Driving In Fog

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28937, 3 July 1959, Page 14

Driving In Fog

•RECENT’ fogs which, have blanketed Christchurch “have caused some motorists to seek lighting systems which will . reduce the problem of finding one s way in d "pea-sbuper.” There are several types of fog lamps on the market, but few of them are of real help in a dense fog. Discs of-yellow paper which canbe stuck on to the headlamps during a fog achieve exactly the same result as the yellow lamps which may be expensive. Whether the yellow has better piercing qualities in a fog is open to question, but certainly it is essential to get rid of the bright white beam issued by standard headlamps. White light has a high refraction index in fog, so that it has the tendency to “blind” the driver. Speed In Fog

Whether a driver has an impressive array of foglights or not does not excuse excessive speed in fog. Many drivers in Christchurch have been observed to open the window on the driver’s side and follow the white line. This can be an extremely dangerous practice, for the chances are that a motorist in the opposite direction is using the same guiding line. If the fog is so thick that visibility is reduced to Jess than three feet, it is far better to park the vehicle than to risk a head-on collision.

Fortunately, most fogs in Christchurch are patchy, and occur most near rivers. They are, therefore, usually restricted in time as well as extent

on winter mornings. Ona drwe had a lucky escape from injur recently in Rosaafi street wbe turning on to Carlton Mill roa near the Avpn river, for ice on th road took the car close to Talling on the bank of' the rfvw. Fine grade shingle spread on the read recently has helped to solve tho problem, but this is one of eeveral danger spots around the city, No matter hbw skilful the driver, ice and fog can be treacherous, and should be treated accordingly,