garthfan

This is all I can find so far; kind of vague as far as determining legality of use between high/low beams:

266:37 Spot Lamps and Auxiliary Lamps. –
I. Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed 2 spot lamps and every lighted spot lamp shall be so aimed and used that no part of the high intensity portion of the beam will strike the windshield, or any windows, mirror, or occupant of another vehicle in use, except that a spot lamp may be used by a police officer to illuminate the interior of a vehicle being stopped from the rear.
II. Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed 3 auxiliary driving lamps mounted on the front at a height not less than 12 inches nor more than 42 inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands, with such measurements to be made from the ground to the center of the lens, except that vehicles while used in the winter maintenance of ways may be driven with auxiliary head lamps higher than 42 inches above the surface upon which the vehicle stands provided such head lamps shall be aimed so that the top of the beam of light produced by these head lamps does not exceed the height of a horizontal line which is 42 inches high at a distance of 75 feet ahead of the head lamps of said vehicle.
III. Every spot lamp and auxiliary driving lamp shall be approved by the director.
Source. 1947, 82:1. 1949, 46:1. RSA 263:14. 1979, 203:2. 1981, 146:1, eff. Jan. 1, 1982.

garthfan

And this:

266:31 Front Lights. – Every motor vehicle driven during the period from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise, and whenever rain, snow, or fog shall interfere with the proper view of the road so that persons and vehicles on the way are not clearly discernible at a distance of 1000 feet ahead, shall display at least 2 lighted lamps on the front; provided, however, that one suitable lighted lamp on the front of a motorcycle shall be sufficient. The headlamp shall throw sufficient light ahead within the travelled portion of the way to make clearly visible all vehicles, persons, or substantial objects within a distance of 200 feet, except that the headlamps of motorcycles shall be sufficient if they make clearly visible objects within a distance of 150 feet. No headlamp shall be used unless it is approved by the director and is equipped with a proper lens or other device designed to prevent glaring rays. All headlamps on every motor vehicle shall be located at a height of not more than 54 inches nor less than 24 inches from the ground on an unladen vehicle. The measurement shall be made from the ground to the center of the lens. No device which obstructs, reflects, or alters the beam of such headlamp shall be used in connection therewith unless approved by the director. Every lens or other device to prevent glaring rays, the use of which on motor vehicles has been approved by the director, shall be arranged, adjusted, and operated in accordance with the requirements of the certificate approving the use thereof. Every lamp, bulb, or light used in any headlamp shall be of such candle power as may be specified for the approved device in the certificate approving the use thereof. Every reflector which is used as a part of such headlamp shall have a reflecting surface approved by the director after satisfactory tests have been made, and every reflecting surface shall be free from dents, rust and other imperfections. The driver of every motor vehicle shall permit any properly authorized person to inspect the headlighting equipment of such motor vehicle and to make such tests as he may deem necessary to determine whether the provisions of this section are being complied with.
Source. 1905, 86:7. 1911, 133:7. 1913, 81:3. 1915, 129:6. 1917, 229:6. 1921, 119:6. PL 103:5. 1933, 105:1. 1935, 116:1. RL 119:7. RSA 263:10. 1979, 203:1. 1981, 146:1, eff. Jan. 1, 1982.

Admittedly, this is probably overboard on the information, but since the question was asked I hope this helps. Again this is only specific to New Hampshire, but it gives a general idea.

joseph mitro

i assume oklahoma's laws are online as well. how did you find your source?

garthfan

Let's see....

This website:allows you to select your state DMV page.

This is the OK DMV page, but it doesn't seem to be as detailed as the NH page. Sorry.

KuHL 951

The main reason that the fogs turn off with the high beams is that high beams are totally useless in the fog; the bounced light will nearly blind you. Even the low beams with fogs are a bit much with the tule fog we get here; the fogs on my 951 alone work very well but I'm not sure if they are legal as your only light source after dark, fog or no fog.

jonnybgood

I recently heard that in California if you have your windshield wipers on then you have to have your headlights on. They are apparently giving tickets here in California for not doing this. So to comply I have been turning on my fogs while driving in the rain during the day. I don't like having the headlights up unless I need them.

