# Is it rude to leave your fog lights on? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 30, 2015, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831 "2015-06-30T01:56:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sario/32/18580_2.png) [@Sario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sario)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/21 "2015-06-30T13:41:45Z")
As someone who has driven small cars for most of his life: TURN OFF YOUR DAMNED FOG LIGHTS. Most of the drivers around here use their fog lights anytime their headlights are on and its blinding to anyone who isn’t in a large truck. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/22 "2015-06-30T13:48:19Z")
I’m sure I’ve posted this in fog light threads before, but to repeat myself… I’m sure there are places in the country where routine fog light use is necessary. I’ve lived in a lot of different places and I’ve never needed them. But at some point in the late 80s/early 90s, automakers realized that people would pay _extra_ for a couple of little bulbs and a switch, maybe $10 worth of stuff that they could charge $150 for, or bundle into the “appearance package” or whatever they were calling it with alloy wheels and some body cladding for 900 bones. If you got the base model or didn’t spring for the appearance package, you were stuck with the ugly black plastic cutouts of shame in your front bumper, for a filthy peasant who couldn’t afford fog lights. When that became the standard, my assumption was that anyone who drove around with their fog lights on 24/7 was simply announcing to the world that they were baller enough to have paid for fog lights that they don’t really need (at least, in my neck of the woods, nobody _needed_ them. That one time of the year it was foggy I’m sure they felt very smug, but the rest of us managed not to die in a fiery crash). Fog lights are a bit more ubiquitous now, the price probably having dropped to $5 for the automaker, but my prejudice remains. And yes, all of my vehicles have the black plastic cutouts of shame. So turn off your fog lights if it ain’t foggy and you’ll earn my respect, Lord of the Mid-Level Trim Option. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/23 "2015-06-30T14:51:54Z")
By and large stock fog lights suck, especially when the yobbos in pickups jack them up, then add aftermarket hid bulbs so they are brighter. I want to take a bat to their vehicle. Having said that, driving at night on rural highways with my aftermarket fog lights on HAS saved my life on a few occasions because the wider beam throw illuminates the sides of the roads where the low/dipped beams don’t reach and I saw the deer about to run out in front of my car. **gigi** , if you have the option to turn them off, leave them off until you need them. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/24 "2015-06-30T14:54:55Z")
I know several people think having their foglights on is cool, it’s not logical just vanity. I don’t think it’s _rude_, but it is sometimes slightly confusing to see 2 sets of lights from one car in the distance or to the side. Is it one car? Is it two cars? Probably not dangerously confusing but less information to process on the road is usually a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/25 "2015-06-30T16:31:55Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > No, there are some cars that have taillights that are normally somewhat dim (like all taillights) but can also be bright like brake lights. The bright setting comes on automatically with the fog lights to make the car more visible to those approaching from behind. My recollection is that the ones I’ve seen are on European vehicles. > > On preview, like **kanicbird** said. the Olds Aurora (2nd gen) and early Lexus GS300 had dedicated rear fog lights: [http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride\_images/3/2501/2841/31251420020\_large.jpg](http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/2501/2841/31251420020_large.jpg) > **[Body Kits at Andy's Auto Sport](https://www.andysautosport.com/body_kits.html)** > > Body Kits at Andy's Auto Sport! ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/26 "2015-06-30T17:19:48Z")
In Oregon at least, your fog lights are to be used like high beam headlights, off at 500 feet when approaching an oncoming car and off at 350 feet when approaching a car from the rear. Of course all most no one follows this rule and I haven’t heard of anyone getting a ticket for leaving them on, but it is the law. > [@](#): > > When a car is using fog or auxiliary lights, it is visually distracting for oncoming drivers. According to Oregon law, fog and/or auxiliary lights must be used like the high beam headlight system of your car. They must be turned off when within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 350 feet when following another vehicle. The color of fog and/or auxiliary lights is also regulated. Fog lights may be either white or amber (yellow). > **[Oregon Department of Transportation : Welcome Page : About Us : State of Oregon](https://www.oregon.gov/odot/about/pages/index.aspx)** > > Learn about the Oregon Department of Transportation ---
**Author:** ![Krouget](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b38774/32.png) [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/27 "2015-06-30T17:54:33Z")
Here in the US, we don’t really have rear fog lights, so they’re not an issue. Front fog lights don’t bother me in the slightest, since we have DRLs, and/or LED lighting, and then the actual driving lights. I certainly wouldn’t call them rude. Driving with the high beams on, constantly, or not using your turn signals at all, are rude actions. For that matter, driving in the rain _without_ headlights on is a bigger issue (and hazard lights don’t cut it). ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/28 "2015-06-30T18:26:36Z")
> [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](#): > > The purpose of fog lights is to light up the short distance in front of you. Have you ever actually driven in fog? Under foggy conditions, when there are large amounts of particulates in the air in front of you, your regular headlights are actually counter-productive, as all the light is simply reflected back at you via the fog/particulates, and your visibility/night vision is significantly reduced. The correct way to proceed under these conditions is to turn off your headlights and turn on foglights only, so that when you are puttering along at 15 mph, because you can’t see through the fog and that’s the fastest you can possibly go, the foglights can at least illuminate the 15 ft in front of you so you can see the edges of the road and not drive off a cliff, and people coming the other way can see you. There are no circumstances where your low beam headlights should be on at the same time as your foglights. I’m 90% certain that the headlight switch on my Mazda 3 controls both the fog lights and the normal lights. There is a switch for the fog lights, but they don’t come on if the head lights are off. They’re certainly of the mid-trim-for-yobbos variety of fog lights, though I have found them to be moderately useful a few times in heavy snow or rain. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/29 "2015-06-30T19:02:10Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > By and large stock fog lights suck, especially when the yobbos in pickups jack them up, then add aftermarket hid bulbs so they are brighter. I want to take a bat to their vehicle. > > Having said that, driving at night on rural highways with my aftermarket fog lights on HAS saved my life on a few occasions because the wider beam throw illuminates the sides of the roads where the low/dipped beams don’t reach and I saw the deer about to run out in front of my car. > > **gigi** , if you have the option to turn them off, leave them off until you need them. That’s when I would turn them on – to see critters and other possible trouble when it’s lower visibility. I just didn’t know if I needed to turn them off (during legitimate use) if another person is approaching. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2015, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/30 "2015-06-30T19:20:16Z")
