves it on all the time, which is pretty bright when you have to follow them on a clear night. People don’t turn off their fog headlamps either, regardless of the weather. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-lights/629386/11 "2012-07-27T00:00:42Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Should the U.S. require the use of rear fog lights simply because Europe uses them or should there be an actual “need” for them here? > > I’m told that European rear fog lights are required use when visability is less than 150 feet. (The fact that they said “feet” instead of “meters” leads me to believe they might not know what they’re talking about 😉 ). Under what condidtions are you required to use your rear fog lights? Speed? Fog density? Terrain? City/country driving? Europe is not one country - rules vary across the continent. In the UK, you are expected to turn on your headlights and may also use fog lights when visibility falls below 100 metres (UK Highway Code Section 226, supported by legislation). You must turn them off when conditions improve (UK Highway Code 237, also supported by legislation). You are never, in the UK, required to use your fog lights, the only rules are about when you may not use them. ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-lights/629386/12 "2012-07-27T00:04:48Z")
The US is behind the time generally in automobile lighting. The US still allows rear turn signals to be red, and doesn’t require side turn signals, so the lack of a requirement for rear fog lights isn’t surprising.