fog lights

[patty]

So last night on my way home from work i got stopped in a rutien snow tire check and acording to the whistler RCMP my fog lights are too high and too bright and i must turn them off at al time or buy caps for them?any one else have this problem.I love the fogs they make the delica what it is i think, and it looks great at night, im pretty mad about it.

[DelicaMark]

Not sure about the height restriction but as for the too bright...aren't the bulbs just 55W H3? I thought that was legal for driving/fog lights for on-road use. I would also wonder how the police officer checked that the lights were too bright.

Maybe the compliance experts in the crowd can comment on the height restriction of driving/fog lights.

-Mark

[39Ronin]

I am not sure about the max intensity but the usaully they have 55w bulbs, as for the covers this is technically true but again this is the letter of the law and I never heard of it being enforced. Sounds like they are picking on the RHD stuff, how many 4x4 do you see out there with lights mounted on the roll bar or bumper without covers... Tons.

[delicat]

If your Delica has the typical/original fog light then I believe the officer was mistaken. Here's what the BC Motor Vehicle Act Regulation has to say on Fog Lights:

Fog lamps

4.11 (1) A motor vehicle may be equipped with 2 fog lamps, mounted on the front of the vehicle below the headlamps, that are capable of displaying only white or amber light.

(2) Each fog lamp must be

(a) mounted not more than 30 cm below the headlamps, and

(b) adjusted and aimed so that, at a distance of 8 m from the lamp, the centre of the beam is at least 10 cm below the height of the fog lamp.

(3) The fog lamp wiring and switch must permit simultaneous operation of the parking lamps, tail lamps, licence plate lamp and, if required, clearance lamps.

(4) The operator of a vehicle may use fog lamps instead of headlamps when atmospheric conditions make the use of headlamps disadvantageous.

You can look it up yourself at the actual site:
http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/reg/M/M ... ection4-11

[Schwa]

"mounted on the front of the vehicle below the headlamps"

Sounds like they might actually be too high to be proper fogs in BC, and hence the covers become necessary. This would also affect the aiming of the lamps and that's probably what the cops meant by being too bright... they might be a problem for other drivers the way they are aimed right now.

[loki]

(a) mounted not more than 30 cm below the headlamps, and

seems to me that the wording makes it so if they are the same level or lower you are ok. the key I guess is what part has to be lower? the middle of the lens, the top? altering the mout might bring it done enough to comply? I'll ask my brother (a cop) when I get a chance.

[DelicaMark]

Loki that was what I was thinking. Looking at mine the center of the fog lights are lower than the centers of my headlights. Noticeably lower...choosing to ignore Patty's run in with the law until someone says anything different

I wonder if bringing this up to another police officers attention may not be such a great idea...brother or not!

[loki]

you don't have to worry about my brother when pulled over by him unless your one of those people that are moronic enough to be a a$$ to him, that is when he will nail you with all the little crap, otherwise your golden (well except for what ever it was that caused him to pull you over :))

[Green1]

as long as the fog lights aren't higher than the headlights, and as long as they're only the stock 55w bulbs you should be fine without covers, as long as you only turn them on in the fog (it's an offence to use fog lights when no fog is present)

personally I have mounted new fog lights lower in the bull-bar as the lower a fog light is mounted the better it works.

[visotzky]

If you have running lights instead of foggies can you use them on roads?

[loki]

as long as the fog lights aren't higher than the headlights, and as long as they're only the stock 55w bulbs you should be fine without covers, as long as you only turn them on in the fog (it's an offence to use fog lights when no fog is present)

personally I have mounted new fog lights lower in the bull-bar as the lower a fog light is mounted the better it works.

too true, I was thinking of going that way and mounting the spare up front, but I finish getting it on the road first :)

[Green1]

If you have running lights instead of foggies can you use them on roads?

I think what you are referring to is what they call auxillary driving lights, the answer is yes as long as they are only used in conjunction with the high beams, there are only 2 of them, they are of limited wattage (can't remember the value) and are not mounted any higher than the headlights.

[Erebus]

I think what you are referring to is what they call auxillary driving lights, the answer is yes as long as they are only used in conjunction with the high beams, there are only 2 of them, they are of limited wattage (can't remember the value) and are not mounted any higher than the headlights.

From Alberta regulations http://www.qp.gov.ab.ca/documents/Regs/ ... 0779717090
"(8) A person shall not drive a motor vehicle that has a total of more than 2 auxiliary driving lamps and fog lamps lit at the same time."

I believe both fog and driving lights aren't allowed to be more than 55W. The Alta regs just say "SAE J581 type Y" and "SAE J583 type F" lamps. How helpful -- not.

Went to the SAE site, and you have to BUY the standards for $60! Grrrr

So, it's not like a cop is likely to be able to quote the actual specs at you.

[Green1]

the information I had was from the Alberta inspection manual, stating that they have to be linked in to only work with the highbeams...

another interesting note is that the act lets you use fog lights without your low beams if the conditions warrant it, however the inspection manual doesn't allow a vehicle to let you use the fog lights without the low beams...
so the driver is allowed to use fogs without lowbeams, but the vehicle isn't... go figure...

[Sailing Deli]

so the driver is allowed to use fogs without lowbeams, but the vehicle isn't... go figure...

Classic goverment.....but normaly federal