IceShark

The logic is fogs are for fog conditions. You would be a moron to turn on main/high beams in fog conditions because the light backscatter would blind you. But since so many drivers are morons fresh out of the box many manufacturers disable fogs when on main beam.

As far as getting stopped, you do need to check local lighting laws but I doubt that is the real problem. LEOs like to use an excuse to stop a car, and a 944 is the perfect type, to see if the driver is drunk or doing something or another criminal. If you have the turbo or S2 dual fog/driving lights and turn both of them on in the city at night you can make book someone will stop you.

Macfreak007

Hmm, what about when I put driving lights in my euro bumper on my N/A?
can i run just the fogs and driving lights/parking lights?

IceShark

Carl, probably not in the dark. I see 2 problems without even thinking about this. First is the main lights have to be at least a certain distance up off the road. It is something in the mid-upper 20 inches but I would have to check. I want to say 24" but I don't remember. That is a Federal DOT law.

Second the fog and driving lights will never hit all the spots you need to light up so they could nail you for that. Plus, driving lights are pencil beams and other drivers are not going to like that. They are illegal for close contact.

Friendan

I've been asked a couple of times at roadblocks at night to turn off my fogs when I have my headlights on, because it's too bright for the cop when I pull up. Which is pointless to me when all these kids drive around with their superbright HID conversions on their ricerockets...seems silly that I'm the one getting harrassed.

TaylorSea4

This topic hits home with me. I am that driver who uses his lights. Always high beaming whenever alone on a road, using fogs when neccessary, and so on. Here's my deal, though. Using fogs when they are not neccessary actually make it more difficult to see DOWN the road. The fogs light up everything RIGHT THERE; robbing your night vision to see down the road. Why do you think most cars have fogs that kick off when the highs are on? Try it out on a clear night; pick a point down a dark road you can clearly see with your highs, sorta see with your lows, and then pop your fogs on and off. Look at endurance racers or desert racers. They use pencil beams to get WAY down the course, using their fogs only when neccessary. And nothing is more annoying than some *** clown (not you, Joseph) driving around on a clear night with his/ her misaligned fogs burning my retinas.

Now, the real bitch I have is these uber-bright HID's and Zenon lights on the luxo-utes and such. A lot of them come with 3 position lights. High, low, and "don't blind your fellow drivers when you come up behind them." I've driven a car with these lights, and from the driver's point of view, it's awesome. But these SUV's in particular are, as always, a source of pain and angst for me. Their lights are about dead even with the rear view mirrors on an average to low car. Like my Acura, a 944, or anything along those lines. Also, motorcyclists who think their high beams improve a car's chance of seeing them better; total unsubstantiated in today's age of HID's and running lights.

My opinion? Cops should write tickets for driving with fogs on when it isn't neccessary. Plain and simple, whatever improvement they offer (none, IMO) is far outweighed by the risk it poses to other drivers. They should also realize that newer cars and SUV's with the HID's have multi-setting lights and maybe start working on those eye cookers. I had a bud that used to road-rally his little Civic; he had some BIG *** Hella pencil-beams mounting on the front. Anytime he'd see an approaching car with it's highs on, he give the obligatory high-low request. Driver doesn't respond, he give the Hella's a quick on-off. No response again and they'd get the eyeball melt with the Hella's.

IceShark

Brendan, I would hate to see what your Canuck cops have to say about some of the eastern Wisconsin boys. I sold them some relays, heavy duty wire and 100 watt H3s for their fogs. I've never seen them in action in their cars but they apparently set the night on fire.

Which is not such a great idea for fogs in my opinion. But I've given up trying to educate people on that. It can't be done.

951Porschiste

Here in Canada, DRL's (Daytime Running Lights) for all Audis is parking lights on and foglights on. At least that's the way it is on my wife's Audi Allroad and all the late-model A4's, A6's and A8's.

gilwong

In BC, we're not supposed to run two sets of driving lights at the same time.

Rich Sandor

Hey! where have you been, man?