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Due to the continued evasiveness of MINI USA, an online petition has been started to get them to address the needs of owners who want the REAR FOG LIGHT feature available on their MINI.
MINI has given a whole list of false or incorrect reasons for why rear fogs are not enabled in the US (as the are in every other country the MINI is sold in). We are moving ahead with the petition, WITH YOUR SUPPORT IN SIGNATRE ONLINE, to get MINI to address US owners on this subject. Failing that, we look forward to contacting the press and getting the word out.
Rear fog lights are a safety device. In an car as small as the MINI, this is especially important.
Saab's Policy: MSNBC Story
"Saab also has an emphasis on avoiding crashes in the first place. For many years, all Saabs have had the following as standard equipment: daytime running lights, 4-wheel ABS, a wide angle passenger-side mirror, front-wheel drive, front and rear fog lights, halogen headlights, “driver in control” steering and handling, and excellent driver ergonomics. For obvious reasons, accident avoidance should be considered the ultimate in real-life driver safety."
November 2002
194 Vehicle Pileup in California Due to Fog: CNN Story
"Thick fog may have been a factor in the accident, California Highway Patrol officers said."
October 2002
10 Vehicle Pileup in Wisconsin Due to Fog: CNN Story
"Dense fog...triggered the deadliest traffic accident in Wisconsin history..."
March 2002
125 Vehicle Pileup in Tennessee Due to Fog: CNN Story 1, Story 2
"Four people were killed in the accident on a fog-enshrouded stretch of highway, and 39 were injured. ...A similar fog-related crash on Interstate 75 more than a decade ago involved 99 vehicles near Calhoun, Tennessee. Just after 9 a.m. on December 11, 1990, a southbound tractor-trailer rear-ended another tractor-trailer in heavy fog 40 miles north of Chattanooga near the Hiwassee River. While the two uninjured drivers checked the damage, an automobile rear-ended the second truck and a third truck rear-ended the car. Fire consumed the car and two of the trucks."
January 2002
55 Vehicle Pileup in California Due to Fog: CNN Story
"Dense fog on a California freeway caused a 55-car pileup that left one person dead Thursday, the California Highway Patrol said."
April 1998
65 Vehicle Pileup On Blue Ridge Parkway Due to Fog: News Story
"A two-car accident in heavy fog on a mountain highway Sunday was the start of a chain reaction of fender benders involving 65 vehicles."
According to a 1992 NTSB highway accident report, dense fog is the cause of 680 traffic fatalities each year. (see NOAA story)
The UK's Guild of Experienced Motorists recommends rear fogs as a safety device, especially in winter. See GEM's story.
US Dept. of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Motor Carriers
Effective Poor Weather Countermeasures: (see story)
"CASE # 7. Motor carriers in California and Tennessee have recently experienced accidents involving drivers' inability to see other vehicles because of poor visibility (fog or dust storms). COUNTERMEASURE: According to researchers here and in Europe, use of front and rear running lights during daylight hours would save lives and prevent injuries, since many crashes are caused by poor visibility. These running lights can be special additional lights, reduced-intensity headlights for daytime use, or high-intensity parking lights."
British Automobile Association (AA) recommends rear fogs: (see story
"Visibility...You must use headlights when visibility is reduced. You may also use front or rear fog lights..."
MINI USA, we say give your US motorers all of the safety features you give MINI owners in the rest of the world!
Jason
Jason Livingood | personal web site
2002 DS/W MINI Cooper S
Thank you for signing my rear fog light petition. Now we have rear fogs! :-)
ACTUALLY, that's the little bit of misinformation that MINI USA would like you to believe. In fact, rear fog lights are LEGAL in the US. In addition, they are installed from factory on BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Saab, Porsche and other cars sold in the US.
Jason
Jason Livingood | personal web site
2002 DS/W MINI Cooper S
Thank you for signing my rear fog light petition. Now we have rear fogs! :-)
My 1999 Audi A4 had them standard and many other cars I see on US roads do as well (Land Rovers, Mercedes, Jaguars). But quite frankly, considering how many owners of the above mentioned vehicles drive them from the first signs of dusk until broad daylight with both front and rear foglights blaring even on dry and clear days/nights with perfect visability it's no small wonder if they've been banned in the meantime. It's a shame but few people use them correctly. Eventually I stopped using mine in the Audi as I kept getting pulled over for what the police thought was a broken tail light.
But listen, guys, seriously now. An online petition? They have about as much chance of bringing results as Bill Gates paying $100 for everytime you forward that email to 10 people.
Quickling
Home computer user since 1983. On-line member since 1987. Mac convert since 1990. Windows slave at work.
I am pretty sure most of the above vehicles have rear fogs enabled when the fronts are on. Seeing as front fogs appear to be a lost cause (for debatable reasons) as something people use only in fog. I actually applaud BMW for making front and rear separate switches. That way if someone wants the front fogs on for the extra light/coolness/whatever they don't automatically turn on the 'confusing' rear fogs, since it would be an extra toggle.
