GasBuddy Blog

Message Forum - Read Message

Category: Car Talk > Topics	Add to favorite topics Post New Topic

Author	Topic: Which cuts through fog better? yellow or white fog lamps.	Post a Reply Back to Topics

Gas_Master_G All-Star Author Springfield Posts:706 Points:238,660 Joined:Aug 2003	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 12:34:26 AM Ignore Gas_Master_G Report Abuse Which cuts through fog better? yellow or white fog lamps. Mine are presently white

Gas_Master_G

All-Star Author
Springfield

Posts:706
Points:238,660
Joined:Aug 2003

Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 12:34:26 AM

Ignore Gas_Master_G Report Abuse

Which cuts through fog better? yellow or white fog lamps. Mine are presently white

REPLIES (newest first)Ignore Short Messages

geno700 Veteran Author British Columbia Posts:341 Points:168,675 Joined:Sep 2012	Message Posted: Apr 5, 2013 3:34:53 AM Ignore geno700 Report Abuse yellow and it depends on where you put them
probedude2 Champion Author Akron Posts:12,543 Points:2,378,255 Joined:Jun 2003	Message Posted: Apr 5, 2013 2:11:13 AM Ignore probedude2 Report Abuse No fog lamps
lyanMI Veteran Author Detroit Posts:262 Points:210,260 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Apr 4, 2013 4:06:54 PM Ignore lyanMI Report Abuse Yellow
toms1120 Champion Author Maryland Posts:8,561 Points:1,809,945 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Apr 1, 2013 6:47:50 PM Ignore toms1120 Report Abuse Yellow
dontuknowOH Champion Author Ohio Posts:2,098 Points:36,565 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Apr 1, 2013 5:18:34 PM Ignore dontuknowOH Report Abuse Bright or brighter clear white or amber fog lamps, neither can make up for unreasonable traveling distances between vehicles for conditions of fog, snow, ice, or dry pavement V/S wet. Where large heavy weight vehicles are mixed in traffic with smaller ones, whatever the conditions sight/braking/extra weight/speed/attitudes all conflict. Fog and white-outs are blinders to ones senses, mainly a good driver's reaction ability. Even heavy dense Smoke because of an emergency nearby maybe?
bluenvoy Champion Author Nashville Posts:14,954 Points:1,873,965 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Apr 1, 2013 9:32:13 AM Ignore bluenvoy Report Abuse White works fine for me.
Dale Jr. Champion Author Illinois Posts:16,219 Points:3,235,100 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Apr 1, 2013 9:21:09 AM Ignore Dale Jr. Report Abuse Don't know.
Hemond Champion Author Providence Posts:8,167 Points:133,385 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Apr 1, 2013 8:40:56 AM Ignore Hemond Report Abuse Although living 1/2 mile from the ocean, we never have fog here. Fog is a rarity. Ironic, that big crash yesterday in Virginia/North Carolina with the 95 cars colliding and 3 dead....that was due to heavy fog.
Z03 Sophomore Author New York Posts:216 Points:100,140 Joined:Dec 2012	Message Posted: Apr 1, 2013 3:57:19 AM Ignore Z03 Report Abuse Yellow
diesel8888 Champion Author Salt Lake City Posts:1,186 Points:357,565 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Apr 1, 2013 2:41:06 AM Ignore diesel8888 Report Abuse Yellow
kellyoneal Champion Author Louisville Posts:2,405 Points:702,115 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 10, 2013 2:03:10 AM Ignore kellyoneal Report Abuse I do not know I have had both white and yellow.
probedude2 Champion Author Akron Posts:12,543 Points:2,378,255 Joined:Jun 2003	Message Posted: Feb 10, 2013 1:16:59 AM Ignore probedude2 Report Abuse no fog lamps
dontuknowOH Champion Author Ohio Posts:2,098 Points:36,565 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Feb 9, 2013 5:32:54 PM Ignore dontuknowOH Report Abuse jimmy544; I'm having a little trouble with your last sentence,I presume you mean it in reverse,thinking so. Anyway your id picture,is that a 1932 roadster by Ford,just wondering? Sorry I reread the sentence three more times,it soaked in the point you were making. A tricky thought on my part.... HAGDay....
bearscharger Champion Author Cleveland Posts:1,317 Points:267,925 Joined:Aug 2012	Message Posted: Feb 9, 2013 4:18:50 PM Ignore bearscharger Report Abuse yellow
dontuknowOH Champion Author Ohio Posts:2,098 Points:36,565 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Feb 9, 2013 10:52:38 AM Ignore dontuknowOH Report Abuse The older amber sealed beam type lamps used low wattage,were a wide narrow vertical focused beam to light the sides of the road edge,objects,etc. They often got mounted too high to be effective shineing ahead,vehicles then sat higher also with more ground clearance. I've been told,no facts, but fog doesn't stay completely down to the last few inches to contact the road surface,the amber color lens doesn't cause reverse reflection as much as a white glare to ones eyes. Human eyes tend to protect by limiting bright light at the aprature like a camera would also for good visuals. If mounted correctly meaning low ,aimed correct then penatrating under the fog at a farther range might light objects or aleart other drivers at a much greater distance. In the past with the old fog types in use, headlamps off,ambers on mounted real low,only park-lamps on also,have been able to see farther,not much but glare was reduced, Driving in intence fog tires the eyes quickly causes reaction time to suffer .MYOP... Todays Vehicles sit low,lamps are more intence,but amber ?where did it go...? ? Ask the weatherman about the fog/ground clearance info! I Heard..doesn't make it so, ask at least 20 OP's Uh Huh..LOL !
