Should use of motor vehicle rear fog lamps only be allowed on special roads eg motorways?

[Vorpal]

Apply handbrake, engage gear and turn the wheels so the vehicle can not roll away if both fail
In Germany there is an urban myth that the handbrake might stick, many just engage gear, how is it in Norge?

It's not a myth. The older type of handbrakes; cable & drum do stick. they can do so overnight, but the longer they are left engaged without moving, the more likely it is they will stick.

I think most Norwegians leave a car in gear. Many also use the parking brake, and some who park regularly on steep hills also use wheel chocks.

[pwa]

By the way, how does having a handbrake on prevent an accident as you earlier advised - I'm still interested in that comment.

It may well prevent your vehicle hitting the one in front if something randomly strikes the back of your car with sufficient force to dislodge feet from pedals. Of course, someone causing a collision by incompetent driving isn't strictly speaking an accident, so maybe you mean something else when you claim that not having the handbrake on allows you to avoid an accident... isn't the whole point of an accident that it was unavoidable random unluck? (to use a Peter Sagan word)

You are using "accident" in a very narrow way. An "accident" is any occurrence that is unplanned. The fact that it is caused by negligence or idiocy does not stop it being an accident. It just makes it an accident for which blame can be attributed. An avoidable accident.

On the handbrake matter, I'd say it is good practice to apply it if you are in a queue of stationary traffic. If you are shunted from behind your feet are very likely to come off the pedals, and you are more likely to shunt the vehicle in front. And a high level brake light in your face, when you are stationary behind another vehicle, is uncomfortable and pointless.

[Cunobelin]

There is a trend amongst the emergency services to prop "accident" in favour of "incident"

After all it is a little demeaning to have the death of your loved one from a drunk, uninsured, unlicensed, untrained, speeding driver who ignores a red light as in any way being accidental

[pwa]

There is a trend amongst the emergency services to prop "accident" in favour of "incident"

After all it is a little demeaning to have the death of your loved one from a drunk, uninsured, unlicensed, untrained, speeding driver who ignores a red light as in any way being accidental

I know people shy away from the word "accident" when it comes to incidents because some feel it implies that there is no fault, or that it could not be avoided. But that is a fairly recent change of use for the word. All it really means is that the incident was not intended. Accidental as opposed to deliberate. When I stub my toe on a table leg I do it accidentally, even though it is my fault for not taking care. If anyone thinks the word "accident" means unavoidable or without blame they need to get to grips with the English language. Accidents can be avoidable or unavoidable.

[[XAP]Bob]

Apply handbrake, engage gear and turn the wheels so the vehicle can not roll away if both fail
In Germany there is an urban myth that the handbrake might stick, many just engage gear, how is it in Norge?

It's not a myth. The older type of handbrakes; cable & drum do stick. they can do so overnight, but the longer they are left engaged without moving, the more likely it is they will stick.

I think most Norwegians leave a car in gear. Many also use the parking brake, and some who park regularly on steep hills also use wheel chocks.

A colleague a few years ago had their handbrake freeze overnight.
My father has driven halfway up the M1 with the handbrake still on (in a company car he hadn't previously driven).
My father also parked early morning in Plymouth, and came out at lunchtime to find that his car had rolled across the car park and hit his colleagues car. If only he'd left it in gear.
When at school one of the technicians had a leak in their engine compartment that caused the starter solenoid to engage on their diesel. Fortunately he hadn't left it in gear, because that would have just pulled down the road pushing other cars out of the way...

[Cunobelin]

Shat needs to be addressed is the unregulated and un enforced variety of lighting on modern cars

A rear light canoe one of a hundred variations of single lights, multiple lights, strips, patterns or shapes

Worst of all is the stupidly dangerous designs where indicators are now built int the far brighter Rea light / brake light making them invisible due to the low intensity compared to the brake lights

[Cyril Haearn]

Shat needs to be addressed is the unregulated and un enforced variety of lighting on modern cars

A rear light canoe one of a hundred variations of single lights, multiple lights, strips, patterns or shapes

Worst of all is the stupidly dangerous designs where indicators are now built int the far brighter Rea light / brake light making them invisible due to the low intensity compared to the brake lights

+1

Often the indicators are inboard, they should be on the corners

Overpaid designers have a lot of fun making lights that look threatening in the rear mirror, - 1

Controls should be simplified and standardised too. Do Japanese vehicles still have the indicator stalk on the right?

