What exactly is the law regarding front fog/driving/head lights? I have heard stories about the various measurements (height, position etc.) But what does the law say? (11/99)
When I was driving my (boring) Clio (pre MX5) at night with both my headlights and driving lights on (not called front fogs really), a police car spotted me and followed me all round a car park until I found a space, then asked if I knew why he had pulled me up. I answered 'No' and he told me that it was illegal to use driving lights unless visibility was bad, ie during fog or a heavy downpour, regardless of whether it was day or night. He let me off al though he could have issued a fixed penalty ticket. (11/99)
My understanding is that fog/spot lights are not required by law so are not covered by the MOT test, however rear fog lights are. There are specific rules as to the location and use of any extra lights fitted to any vehicle. There you are, clear as mud on a foggy night. (11/99)
I asked my dad about this last weekend as my wife's Civic has front driving lights and he confirmed this. He's been a traffic plod for nearly 15 years and you can bet it is illegal. (11/99)
Just bought a set of front fogs from MX5 parts . Has anyone fitted these onto the "in tranist" mounts , in the "mouth" of the car. (11/99)

The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989
Made 28th September 1989
Laid before Parliament 11th October 1989
Coming into force 1st November 1989

Part 1 Schedule 5 (regulation 18 & 20) Requirements relating to obligatory main-beam headlamps and to optional main-beam headlamps to the extent specified in part 2
1. Number- a) Two
2. Position- a) Longitudinal: No requirement
b) Lateral- i)Where two main headlamps are required to be fitted-
(A)Maximum distance from the side of the vehicle: The outer edges of the illuminated areas must in no case be closer to the side of the vehicle than the outer edges of the illuminated areas of the obligatory dipped-beam headlamps.
c) Vertical: No requirement
5. Markings- a) An approval mark or a British Standard mark
7. Colour: White or Yellow
8. Wattage- a) No requirement
10. Electrical connections- a) Every main-beam headlamp shall be so constructed that the light emitted therefrom
i) can be deflected at the will of the driver to become a dipped beam or,
ii) can be extinguished by the operation of a device which at the same time either-
A) causes the lamp to emit a dipped beam, or
B) causes another lamp to emit a dipped beam.
12. Other requirements- a) Every main-beam headlamp shall be so constructed that the direction of the beam of light emitted therefrom can be adjusted whilst the vehicle is stationary.

Part 2 Schedule 6 (regulation 20) Requirements relating to optional front fog lamps
1. Number- a) No requirement
2. Position- a) Longitudinal: No requirement
b) Lateral-
i) Where a pair of front fog lamps is used in conditions of seriously reduced visibility in place of the obligatory dipped beam headlamps-
Maximum distance from side of vehicle: 400mm
ii) In all other cases: No requirement
c) Vertical-
i) Maximum height above the ground-
A) 1200mm
ii) Minimum height above the ground: No requirement
4. Alignment: To the front and so aimed that the upper edge of the beam is, as near as practicable, 3 per cent below the horizontal when the vehicle is at its kerbside weight and has a weight of 75 kg on the driver's seat
7. Colour: White or yellow (12/99)

As I understand it,
1) If the extra lights come on with the main beam, then they can be anywhere you like on the car's nose, and any wattage you like. (This is because nobody can see them when they are on, so "Who cares?")
2) If they come on with dipped headlights then they had better be dipped as well (probably so that they don't dazzle oncoming traffic).
3) If they are on without the headlights (dipped or main beam) then they are fog lights. They should only be used in "conditions of seriously reduced visibility". So they must be within 1200mm of the ground and 400mm of the edge of the car (ie. They can't be in the mouth. They must be on the corner of the bumper, like the Sport) So that clears that up.