gator2002 Champion Author Calgary Posts:11,001 Points:2,565,375 Joined:Jul 2003	Message Posted: Feb 9, 2013 9:46:59 AM Ignore gator2002 Report Abuse Yellow
toms1120 Champion Author Maryland Posts:8,561 Points:1,809,945 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Feb 9, 2013 9:29:35 AM Ignore toms1120 Report Abuse Yellow
14smoke Champion Author Birmingham Posts:13,188 Points:1,921,140 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 4:43:31 PM Ignore 14smoke Report Abuse Neither really "cuts through" the fog, however, the use of yellow lights does not reflect back off the fog as badly as white does, and sometimes, depending upon the thickness of the fog, the white lights get lost, whereas the yellow would stand out more the closer someone gets to you.
bearscharger Champion Author Cleveland Posts:1,317 Points:267,925 Joined:Aug 2012	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 3:02:42 PM Ignore bearscharger Report Abuse yellow
fatso Sophomore Author Indianapolis Posts:246 Points:181,365 Joined:Oct 2004	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 1:07:54 PM Ignore fatso Report Abuse yellow cuts better
jimmy544 Champion Author Boston Posts:4,094 Points:651,905 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 1:02:10 PM Ignore jimmy544 Report Abuse Never had yellow ones but one car has fogs that do work a little better than regular low beams. But you should drive slower in fog. It gives you a better chance to avoid an accident. Stopping distance increases rapidly with increasing speed.
BT1288 Champion Author Lincoln Posts:22,090 Points:1,421,435 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 11:10:08 AM Ignore BT1288 Report Abuse If they're not mounted as low on the car as possible, nothing will be effective.
dontuknowOH Champion Author Ohio Posts:2,098 Points:36,565 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 10:12:54 AM Ignore dontuknowOH Report Abuse No tech. expertice here but if one notices,during Dawn/Dusk,most colors like deep reds,blues,greens,browns,black,even other blends soon look almost shades of black as daylight fades away. White,yellow,silver,still reflect more image to human eyes from small sources of any light. Some newer amber/yellow surround shields combined with a dull black color inter median boarder help colored traffic lamps to be more noticable(traffic control) new designs. The experience I've had is white emmited light focused toward white/light gray vivid particles,dust/fog particles,then produced reflected intence glare,causing the human eye to shutter back the esential viewing of the positive image/images.High beam headlamps White against white elements causes the drivers eyes to tire quickly reducing vision capabilitys,often masking the obvious objects. Amber seems to be absorbed,also less reflective,but still gaining illumination by small percentages....MYOP !
Titanic1985 Champion Author South Carolina Posts:6,246 Points:356,370 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 9:54:30 AM Ignore Titanic1985 Report Abuse Hello Gas_Master_G. This question has come up on Gas Buddy on an infrequent basis for the past two plus years as have others regarding what do you you call them, fog lights or driving lights or running lights. Both their color and effectiveness have become discussions among Gas Buddies. Here is a portion of an article: "Front fog lamps provide a wide, bar-shaped beam of light with a sharp cutoff at the top, and are generally aimed and mounted low .[11][12] They may produce white or selective yellow light, and are intended for use at low speed to increase the illumination directed towards the road surface and verges in conditions of poor visibility due to rain, fog, dust or snow. They are sometimes used in place of dipped-beam headlamps, reducing the glareback from fog or falling snow, although the legality varies by jurisdiction of using front fog lamps without low beam headlamps. The respective purposes of front fog lamps and driving lamps are often confused, due in part to the misconception that fog lamps are necessarily selective yellow, while any auxiliary lamp that makes white light is a driving lamp. Automakers and aftermarket parts and accessories suppliers frequently refer interchangeably to "fog lamps" and "driving lamps" (or "fog/driving lamps"). In most countries, weather conditions rarely necessitate the use of fog lamps, and there is no legal requirement for them, so their primary purpose is frequently cosmetic. They are often available as optional extras or only on higher trim levels of many cars. A study has shown that in North America more people inappropriately use their fog lamps in dry weather than use them properly in poor weather.[14]" This article coincides with previous posts of other Gas Buddies. As I grew up they were always considered amber, but today you see mostly white (e.g. running or driving lights). I special ordered these for my 2012 Chevrolet Sonic as they aid night driving on my back country roads. Take care :-). MGY [Edited by: Titanic1985 at 1/22/2013 9:54:59 AM EST]
WEPSMAN Champion Author South Dakota Posts:10,513 Points:2,023,800 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 9:04:49 AM Ignore WEPSMAN Report Abuse Mine are white. I have no problems with them.
EdPG Champion Author Boston Posts:12,172 Points:2,667,035 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 8:24:04 AM Ignore EdPG Report Abuse I have white on both cars. I do like the yellow best.