For the amount of effort in an online petition (took me 30 seconds to 'sign'), I think its worth it. Besides, all our communication with BMWNA and MINIUSA has been electronic, maybe they will be logical and pay attention.
Magic 8-ball was correct. All be in awe of Magic 8 ball.
You got it! Easy and low-cost. But it's not the end.
I am in the process of drafting a press release to send to the AP as well as numerous automotive magazines (several of which are covering the MINI since their editors and writers purchased MINIs).
MINI has marketed to all of us quite effectively online. No reason we cannot turn the tables on them and use the very same, very powerful tools.
Jason
Jason Livingood | personal web site
2002 DS/W MINI Cooper S
Thank you for signing my rear fog light petition. Now we have rear fogs! :-)
I've been very impressed by MINIusa's amazing responsiveness since the car debuted here. Some of the changes we've asked for have been things that are probably out of MINIusa's control, like fixing the cup holders, and they've still found an ingenious way to respond to our pleas by having a cup designed to fit the holder-- I think that was extraordinary of them.
I don't really have any confidence in my understanding of MINI's concern about rear fog lights in the US, so I have no idea whether or not it's reasonable to ask them to "fix" the issue by including the lights. But... I think what a lot of people really want is the toggle switch, as much as the actual lights (I don't mean to downplay the requests of those drivers who really want and would use the lights, as they seem to me a very good idea), and I wonder if MINIusa couldn't convince MINI to simply include the toggle switch for us in the future, whether or not it actually activates lights? Surely that would be a step in the right direction, and not require a redesign of any parts or anything at all-- it would just be really, really easy.
Anyway, I'm confident that MINIusa is listening to our suggestions and requests, and I'm just as confident that they will go out of their way to help us and make our experiences even better whenever they possibly can.
-wynn
Texan. Goofy. Sometimes witty. Pacifist. Imperfect, nice guy. Trying.
MINI's evasiveness on this subject is maddening due to just how SIMPLE this fix really is. Once you have the switch panel (available from MINI dealers the world over, outside of the US currently) it is simply a SOFTWARE SETTING in the body control module (BC1).
As an example, a MINI tech turns on and off various convenience features like daytime running lights by accessing the BC1. Takes a couple of minutes. With the proper software update of their configuration tool (happens quite often), enabling this feature should be trivial.
Jason
Jason Livingood | personal web site
2002 DS/W MINI Cooper S
Thank you for signing my rear fog light petition. Now we have rear fogs! :-)
In the UK rear fogs are a legal requirement, front are optional. You may only use fog lights when visibility falls below 100m. Ignore the rules and you will get a fixed penalty notice for dazzling other motorists.
The highway code says that front fogs should not be used in good visibility as it will blind oncoming motorists. I have always found this attitude strange as front fog beams are designed to spread out wide and low, certainly not aiming at windscreens. Front fogs in daylight do not dazzle at all. The Highway Code has nothing to say about the use of dipped main beams in daylight, which if anything are brighter.
Rear fogs can be really blinding, even in the fog. The best thing to do is increase the gap from the car in front. Rear centre high level brake lights are as bad, but I am yet to hear of anyone getting a ticket for leaving their foot on thwe brakes at traffic lights and dazzling the motorist behind.
Every country seems to have its problems with out of date laws combined with petty officials, and lights seem to be one of their favourite areas.
Mini has been very responsive to any questions which can be looked up in the owner's manual. Beyond that, I've found them evasive to willing to outright lie. I did eventually get an answer from a customer service manager after threating to have a customer service representative fired if she refused to transfer me to him. (I'm still saving her emails by the way) The manager explained that he spoke to engineering and corporate legal offices and both refused to provide any information concerning the activation of the rear fog lights. Period. End of story.
Not acceptable from a Customer Service standpoint.
Front & Rear fogs? In UK I find them indespensable.
I have a Land Rover Freelander & a MCS. I drive typically a 60 mile round trip each day which includes motorway, urban highways, B roads and little rough country lanes.
Rear fogs: useful in occasional fog....extra useful in frequent motorway heavy spray scenario
Front fogs: useful in rare fog...more useful in torrential rain when picking out the kerbside potholes and ill-defined road edges! That is such a God-send on poor visibility autumn/winter nights.
due to the lower mounting point. Front fogs actually are aimed higher than low-beam headlights. low-beams are angled down towards the road, while fogs are aimed almost straight out. So depending on the curvature of the road, or load in your vehicle, they can be prone to produce glare.
When you're stopped behind another stopped vehicle, you're no longer concerned with visibility of the road.
I saw my first lit MINI this weekend, driving West bound on Cornel after it got dark. The tail lamps are absolutely MINIature, but very sharp. It would appear that they'll be easy to misplace in the fog. Only wish MINI/USA would see the light
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Officially Petitioning MINI USA! 
The Safety Facts - Attn MINI USA 