However I have another question.
What are the reg's for dipped beam headlights? There must be something about the rules for dipped headlights that says they can't be in the mouth. Otherwise you could say "Those are not fog lamps, they are dipped headlights, Officer". ;) (12/99)
I'm no expert here, but I would suspect that this is a height issue. The reason some of us have pop up headlights is because the law says they have to be at a certain height above ground, otherwise they'd be faired into the bodywork at whatever height the car stylist feels like. To have a second set in the mouth would put them below the regulation height. Of course, if anyone knows better, etc. (12/99)
I will try to plough through some of the regs to find this, not sure if the bit I have covers this though but if I dont I will ask the old man at Hella, he should be able to find out from one of the chaps there. (12/99)

As I understand it,
1) If the extra lights come on with the main beam, then they can be anywhere you like on the car's nose, and any wattage you like. (This is because nobody can see them when they are on, so "Who cares?")
Not anywhere, Schedule 5 relates to obligatory main-beams and optional main-beams (i.e. front driving / fogs). Have to be no closer to the side of the vehicle than the outer edges of the illuminated areas of the obligatory dipped-beam headlamps (i.e. the pop ups). There is no requirement on separation of the additional lamps or the vertical position. Therefore you can mount them in the mouth of the '5 and be legal.

2) If they come on with dipped headlights then they had better be dipped as well (probably so that they don't dazzle oncoming traffic).
Yes if they are on in conjunction with obligatory dipped headlights they have to also be dipped or extinguished.

3) If they are on without the headlights (dipped or main beam) then they are fog lights. They should only be used in "conditions of seriously reduced visibility". So they must be within 1200mm of the ground and 400mm of the edge of the car (ie. They can't be in the mouth. They must be on the corner of the bumper, like the Sport)
This one is a little more tricky but as I understand it the positional requirement (less than 400mm from side of vehicle and less than 1200mm height above the ground) only relates to "fog lamps used in conditions of seriously reduced visibility IN PLACE OF the obligatory dipped-beam headlamps". So as long as the obligatory headlamps are lit (either main or dipped-beam) then there is no requirement for the horizontal position of the lamps only that they must be up to a maximum height of 1200mm. You can legally mount the fogs in the mouth of the '5.

Q) What are the reg's for dipped beam headlights. There must be something about the rules for dipped headlights that says they can't be in the mouth. Otherwise you could say "Those are not fog lamps, they are dipped headlights, Officer". ;)
I don't have any details about the dipped-beam requirements (annoyingly they are in schedule 4 which is still up in Warwickshire). I will endeavour to get these specs sent to me this week unless I can get them e-mailed. However I think that a vehicle with 3 or more wheels that is capable of exceeding 25mph first used on or after 1st April 1991 can have 2 and not more than 2 dipped beam headlamps, they must be a matched pair and that their electrical connections are such that not more than 1 pair of dipped beam headlamps is capable of being illuminated at a time. (this bit is quoted from a half page I have from schedule 4, I don't talk like this normally ;) ). I would think that there are some restrictions on the position of dipped beam headlamps. (12/99)
So what we all want to know is...if you have DRIVING lights in the mouth of the 5 when can you use them? (12/99)
I think (or rather I am reasonably sure) the answer is "You can use lights is the car's mouth only when the headlights are on (either dipped or main beam). If they are on with dipped headlights then they shouldn't dazzle other drivers." The law says they can't be independant front fog lights because they are too far from the edge of the car. I think the law is going to say they can't be headlights because they are too low (but we are still checking this).(12/99)

I now have a copy of the Schedule 4 - relating to dipped obligatory and optional front lamps. This says that only 1 pair of dipped beam lamps can be illuminated at any one time. It also says that the lamps are not to be lower than 500mm and not higher than 1200mm and not more than 400mm from the side of the vehicle.

I guess this means that you can only use the lamps with main beam, but again I could be wrong. It all seems to depend on how you class the front lamps.

I do notice that many new cars (BMW, Vauxhall, Ford etc.) have front mounted driving lamps that usually sit on the lower edge of the front bumper that can be lit with dipped beam so maybe it is legal, possibly dependent on positioning (mouth I think would be a no no though :( ). (12/99)