[Bonefishblues]

what needs to be addressed is the unregulated and un enforced variety of lighting on modern cars

A rear light canoe one of a hundred variations of single lights, multiple lights, strips, patterns or shapes

Worst of all is the stupidly dangerous designs where indicators are now built int the far brighter Rea light / brake light making them invisible due to the low intensity compared to the brake lights

Technically they are regulated, and since vehicles must pass type approval to be offered for sale, the regulations are being enforced. But yes, I agree with your point, it's a bit of a shambles and the regulations could usefully be tightened.

[mjr]

Shat needs to be addressed is the unregulated and un enforced variety of lighting on modern cars

A rear light canoe one of a hundred variations of single lights, multiple lights, strips, patterns or shapes

Worst of all is the stupidly dangerous designs where indicators are now built int the far brighter Rea light / brake light making them invisible due to the low intensity compared to the brake lights

That's not quite the worst. I saw a car on Tuesday which not only has indicators in the brake light assembly but animated ones, doing a cute illumination from the centre of the car sweeping to the edge and then extinguishing in the same manner. If this stuff passed type approval, the regulators are asleep.

[[XAP]Bob]

Shat needs to be addressed is the unregulated and un enforced variety of lighting on modern cars

A rear light canoe one of a hundred variations of single lights, multiple lights, strips, patterns or shapes

Worst of all is the stupidly dangerous designs where indicators are now built int the far brighter Rea light / brake light making them invisible due to the low intensity compared to the brake lights

That's not quite the worst. I saw a car on Tuesday which not only has indicators in the brake light assembly but animated ones, doing a cute illumination from the centre of the car sweeping to the edge and then extinguishing in the same manner. If this stuff passed type approval, the regulators are asleep.

I quite like the 'animated' indicators - in part because they could animate the other way if the universal parking lights are enabled.

[thirdcrank]

IMO, if there's something the regulators should regulate, it's the ease of bulb replacement, although that's probably not an issue with LED's. I'm pretty sure that a large part of the reason there seem to be so many motor vehicles with lights not working is that it's a big deal to replace the bulbs. I've read on things like Honest John that some cares even need bits of the engine to be removed to get access to a bulb. Once upon a time - and it may still be the case - carrying a spare set of bulbs was a legal requirement, at least in France, and it's a good idea, with or without regulations. Not much point if you need a well-equipped garage to do the work.

There should be a requirement that all new vehicles have lights which are capable of having blown bulbs replaced easily without special tools by anybody without special skills. (I've just bought a Skoda Fabia and access to the front lights seems to be via the underside of the wheel arches. Just the job at the side of a dark road in the rain. )

[Bonefishblues]

Indeed, one of our cars requires the hands of a 4 year old, with the digit length of a gibbon, and the ability to dislocate at will in order to change a bulb in the headlamp unit.

[meic]

Once upon a time - and it may still be the case - carrying a spare set of bulbs was a legal requirement, at least in France, and it's a good idea, with or without regulations.

I always have enough bulbs secreted away somewhere in my car (and motorcycles) but this a legacy from the 1980s when bulbs used to blow, failures on more modern cars are a rare thing. I always saw that law as removing the excuse from people who just didnt bother doing their lights until forced to, rather than an implication that I should stop my car on top of the Brecon Beacons in mid-winter gales to replace a single blown bulb.

[Vorpal]

I've just bought a Skoda Fabia and access to the front lights seems to be via the underside of the wheel arches. Just the job at the side of a dark road in the rain.

I've got a Skoda Fabia (albeit, likely an older model), and don't have any difficulty. There is a cover on the backs of the lights that unclips on mine, then I can relatively easily reach them. The hardest part is putting the cover back on when I am finished.

At least it's much easier on mine than any other car I've had in the last ~20 years.

[Cunobelin]

Once upon a time - and it may still be the case - carrying a spare set of bulbs was a legal requirement, at least in France, and it's a good idea, with or without regulations.

I always have enough bulbs secreted away somewhere in my car (and motorcycles) but this a legacy from the 1980s when bulbs used to blow, failures on more modern cars are a rare thing. I always saw that law as removing the excuse from people who just didnt bother doing their lights until forced to, rather than an implication that I should stop my car on top of the Brecon Beacons in mid-winter gales to replace a single blown bulb.

Allegedly not.....

As bulb technology and price has escalated, many drivers are buying cheaper options from eBay et al

These are often fakes with low reliability, high failure rates and the danger of setting you car on fire!