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Annoying rear fog light rant

4K views 50 replies 19 participants last post by  Emission 
#1 ·
So I am on my way to work today and some guy in a new Audi A4 wagon pulls in front of me and while I thought he had his brake lights on... I soon realized they were his rear fogs on (it was NOT foggy) which became very irritating and actually distracting to me.

After a minute of resentment built up I turned my hi beams on and left them on. He pulled over and when I got beside him he looked at me like "WTF did I do?"

I couldn't explain it to him via sign language so I just flew ahead to work.

NOW I understand why some auto makers think Americans can't handle having rear fogs on their cars... so they don't offer them.

I don't understand people that drive with fog lights on when it isn't foggy!!!!!!

OK, I am done ranting. Bring on the comments!!!

Matt
 
#2 ·
Happens here all the time. Apparently, the more lights are blinking on your car the cooler you are. Some also love running just fog lights. They all fit in well together with the people the fail to turn on ANY lights at all until they cannot see the hand in front of their face anymore.

Those rear fog lights annoy the hell out of me and like you said, it is very distracting. I've given up getting pissed over it and reserve my anger for those using no signals or running in the left lane going slower than the right lane.
 
#11 ·
Happens here all the time. .... They all fit in well together with the people the fail to turn on ANY lights at all until they cannot see the hand in front of their face anymore.
AMEN!!

Or the people who don't bother to turn on their headlights in blinding rainstorms where everything is whited out. For some reason, they are always driving white, silver or grey cars which totally blend into the soupy conditions. Then to add insult to injury, they drive at 25mph on the freeway because they are scared to death. :yikes:
 
#5 ·
Not really, in fact, they saved me in Italy 2006, in a foggy night, cars rapidly approach, but when they see the lights, they know to slow down, now here in the U.S. I'm not sure how effective they are, but where they are used responsibly, absolutely assist in keeping people alive.
 
#4 ·
completely agree, it is not even legal in most other countries, and maybe that is why the BMW switch is a toggle and can't be left enabled. Some argue it helps them see at night, curbs and such, but what happens on rainy days is that they reflect off the ground into the mirror or the vehicle in front, causing a dangerous glare.
 
#6 ·
Yea, this can be a major problem for the generally innattentive motoring public. I'm sure in europe much more diligence is used when activating/deactivating rear fogs. In the u.s. people are far too oblivious.

There are places in the states that would benefit from rear fog lights so they are not useless.
 
#7 ·
I know esp. for Audis, their light switch is a touchy one. You pull it once for the front fogs, and then you pull the switch out all the way for the rear fogs, so maybe he accidentally pulled the switch all the way. That's what usually happens and people just have NO clue :tsk:
 
#8 · (Edited)
I used mine this morning in dense fog on the way to work. I could easily tell who had them and who didn't which made me more visible. :D

I completely agree that improper usage is annoying and bad. Most US residents have no idea when or how to use them. But I think that is partially because so FEW cars here actually have them. If it was more commonplace I think that most responsible drivers would figure it out. There are always few bad apples in every bushel.
 
#29 ·
Ok superman! When it rains hard or its foggy u cant see the tail lights or the plate. But most of the ppl dont have any clue about the lights on the dash. They see them n ignore them. It happens when u get yr licence in 5 mins.
 
#10 ·
Rear fog lights are much brighter and very noticeable during foggy conditions. But they should not be run when visibility is several miles. They serve a clear purpose, if used correctly.
 
#12 ·
Got into a big fight with my brother-in-law on a road trip where he was in his A4 driving ahead of me with his rear fogs on. Had my sister (his wife) who was in my car call him and tell him to turn those annoying lights off as I kept thinking he was braking. He refused (good guy normally) saying I was jealous because my bimmer didn't have them.

So I dropped down to 4th, punched it, passed him at 5000 RPM and let him listen to sweet roar of N54 as he watched my twin tail pipes disapear into the distance.
 
#14 ·
Got into a big fight with my brother-in-law on a road trip where he was in his A4 driving ahead of me with his rear fogs on. Had my sister (his wife) who was in my car call him and tell him to turn those annoying lights off as I kept thinking he was braking. He refused (good guy normally) saying I was jealous because my bimmer didn't have them.