Pugpal Champion Author Toronto Posts:2,061 Points:39,745 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 6:22:06 AM Ignore Pugpal Report Abuse On the other hand, under some conditions, it appears that yellow might have an advantage: paper 1 and paper 2. To complete the circle, one only has to notice that aircraft use clear (i.e. white) landing lights to find the runway under night and fog conditions. [Edited by: Pugpal at 1/22/2013 6:26:36 AM EST]
Pugpal Champion Author Toronto Posts:2,061 Points:39,745 Joined:Jul 2005	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 6:06:04 AM Ignore Pugpal Report Abuse I would like to thank Mike Painter for the following post, taken from another forum ten years ago: The subject of foglights and lights used in fog comes up often. I could not see any reason why a particular color would be any better in such a situation so looked around a bit. It turns out there is no reason. (If you don't read the whole thing, this has been known for over 65 years.) Note that the following information does not deal with the position of the light. In fog or any turbulance (such as diving) holding it as far away as possible will give you the best illumination. This is because you are not faced with the light reflecting from the particles. Begin article. There is no good reason why fog lights are yellow. Here is an excellent explanation provided by Professor Craig Bohren of Penn State University:"First I'll give you the wrong explanation, which you can find here and there. It goes something like this. As everyone knows, scattering (by anything!) is always greater at the shortwavelength end of the visible spectrum than at the longwavelength end. Lord Rayleigh showed this, didn't he? Thus to obtain the greatest penentration of light through fog, you should use the longest wavelength possible. Red is obviously unsuitable because it is used for stop lights. So you compromise and use yellow instead.This explanation is flawed for more than one reason. Fog droplets are, on average, smaller than cloud droplets, but they still are huge compared with the wavelengths of visible light. Thus scattering of such light by fog is essentially wavelength independent. Unfortunately, many people learn (without caveats) Rayleigh's scattering law and then assume that it applies to everything. They did not learn that this law is limited to scatterers small compared with the wavelength and at wavelengths far from strong absorption. The second flaw is that in order to get yellow light in the first place you need a filter. Note that yellow fog lights were in use when the only available headlights were incandescent lamps. If you place a filter over a white headlight, you get less transmitted light, and there goes your increased penetration down the drain. There are two possible explanations for yellow fog lights. One is that the first designers of such lights were mislead because they did not understand the limitations of Rayleigh's scattering law and did not know the size distribution of fog droplets. The other explanation is that someone deemed it desirable to make fog lights yellow as a way of signalling to other drivers that visibility is poor and thus caution is in order. Designers of headlights have known for a long time that there is no magic color that gives great penetration. I have an article from the Journal of Scientific Instruments published in October 1938 (Vol. XV, pp. 317-322). The article is by J. H. Nelson and is entitled "Optics of headlights". The penultimate section in this paper is on "fog lamps". Nelson notes that "there is almost complete agreement among designers of fog lamps, and this agreement is in most cases extended to the colour of the light to be used. Although there are still many lamps on the road using yellow light, it seems to be becoming recognized that there is no filter, which, when placed in front of a lamp, will improve the penetration power of that lamp." This was written 61 years ago. Its author uses a few words ("seem", "becoming recognized") indicating that perhaps at one time lamp designers thought that yellow lights had greater penetrating power. And it may be that because of this the first fog lamps were yellow. Once the practice of making such lamps yellow began it just continued because of custom."Dr. Lawrence D. Woolf General Atomics
DanFMA Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:1,101 Points:1,070,535 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 5:29:57 AM Ignore DanFMA Report Abuse White.
jessjames Champion Author Huntsville Posts:15,289 Points:3,302,260 Joined:Jun 2003	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 5:22:17 AM Ignore jessjames Report Abuse White
Maintroll Champion Author Lexington Posts:8,624 Points:1,701,185 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 5:14:10 AM Ignore Maintroll Report Abuse Fog is like smoke, really nothing cuts through either, being a retired firefighter, I know.
DasAuto92 Champion Author Montreal Posts:2,444 Points:174,795 Joined:Apr 2010	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 12:54:49 AM Ignore DasAuto92 Report Abuse I prefer yellow.
herbiepopnecker Champion Author British Columbia Posts:13,591 Points:2,504,380 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jan 22, 2013 12:39:02 AM Ignore herbiepopnecker Report Abuse The height and angle matter more than the colour.