to think ‘turn off your f’ing fog light!’.

[Catsize]

I am fed up with being dazzled by people who think that the slightest bit of fog means you should put your fog lights on, even if you can see the lights of a car 20 cars ahead.

And don’t get me started on people who sit on their brake at traffic lights...

And relax...

Only the rear fog light is a legal requirement

It was the rear light issue that made me start the thread, as it's distracting to follow one for a prolonged period.

Do front fog lights actually do anything? I've experimented a bit and can't see how they help in any way, they don't make the road clearer and they don't make you any more visible than your headlights.

The worst offender is that monstrously ugly Nissan, is it a Juke? The one with lights literally ALL over the front of it. I can't describe adequately how odd it makes me feel, it looks like its been cheese wired in the middle a few times and somehow the lights got spliced - it's so ugly I feel exposed and awkward for the driver, as if they feel embarrassed to be driving it HAHA. When that's coming towards you at night, although the driver is spared the embarrassment of being seen in it, it still makes you think some sort of glowbug is homing in on you for an attack!

In England, I just can't see how front fogs are necessary at all. It doesn't look "cool" any more either BTW, to any offenders reading, as almost all cars have them as standard now, even the really cheap ones.

In England, I just can't see how front fogs are necessary at all.

I agree with the rest of your post but not with the implication that there can be anywhere on the planet that gets worse fogs than parts of England do at times! growing up on the North Sea coast, and later having to commute through the Vale of York, I can confirm that no amount of extra light would make a difference to the opacity of those fogs.

you want to put the handbrake on because if someone shuts into the back of you, it'll protect you better. That's why you're meant to do it

Not sure how that makes much sense TBH

It should be illegal to have them on in unsuitable weather conditions imo. Police should be able to issue spot fines like they do for mobile phones.

Is is and they can

I find my front fog lights very helpful as they cast extra light in front and near the car, illuminating the road when dipped won’t cut it and of course beams are useless.

My dipped headlights are fucking awful, especially compared to my last car (same make and model) which had amazing headlights. I mentioned this at the car's service and the guy nodded and said 'yep, the lights are shit'. I have resorted to tipping them up slightly so I can see the road when driving on unlit roads, which I do every day.

Surely the brake light isn't bright enough to dazzle the driver behind? (I always use the handbrake anyway as I'm too lazy to keep my foot on the brake). I've sat behind people with their brake light on though and it doesn't bother me at all.

• you want to put the handbrake on because if someone shuts into the back of you, it'll protect you better. That's why you're meant to do it

Not sure how that makes much sense TBH*

If you're queuing at lights, you're likelier to be shunted into the car in front if you're hit with no handbrake on. Your car will be damaged at both ends and you'll probably be held at fault by the insurer of the car in front. If you're the first in the queue then you may be pushed into the cross traffic and be in a horrible accident. Anyone who doesn't put their handbrake on if they're first in the queue is an idiot. Don't worry if it takes you fractionally longer to set off - how long does it actually take you to disengage the brake? I find it perfectly possible to get the car in gear (including it restarting itself) and ready for off just by being alert to when the amber shows.

The alternative is to leave a large gap between you and the car in front or the line, I suppose. Work out how far your car would be pushed if hit from the rear by a heavier vehicle travelling at maybe 20 mph. If you don't understand the physics well enough to do that maybe just accept advice from those who do?

@EscapeTheCastle I opened this thread in the hope that someone had linked to that video!

If you're queuing at lights, you're likelier to be shunted into the car in front if you're hit with no handbrake on.

If you’re sat with no brakes on then yes, obviously. If you mean vs the foot brake then you’re wrong. Handbrake is much weaker than the foot brake so you’re better off sat with that on to avoid being shunted into the car in front.

I didn't realise anyone would even knew I use the footbrakes at traffic lights

How can you not realise? Have you never understood that the red lights you see on other cars mean they're braking?

I can't say I spend a lot of time thinking about it when I'm stopped at lights.

@ErrolTheDragon has a good point about using the hand brake at lights. I'm guilty of riding the clutch at lights. Will rethink that now.

I am totally ignorant about lights I realise. I have no idea what DRLs are or running lights. I thought running lights was another way of saying “Side lights” but applied to cars that put them on all the time or automatically when it rains as is the law in some other countries.

Yeah I've been making an effort to use my handbrake because of the pile up problem.

don't know when you took your driving test but now learners are instructed to apply handbrake at traffic lights in order to [if the car behind hits you] avoid getting shunted into the car in front.

I passed my test a little under a year ago and was not taught this.

By the way the PP is correct in saying the habdbreak is safer in the case that someone drives into the back of you(as your foot won't stay on the foot brake in such a collision). That's why it's recommended when stopped for more than a few seconds (and why it should be applied immediately after an emergency stop). I was taught this when learning to drive and doing advanced driving.

Pedestrians all in black at night- don’t check the road and just expect you to see them.
Cyclists with no lights/helmets peddling alllllllllllll over the road, slowing down and speeding up so you can’t get passed on winding roads.

Buses that don’t indicate and just just pull out in front of you.

I hate driving.

I drive a small car; I am sick, sorry and tired of the big SUV drivers around here who think driving up my back bumper around very narrow twisty lanes is going to make me drive any faster.
Oh, and the yummy mummies who can't reverse their big cars one even asked me to do it because she didn't want to get her new expensive shoes muddy if she ended up in the ditch--

I drive on small country lanes quite often and it's extremely dark because the area (in Wales) has very few buildings and no street lights. It's a 60mph twisty turny road and no cats eyes at the edge of the road and no reflective posts. I was driving last night and was frequently being dazzled by cars coming the other way with lights on full beam or tall people carriers with ordinary lights but at the height of my windscreen as I have a small car. At times I couldn't see where the road went so had to go slower than I'd go during the day and the dick behind me (land rover/range rover sized vehicle) was flashing his lights because he wanted me to speed up - it was alright for him, he could see my lights but I couldn't see a thing.

don't know when you took your driving test but now learners are instructed to apply handbrake at traffic lights in order to [if the car behind hits you] avoid getting shunted into the car in front.

I was taught to do that 30 years ago.

Forgive me if someone has already mentioned this.... but if you are parked outside your house... TURN YOUR FULL BEAMS OFF.

I'm going blind trying not to hit your car.

Well said elf. National Elf Service at its best.