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Fog or Aux Light Color for Snow Storms?

Decreed_It

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Odd one maybe but did some searching and didn't see much chatter about this topic. Was driving here in NC a couple weekends ago and it actually SNOWED in our mtns - around dusk into dark - windy twisty roads. We've got a 2008 Land Cruiser I recently got from a family member. Clear fog lights. Visibility wasn't ideal. I tried with fogs off and on, it was better with them on but the white light reflected back pretty bad against the moderate precip and beginning accumulation on the ground.

I'm curious if anyone has experience with a better fog color - Amber I guess? for snowy weather/frozen precip. We're also planning on adding additional lights this summer with a front bumper addition. We don't get a ton of weather here, but when we do, would like better viz.
 

James

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I think Audi eliminated fog lights. Didn't do much good. Or, esp with their new light designs, they don't.

This is old, but I think still accurate. Selective yellow might help, a little. Fogs are meant to see the road edges.

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That's the key point: fog lamps are meant to be used in heavy fog, rain, or snow to help the driver see the edges of the road close to the car so s/he can safely make progress through foul weather at very low speeds. That is all these lamps are designed, intended, and able to do, and most of the ones available as factory or optional equipment or in the aftermarket aren't even capable of doing that. And as explicated in dense scientific detail in this study(pdf), it just doesn't make anything better—though there is the potential for a real safety improvement by using a red rear fog lamp.
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cantunamunch

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The term you're looking for is 'Selective Yellow' - it's actually pretty strictly defined.


Some takeaways from that article:

a) NOTHING you see on a video monitor or from a digital still camera will give you the true light colour - the current gamut doesn't support it. Therefore all the "contrast" pics are lying to you.

b) the decrease in annoying backscatter from the outgoing beam completely depends on the spectrum of the "white" source. "White" LEDs are not talked about but would be similarly annoying to halogen/xenon. Except even bluer.

c) Changing to a yellow light is not the same thing as wearing yellow lenses when driving.

Oh, and don't forget to keep them as low as possible.
 

KingGrump

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Prior to a 2010 road trip, I switched the the head lights to a much whiter light. Everything is fine until snow country. Couldn't see a thing. No contrast. Everything is white on white. Pulled over and switched to the low tech original yellower bulbs. Threw the white ones out.

Almost never use the fog lights. Only use it to signal to others I am a A-hole.
 

James

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Almost never use the fog lights. Only use it to signal to others I am a A-hole.
Lol! Pretty much true. I do find they help on highways when there's a jersey barrier 18 inches from the line. It just helps you sense it.

The number one "hack" for people getting into their operating ststem on Fords is to enable fog lights with high beam lights on.

Worse now are those idiotic horizontal led strips on bumpers. All they do is blind people.
 
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slowrider

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I have 2 yellow hi intensity road lamps. Bought them at a off road truck store in town. Aux light switch and they're point down about 15 ft on to the road. Not like some dillrod amateur driver. The whiter it gets the better they work.
 

James

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I have 2 yellow hi intensity road lamps. Bought them at a off road truck store in town. Aux light switch and they're point down about 15 ft on to the road. Not like some dillrod amateur driver. The whiter it gets the better they work.
Point down from where? Throw light 15ft in front of the bumper?
 

Tom K.

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Super white light SUCKS in snowstorms!

All due respect to pugskiers, but if you're talking Land Cruisers, there is a HUGE, fairly intelligent online owners' community that could offer numerous ideas for your exact vehicle.

Generally a fairly mature, helpful group of people. I'll leave the Duck Duck Go search to you. ogwink
 

crgildart

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IR nightvision goggles and GPS? GPS (when your map is accurate) can at least sometimes help you a little when you can't see the lines on the road or know where the sides end.

Back in the day fog lights were also essential equipment for hanging out at the local drive in movie theater.
 
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Decreed_It

Decreed_It

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Almost never use the fog lights. Only use it to signal to others I am a A-hole.
Well I've been called worse so . . . in the LC - if lights are on Auto - the fogs are on when the lights are on, I think they go off on high beam, I'll check. Karma is real.

All due respect to pugskiers, but if you're talking Land Cruisers, there is a HUGE, fairly intelligent online owners' community that could offer numerous ideas for your exact vehicle.
Oh I'm on it - thought for snow driving there might be concentrated knowledge here across all makes and models of vehicles - and I was right. Thanks everyone :)
 

James

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That's right. Not up in the trees or on coming traffic eyes.
That's the thing. It's 15ft.
People are always thinking there's some magic light that'll go out 120ft and they can do 60mph in a full whiteout snowstorm.

15ft = 0.5sec at 20mph
 

chilehed

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I hate these super-brilliant lights, and the a-holes who keep their brighter-than-lowbeam fog lights on all the time. Damn things are a safety hazard, they should be outlawed.

Makes me want to mount a main wing lamp from a 747 in the middle of my front grill.
 

Ogg

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I hate these super-brilliant lights, and the a-holes who keep their brighter-than-lowbeam fog lights on all the time. Damn things are a safety hazard, they should be outlawed.

Makes me want to mount a main wing lamp from a 747 in the middle of my front grill.
What's worse are cheap improperly designed LED headlight bulbs and light bars. :nono:
I actually run brighter than stock amber LEDs in my fog lights but rarely use them. I had a pair of "white" LEDs first that were way too blue so they were blinding to on coming traffic while also being less than useless in any sort of weather. The amber ones do a good job of cutting through in bad weather and kick out enough light to be able to turn off the headlights and see the sides of the road if it's really foggy.
 

EricG

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What's worse are cheap improperly designed LED headlight bulbs and light bars. :nono:

I really wish state patrol or Sherriff would ticket these people. I’m so f’n sick of the light bars pointed into oncoming traffic.
 

cantunamunch

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I really wish state patrol or Sherriff would ticket these people.

Heh.

Relying on live officer tickets means it's never going to happen.

Devise an automated camera ticketing system, on the other hand, and you'll have money, effectiveness, often even both.
 

James

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Heh.

Relying on live officer tickets means it's never going to happen.

Devise an automated camera ticketing system, on the other hand, and you'll have money, effectiveness, often even both.
Drone + whole vehicle Taser
 

slowrider

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That's the thing. It's 15ft.
People are always thinking there's some magic light that'll go out 120ft and they can do 60mph in a full whiteout snowstorm.

15ft = 0.5sec at 20mph
Speed, low traction and poor visibility. You will be in the snowbank shortly. Truckers tip. You can't deliver the load if your in the ditch.
 

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