Not really.


They don't care about total output, they are concerned with incident light.

Just to pile on some useless info, My old Audis had a rear Fog light standard. When I used it people would always say to me I had a bulb out cause it was brighter than the other bulbs in the array.

yes really. They're both measurements of light. Although it's far more complex, for the sake of this arguement...its the same. Unless you're thinking a cop must stand in a certain spot? The candela output is going to be different if he takes two steps to the right or left. Total light output in lumens is easier to understand. All moot nevertheless.

They do candela measurements at various incident angles. You must be compliant from all applicable angles. Basically, fail one, fail em all.

Not only is there not a good field test for luminescence, it means nothing as applied to the law.

True, but again it would depend on where you would be standing. Is there a standard or specific distance?

I'm just saying an officer wouldn't really have any way of accurately measuring if the fog light is too bright or not other than visual observation. Even if he had a light meter, he could measure it from 2" away and have it 'fail' or 100 feet away and have it 'pass'. I honestly don't know what the standard is, or if there is even one on fog lamps. It's not black & white since different light fixtures emit light differently, but I think total luminosity would be easier to compare if something were legal or not. Using a specific candela reading would certainly be a more accurate for specific spot.

They'll usually ticket you based on judgment, but I know it parts of nova they carry a candela meter. The document I linked earlier describes what is allowed and how it is measured...and light emissions are usually measured at the source.

They have the option to eyeball it and give you the ticket, but if you are irritating them, they can keep you on the side of the road "measuring" from every angle for hours.

I'm pretty sure that they have to measure it if they want to ticket you for it, similar to window tint. If they don't, then you can make a claim in court that they never measured, unless you confessed something during the stop, but this discussion has gone completely off the rails.

Q: How can I make my fog lamp dimmer?

A: Dimmer bulbs, tint the exterior, get the EVO-R instead of the OEM

All the rest of this has been tangential to the actual purpose of the thread.

It's like most things, they can ticket you for whatever. Whether it holds up in court is separate.


Like all lighting mods, they have the option to impound and ask questions later...just ask all the "euro" guys.

They didn't impound 2theX's car when he got ticketed for excessive lighting. They just ticketed him and let him on his way.

Just seems silly and subjective. If he's spending that much time and effort for a fix it ticket, you've got bigger problems.

As always, rare but possible.

Surprisingly common in fairfax county. This is a county where I received an exhaust ticket for my stock exhaust.

:shakes head:

it is illegal though, in a whole wide range of circumstances, specifically the one he is using it in. He asked for help fixing it, not people to tell him it is legal.

here:


You get in trouble if you don't follow the rules. You won't if you don't. Personal attacks are against the rules, disagreeing is not.

lol at all the bickering..

OP, you can do what I did.. I got a 2 stage socket and bulb from autolumination.com. (7443 was the socket type I believe) I have it wired to the taillight circuit, so that its dim when the headlights are on, and lights up bright when you press the brake. Might be what you are looking for.