So I dropped down to 4th, punched it, passed him at 5000 RPM and let him listen to sweet roar of N54 as he watched my twin tail pipes disapear into the distance.
You should have pulled in front and administered him his own medicine.

I did exactly that some time ago to a guy driving a white E90 335i in front of me. It was a cloudy day, so his bright red lights were rather annoying. He clearly knew what he was doing as enabling the rear fog lights in US-spec E9x requires a modified (or OEM Euro) switch.
 
#17 ·
They are red, and having the rear fogs on is like having your brake light constantly on all the time...
 
#19 ·
Rear fogs do make sense, but the front AND rear are on the same switch? I do know that Subarus in the UK have separate switches for front and rear. That way the driver realizes that he could be aware of what he's doing.

You would think people would know how to operate their cars better, but hey look at me... I just left the gas station failing to figure out how to open the gas door on my 335, anybody?
 
#20 ·
ROFL - "They all fit in well together with the people the fail to turn on ANY lights at all until they cannot see the hand in front of their face anymore." For anyone who has ever lived in South America doing the aforementioned was a common practice. When inquiring why the knuckleheads did such a thing, the response I received back was that "Turning on the lights requires more electrical power, which in turn requires a greater consumption of fuel, which in turn means another "bongo" or two more to purchase more petrol."

Suffice to say not turning your lights on until it's black outside is unsafe, idiotic, and a general lack of respect for those drivers, pedestrians and others around you!

I'm coming up for air now....

-Slug
 
#21 ·
It's a design flaw on many Audis and Porsches.

Now, this varies by model and year, but I believe to activate the front foglights on these cars, you pull out on the headlight knob. To turn BOTH the front and rear foglights on, you pull out further past a detent. Understandably, one can just pull too hard, and since a lot of these folks aren't car knowledgeable, they don't notice the icons on the dash.
 
#40 ·
....or running in the left lane going slower than the right lane.....

oh man, i thought the left lane was the slow lane...in California, the morons use it that way! Americans, on average, are clueless at the wheel.

Rear fogs are great and should be on a separate switch, since there are times when you may need the front but not the rears. i agree it sucks following some clown who has them on for no reason.

one more thing - whenever i drive in Europe, when the traffic quickly slows on a highway, EVERYONE hits their emergency flashers. you would have to be asleep, literally, to not notice all those amber flashers and slow down safely. imagine if people in the US were that aware when they drove? not a chance.

whenever i brake quickly for an emergency, i now instinctively hit the flasher switch until there are plenty of cars behind me - stopped - as a buffer from some errant semi who fails to stop.

one last trick, since the 335i stops so well, i slow down extra fast, and end up leaving a big space in front of me - so if the guy on crack behind me is looking a bit too big in my rearview, i can move forward and get out of his way.
 
#42 ·
....or running in the left lane going slower than the right lane.....

oh man, i thought the left lane was the slow lane...in California, the morons use it that way! Americans, on average, are clueless at the wheel.

Rear fogs are great and should be on a separate switch, since there are times when you may need the front but not the rears. i agree it sucks following some clown who has them on for no reason.

one more thing - whenever i drive in Europe, when the traffic quickly slows on a highway, EVERYONE hits their emergency flashers. you would have to be asleep, literally, to not notice all those amber flashers and slow down safely. imagine if people in the US were that aware when they drove? not a chance.

whenever i brake quickly for an emergency, i now instinctively hit the flasher switch until there are plenty of cars behind me - stopped - as a buffer from some errant semi who fails to stop.

one last trick, since the 335i stops so well, i slow down extra fast, and end up leaving a big space in front of me - so if the guy on crack behind me is looking a bit too big in my rearview, i can move forward and get out of his way.
I agree and practice the same procedure. Passengers often make fun of my precaution and using the flashers when here is unexpected traffic/slow down on an otherwise fast-moving highway. Perhaps if we all practice this, it will catch on? Ha!
 
#50 ·
This thread is dead, Jim.
 
#51 ·
LOCKED. It really has gone out of control...

- Mike
 
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