When properly aligned and used as designed, no. When used obnoxiously like **Leo** and others describe, yes. If there’s one thing I hate when commuting in the morning while still dark it’s having one of these blinding monstrosities pull up behind me. It’s like looking through a telescope into the sun and then the bastards tailgate, suggesting to me it’s just a way to bully their way through traffic. Often times I’ll speed or slow, change lanes, anything to put distance between me and that annoying, unnecessary glare. In my climate I’ve never needed fog lights but these big, tough trucks do? Misused, it just takes a few to give a functional utility a bad rap. **gigi** , you hardly sound like a driver that’s making anything difficult for others. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/31 "2015-07-01T02:33:25Z")
> [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](#): > > There are no circumstances where your low beam headlights should be on at the same time as your foglights. This just proves my point that US cars have them merely for aesthetics, not practicality. The last four cars I’ve had all had OEM fog lights and in every single one of them _ **it is not possible** _ to turn the fog lights on and leave the headlights off\*!\* The fog lights have a separate switch, but it is wired in series with the headlights so that the fog lights will only come on if the headlights are also on. Factory OEM car fog lights just aren’t that bright. And unlike high beams they’re aimed down at the pavement, not oncoming traffic… ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/32 "2015-07-01T02:51:29Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I know to turn off my brights when oncoming cars approach – do I need to do the same with these fog lights? You shouldn’t have fog lights on in the first place, unless you’re driving in fog. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/33 "2015-07-01T03:20:44Z")
In MA you can be ticketed for using auxiliary lighting when it is unnecessary. This includes fog lights. MA is also rather strict on anything that is not OEM. There is no requirement you turn off fog lights for oncoming vehicles, The assumption is if they are on the weather allows them. Properly adjusted fog lights should have minimal effect on other drivers. I usually keep them on in low visibility conditions, other drivers be dammed. I’ve taken to wearing yellow sunglasses at night as glare really bothers me. Other drivers often can’t even manage to turn off high beams, fog lights is far too much to ask for. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/34 "2015-07-01T12:01:54Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > This just proves my point that US cars have them merely for aesthetics, not practicality. The last four cars I’ve had all had OEM fog lights and in every single one of them _ **it is not possible** _ to turn the fog lights on and leave the headlights off\*!\* The fog lights have a separate switch, but it is wired in series with the headlights so that the fog lights will only come on if the headlights are also on. > > Factory OEM car fog lights just aren’t that bright. And unlike high beams they’re aimed down at the pavement, not oncoming traffic… My Subaru does not allow use of the fog lights w/o the head lights, I believe the reason is it’s illegal in some states (as I recall reading this perhaps in the manual). But use it is better which I found out when both headlamps burnt out at the same time and I drive home in the fog at night with only the fog lights. Though about disabling that ‘feature’ after that, but it’s not worth the minor benefit. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/35 "2015-07-01T12:41:41Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > This just proves my point that US cars have them merely for aesthetics, not practicality. The last four cars I’ve had all had OEM fog lights and in every single one of them _ **it is not possible** _ to turn the fog lights on and leave the headlights off\*!\* The fog lights have a separate switch, but it is wired in series with the headlights so that the fog lights will only come on if the headlights are also on. not true on Fords, my Mustang allows use of the fog lamps independent of the headlamps. > [@](#): > > Factory OEM car fog lights just aren’t that bright. And unlike high beams they’re aimed down at the pavement, not oncoming traffic… that’s where they’re supposed to be aimed. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/36 "2015-07-01T12:57:42Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > You shouldn’t have fog lights on in the first place, unless you’re driving in fog. I use them sometimes in non-fog conditions when I want more light on the road but it’s not appropriate to use the brights. They’re aimed low and are lower than my normal headlights, so I don’t see how I can bother oncoming traffic with them. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/37 "2015-07-01T13:03:38Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > … > that’s where they’re supposed to be aimed. My understanding is originally they were suppose to be aimed straight ahead / slightly down and very low to the road. the idea was to get below the fog, right at the road level where this light can shine forward in a narrow band of no/less fog between the road and the ‘cloud’ of fog above, and this worked well and the reason fog lights came to be. They were also usually yellowish, not white light. But cars have gotten higher and low fog lamps were easily damaged. So the less effective system of just lighting up the foreground seems to be what they do now. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/38 "2015-07-01T13:15:07Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > not true on Fords, my Mustang allows use of the fog lamps independent of the headlamps. Did you buy it new? Because wiring them to work without headlights is a common mod. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/39 "2015-07-01T13:37:27Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Did you buy it new? Because wiring them to work without headlights is a common mod. Uh, yes, I bought my 2010 and 2012 new. Both work(ed) the same way. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831/40 "2015-07-01T13:42:34Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > not true on Fords, my Mustang allows use of the fog lamps independent of the headlamps. My last two Hyundais and my current VW require the headlamps to be on before the foglights will turn on. I don’t understand that at all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-rude-to-leave-your-fog-lights-on/723831.md?page=3)