hungryhorace

I'm told it's because:

1. New England doesn't suffer from fog (well, looking out my window today kinda disproves that one) and
2. The average American thinks they're brake lights and would get confused.

Anyone know the real reason why there are no fog lights here?

Pulaski

There is no state or federal requirement for vehicles to be fitted with them.

Next question?

FWIW There have been a few cars imported with them. I have seen some Jags with them, and, I think, some Volvos.

hungryhorace

But surely it's a safety feature? Why are car manufacturers not fitting them?

Pulaski

Cost, lack of customer demand, lack of customer interest? .... And quite frankly, lack of customer awareness the product even exists, as well as the previously mentioned factor.

hungryhorace

The guys here I just asked didn't even know what they are. Just staggering.

Lion in Winter

You are easily staggered, apparently.

Anyway, you can buy them and have them fitted.

Nutmegger

They do, if you want them. When I purchased a new truck, I chose one with fog lights -- though I have to admit I very rarely used them, and then just on unfamiliar unlighted roads as we do indeed hardly ever get fog. My latest vehicle was purchased used, and the mountings are there to insert fog lights, but the original owner had not had them installed.

Jerseygirl

I wondered the same when we first moved her...then I realised in NJ we don't get much fog. Maybe you do in NE but I suspect there aren't many areas of the US that suffer from bad fog. Had to smile to myself when fog warnings were issued when visibility got down to half a mile.

What annoys the hell out of me when I am in the UK is the idiots who use their fog lights because it's dark or raining a little.

Pulaski

Yeah, well they probably don't why some cars have that stick in the center of the car, just in front of the center console, that you waggle around with your right hand either!

Guindalf

The question asked is about REAR fog lights, not front ones.

Down here in the south, it's hard enough to get people to turn on their regular lights, let alone fogs!!

Nutmegger

LOL -- totally missed that! Don't think I've ever had a vehicle with rear fog lights.

robin1234

I had a Subaru Outback and it had fog lights (or frog lights as they are sometimes called up here in the amphibian-rich wetlands.) With that car, I used them very frequently, not so much because of fog but other adverse conditions like blizzard and heavy rain. I think they are standard on all Subarus, they used to be anyway (mine was a 1998 so things may have changed.)

Since then we've had a couple of small Toyotas and I haven't really missed the fog lights. I don't drive anything like as much as I did ten or fifteen years ago though...

Pulaski

Despite the opinions often proffered here on BE, idiocy, bad driving, and idiocy combined with bad driving, are not traits unique to the US. ..... Though the US population may have taken them to another level.

hungryhorace

That's the main positive of the cars here not being fitted with them. Completely agree there! Infuriates me when the idiots of England turn their fog lights on in the rain.

SultanOfSwing

Don't we already have a WGAF thread in the lounge?