The importance of a rear dust light in the southwest.

[Martinjmpr]

You can drive as slow and as carefully as you want. How is that going to stop some idiot from plowing into the back of you if they can't see you?

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Anybody dumb enough to drive into a dust cloud without knowing what's in it is likely to be going fast enough that he won't be able to stop anyway.
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I've driven in the desert for years and have never witnessed nor experienced a situation like the OP is talking about where vehicles are driving at speed into blind dust clouds. I guess maybe it happens in off road racing but for recreational off roading I've never seen it. And I spend a LOT of time in the desert. Not only that, I know other guys who spend even more time than me off roading in the desert and I don't see them running "dust lights" either.
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A rear facing fog light would make more sense to me, even though where I live we don't generally get heavy fog and what fog we get typically lifts after the sun comes up.

 

[rayra]

You can drive as slow and as carefully as you want. How is that going to stop some idiot from plowing into the back of you if they can't see you?

not my responsibility or lookout on the public roads and trails to accommodate a speeding ************** going too fast for conditions. The legal responsibility is on the vehicle overtaking from behind.

If someone like the OP wants to drive in such a reckless fashion and put me and my family in jeopardy and even 'nerf' my vehicle, just because he thinks it's the lawless wilds, well he's going to find out just how far away from 'civilization' he really is.

 

[kojackJKU]

not my responsibility or lookout on the public roads and trails to accommodate a speeding ************** going too fast for conditions. The legal responsibility is on the vehicle overtaking from behind.

If someone like the OP wants to drive in such a reckless fashion and put me and my family in jeopardy and even 'nerf' my vehicle, just because he thinks it's the lawless wilds, well he's going to find out just how far away from 'civilization' he really is.

Exactly. LIke how long it takes to get medivac to reach him from what I would do to him. jacklegs like that are not needed in the back country, and probably would say his pants bagged to much or his flat bill hat blocked his view.

 

[Fireman78]

I find it easier to just travel away from groups. Solo is where it's at. No dust light. No headaches.


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[colodak]

Perusing through this, the first thing that comes to mind is, excellent idea, European cars have had rear fog lights for 20 yrs. Then the second thought comes to mind, how many times do you see idiots in an Audi, BMW, MB or Volvo cruising along on a clear evening or the middle of the day with front and rear fogs illuminated because they aren't capable of common sense. I drove an Audi for 9 yrs, great car, often used the front fogs as a driving light, even though the headlights worked very well, can't honestly say I ever used the rear fog, why, because I understand common sense. Now we come full circle, how many people post on here and other forums that they have been bitten by the Overland or Expedition bug, and come from the lowered or tuner car scene, so they sold their tuner car and are building a truck/SUV. Rear mounted fogs are a great idea..........THEY ARE NOT DOT LEGAL TO BE RUN ON PAVED SURFACES IN THE UNITED STATES UNLESS IT IS FOGGY OR POOR VISIBILITY, you can actually be ticketed for it if the cop is feeling "anal" about it, sadly, most cops aren't that bright about some of the traffic laws they enforce, thus how we see so many trucks running around with giant LED light bars being lit up in the middle of the day.

There is an Audi version of this video, but this version works well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnNDNnVFCFQ

Mute the sound, but gets the point across as well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phD1zuIl5Q4

 

[Robert Bills]

. . . Rear mounted fogs are a great idea..........THEY ARE NOT DOT LEGAL TO BE RUN ON PAVED SURFACES IN THE UNITED STATES, you can actually be ticketed for it if the cop is feeling "anal" about it. . . .

Yes and no.

Yes, a rear mounted fog light is a great idea.

No, not all rear mounted fog lights are illegal per the DOT. In most states a red rear mounted fog light is legal. In most states, white or amber rear mounted fog lights are not. Check the vehicle codes for the state(s) in which you drive for the specific statutes.

 

[NatersXJ6]

Would you mind pointing out where we verify your "DOT Legal" statement is correct ?

Fwiw, Many 'euro built cars sold to US 'specs are fitted with rear foglight.
My latest example is Ford Transit Connect.

Hard to believe I'm jumping into this mess, but I looked up the California Vehicle Code, understanding it is not the same as FMVSS or overall US DOT regulation. Sections 25950 and 24602 variously define allowable lights and rearward color. Fog lights are pretty clearly allowed, if they are red.

I too have seen idiots driving down the highway, often in broad clear daylight, running their rear euro fog lights. I generally look at that as an "Idiot Light" as in "Use extra caution... I'm an Idiot!".

With that being said, I used to work in construction, and the sound of rotating ambers or wig-wags became so common that you would occasionally forget to kill them. On quite a few occasions, I've seen work trucks running down the road with those lights on, so I can feel for someone running a totally silent fog light.

At night, a rear-facing white light could cause some issues to other drivers, although probably not any more than the multitude of people that drive around with no headlights on, no tai lights due to their DRLs on, or the worst IMHO, brake lights engaged 100% of the time.

We get impressive fog here, and I would generally say that more rearward lights are better in those conditions, just know when to use them and when to kill them!

 

[colodak]

Would you mind pointing out where we verify your "DOT Legal" statement is correct ?

Fwiw, Many 'euro built cars sold to US 'specs are fitted with rear foglight.
My latest example is Ford Transit Connect.

Yes and no.

Yes, a rear mounted fog light is a great idea.

No, not all rear mounted fog lights are illegal per the DOT. In most states a red rear mounted fog light is legal. In most states, white or amber rear mounted fog lights are not. Check the vehicle codes for the state(s) in which you drive for the specific statutes.

Hard to believe I'm jumping into this mess, but I looked up the California Vehicle Code, understanding it is not the same as FMVSS or overall US DOT regulation. Sections 25950 and 24602 variously define allowable lights and rearward color. Fog lights are pretty clearly allowed, if they are red.

I too have seen idiots driving down the highway, often in broad clear daylight, running their rear euro fog lights. I generally look at that as an "Idiot Light" as in "Use extra caution... I'm an Idiot!".

With that being said, I used to work in construction, and the sound of rotating ambers or wig-wags became so common that you would occasionally forget to kill them. On quite a few occasions, I've seen work trucks running down the road with those lights on, so I can feel for someone running a totally silent fog light.

At night, a rear-facing white light could cause some issues to other drivers, although probably not any more than the multitude of people that drive around with no headlights on, no tai lights due to their DRLs on, or the worst IMHO, brake lights engaged 100% of the time.

We get impressive fog here, and I would generally say that more rearward lights are better in those conditions, just know when to use them and when to kill them!

Ok, realized I screwed up in my original post, they are legal, in FOG or poor visibility conditions, they are not legal to be run if those conditions are not met, as they can blind motorists behind you...........they also make you look like an ignorant ******************. Also, most euro vehicles that run them, have some type of indicator so you know they are lit up, it's the idiot driver who ignores it.