Using rear fog lights if a rear bulb has gone
Discussion
About a week or so ago, my right rear light went. Until I could get a bulb (i.e. get home), I decided that it would be sensible to put my one rear fog-light on, as it happens to also be on the right hand side of the car, and could work as a, albeit not perfect, temporary substitute. My main reasoning behind this was that my car isn't that visible at the best of times, and, to me at least, it seems quite important to have a functional light on the rear right hand side of the car.
However, when pulled up at traffic lights, a motorcyclist had a go at me for having my fog light on. I don't actually know whether what I did was 'correct', but I'd be interested to see what other people thought, and what else they would suggest in the circumstances (other than try and carry a spare bulb with me!).
Sam
However, when pulled up at traffic lights, a motorcyclist had a go at me for having my fog light on. I don't actually know whether what I did was 'correct', but I'd be interested to see what other people thought, and what else they would suggest in the circumstances (other than try and carry a spare bulb with me!).
Sam
I think that the motorcyclist was being a bit short sighted there to be honest. I frequently see cars around with fog lights on as a 'get me home' measure when a headlight or rear light has broken. Immediately, I see the fog light and think "you prat, its not foggy", but straight away I realise that their lights are broken so it is ok. I don't think that the biker would think the same way if he'd come blatting up behind you in poor visibility at night and gone to slip past the 'bike' in front of him...
Carrying a spare bulb is the only safe way I think! This is the law in some countries, and, amongst other things, should be here too if only the government cared about road safety!
Carrying a spare bulb is the only safe way I think! This is the law in some countries, and, amongst other things, should be here too if only the government cared about road safety!
Admittedly it wouldn't work for a tail light (5W), but if any other bulbs fail you could always nick one of the reversing bulbs (or even the fog light bulb) as a temporary replacement!
Alternatively, don't most petrol stations stock bulbs? Although, given the road grime and sub-zero temperatures we're suffering at the moment, I can understand if you'd rather wait until the car was home before attempting "roadside" repairs...
Alternatively, don't most petrol stations stock bulbs? Although, given the road grime and sub-zero temperatures we're suffering at the moment, I can understand if you'd rather wait until the car was home before attempting "roadside" repairs...
1) go out this weekend and get a few spare bulbs.
2) do what you think is right at the time (I would have done the same).
3) tell the pretentious know it all biker to fick off. Either you were doing it for what you thought was a good reason, or you had made a simple mistake. He couldn't know which, so the smartarse should try and be a bit polite. Unless he is one of those special types that never makes a mistake (like some bikers seem to think they are). Tell him to keep his offensive mouth shut, unless he happens to be either a Hells Angel, or a Satan's slave, in which case just apologise to him, thanks him for his kind comments and promise not to do it again!
2) do what you think is right at the time (I would have done the same).
3) tell the pretentious know it all biker to fick off. Either you were doing it for what you thought was a good reason, or you had made a simple mistake. He couldn't know which, so the smartarse should try and be a bit polite. Unless he is one of those special types that never makes a mistake (like some bikers seem to think they are). Tell him to keep his offensive mouth shut, unless he happens to be either a Hells Angel, or a Satan's slave, in which case just apologise to him, thanks him for his kind comments and promise not to do it again!
hallmark said:
Admittedly it wouldn't work for a tail light (5W), but if any other bulbs fail you could always nick one of the reversing bulbs (or even the fog light bulb) as a temporary replacement!
Alternatively, don't most petrol stations stock bulbs? Although, given the road grime and sub-zero temperatures we're suffering at the moment, I can understand if you'd rather wait until the car was home before attempting "roadside" repairs...
From what I can gather, changing bulbs on some modern cars is quite a task, much more than one is likely to undertake very comfortably at the road side, even in decent weather conditions. I've heard this applies especially to the headlights on certain cars.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
TripleS said:
Admittedly it wouldn't work for a tail light (5W), but if any other bulbs fail you could always nick one of the reversing bulbs (or even the fog light bulb) as a temporary replacement!
Alternatively, don't most petrol stations stock bulbs? Although, given the road grime and sub-zero temperatures we're suffering at the moment, I can understand if you'd rather wait until the car was home before attempting "roadside" repairs...
From what I can gather, changing bulbs on some modern cars is quite a task, much more than one is likely to undertake very comfortably at the road side, even in decent weather conditions. I've heard this applies especially to the headlights on certain cars.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
Yes, there's a thread running on another PH forum about labour rates for changing bulbs. One chap paid for 1½ hours of time! Then there was the car that needs the dry sump draining and removing to change an indicator bulb! Madness!
Agreed, front bulbs have been a nightmare on every car we've owned for the last ten years. But the rears have always had handy access panels inside the boot lining.
Another thought on the original point - a few years ago I was in a convoy driving between stages of the Rally GB. One of the cars had a headlight out so put his foglights on so cars coming towards him didn't think he was a motorbike. Copper in a village pulled him over and fined him £20 (non-endorsable offence) for having his fog lights on, AND gave him a producer for the failed headlamp. So if you come up against an equally unreasonable BiB, you could be just doubling up the trouble trying to do "the right thing"!
Another thought on the original point - a few years ago I was in a convoy driving between stages of the Rally GB. One of the cars had a headlight out so put his foglights on so cars coming towards him didn't think he was a motorbike. Copper in a village pulled him over and fined him £20 (non-endorsable offence) for having his fog lights on, AND gave him a producer for the failed headlamp. So if you come up against an equally unreasonable BiB, you could be just doubling up the trouble trying to do "the right thing"!
it is actually an offence to have your front or rear fog lights on unless visibilty has been seriously reduced. (road vehicles lighting regulations 1989 #27). i know, very anal of me but theres the answer. a work colleague was pulled over for having a backlight out just a few weeks ago. he thanked the copper for pointing it out and promised he would drive straight to halfords for a replacement. the coppper informed him it wasnt as simple as that. he had to take a producer, go to an mot testing centre, have the bulb replaced get a certified/stamped receipt of work done then take this to his local nick with the producer, oh and the new bulb fitment cost £85.
>> Edited by DHGTR on Saturday 4th February 23:26
>> Edited by DHGTR on Saturday 4th February 23:26
There is no excuse for the bikers abusive behaviour, but I'm certain most motorists are not aware of the glare received through a helmet visor. A pet niggle of mine is the motorist who insists on sitting at red lights with his brake lights on ruining your night vision for the next few minutes.
So please spare a thought for those of us who are viewing the world through a grubby curved section of plastic , as apposed to a flat piece of glass which you can clean at the flick of a switch.
So please spare a thought for those of us who are viewing the world through a grubby curved section of plastic , as apposed to a flat piece of glass which you can clean at the flick of a switch.
Gassing Station | Advanced Driving | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff