Are modern headlights too bright?
Poll: Are modern headlights too bright?
Total Members Polled: 878
Discussion
I don't generally have a problem with this,although I suspect you might if in a sports car that is lower down(ie Lotus Elise etc)
Only problem I have had recently I was aware of a transit type van whose lights were shining straight into my side mirrors(I was in my Golf)
Very distracting,could have been an alignment issue with his headlights?
Only problem I have had recently I was aware of a transit type van whose lights were shining straight into my side mirrors(I was in my Golf)
Very distracting,could have been an alignment issue with his headlights?
PSBuckshot said:
No.
This is about headlights being too bright and being a hazard.
This is about headlights being too bright and being a hazard.
edo said:
It's the LED stuff that grates for me. EG
sorry I was replying to that. (was sure I'd quoted, obviously not)I generally find it is the after-market stuff that causes the problem for me..badly aimed HIDs being the main one
y2blade said:
sorry I was replying to that. (was sure I'd quoted, obviously not)
I generally find it is the after-market stuff that causes the problem for me..badly aimed HIDs being the main one
The aftermarket ones are worse but less common. Round here anyway. I generally find it is the after-market stuff that causes the problem for me..badly aimed HIDs being the main one
Edited by PSBuckshot on Monday 14th November 11:32
See Above Martin^^^
as soon as a post starts about headlights you can guarantee that some plumb will be along moaning about LED running lights.
Edit to add:
I generally find it is the after-market stuff that causes the problem for me..badly aimed HIDs being the main one
as soon as a post starts about headlights you can guarantee that some plumb will be along moaning about LED running lights.
Edit to add:
y2blade said:
PSBuckshot said:
No.
This is about headlights being too bright and being a hazard.
This is about headlights being too bright and being a hazard.
edo said:
It's the LED stuff that grates for me. EG
sorry I was replying to that. (was sure I'd quoted, obviously not)I generally find it is the after-market stuff that causes the problem for me..badly aimed HIDs being the main one
Edited by y2blade on Monday 14th November 11:44
PSBuckshot said:
y2blade said:
sorry I was replying to that. (was sure I'd quoted, obviously not)
I generally find it is the after-market stuff that causes the problem for me..badly aimed HIDs being the main one
The aftermarket ones are worse but less common. Round here anyway. I generally find it is the after-market stuff that causes the problem for me..badly aimed HIDs being the main one
I think significantly over half of the times I get dazzled, it's by something expensive and German and built in the last 5 years.
kambites said:
Are they worse? Maybe it's just because there's less of them, but I can dazzled by cars that look like they have OEM HIDs far more often than those that are clearly aftermarket.
I think they're worse because they've been fitted badly. That isn't to do with them being over bright but because of how they've been fitted you tend to get the full beam of light in your face and it is unpleasant. I do get 'dazzled' more by stock German saloons but that is because they're more common.
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
You know how when you were 4 you were told not to look directly at the sun?
Well the same applies to car headlights. You need to learn to look past the on coming headlights.
Once you have taught yourself to do this, rather than stare directly into the light you won't have any more problems.
If you can see through solid objects and landscape then thats a great idea! Well the same applies to car headlights. You need to learn to look past the on coming headlights.
Once you have taught yourself to do this, rather than stare directly into the light you won't have any more problems.
I regularly drive down fairly narrow, bendy and hilly A-roads in the dark- the lights hit you when they come around the corner or over the hill. Nothing you can do but drive slower and squint.
more coffee needed Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
PSBuckshot said:
But we shouldn't be made to adjust.
There is nothing wrong with bulbs that are not as bright, it isn't like every car will become invisible.
Ah, clearly you've never owned a Morris Minor, or a Beetle, or old Mini then There is nothing wrong with bulbs that are not as bright, it isn't like every car will become invisible.
Yes, they emitted a lovely warm yellow glow from the headlights which I'm sure other driver appreciated. For the driver is was pretty much guess work where the road was, especially in the rain!!
FWIW I have driven a few Morris Minors and I didn't find it to be a problem TBH...
Edited by MarkRSi on Monday 14th November 12:13
sb-1 said:
I don't generally have a problem with this,although I suspect you might if in a sports car that is lower down(ie Lotus Elise etc)
Only problem I have had recently I was aware of a transit type van whose lights were shining straight into my side mirrors(I was in my Golf)
Very distracting,could have been an alignment issue with his headlights?
I've found that either the new Ford Transit or the VW Transporter are particularly bad (in a Celica). I've certainly found it worse of recent, but whether thats due to having a lower car I don't know... not noticed it in the other halfs car though (i10).Only problem I have had recently I was aware of a transit type van whose lights were shining straight into my side mirrors(I was in my Golf)
Very distracting,could have been an alignment issue with his headlights?
My biggest problem, is the fact that cars (and hence their headlights) are mostly about a foot higher up than they used to be.
Driving a lowish car can put you in the bright-spot on dipped beams of cars (esp MPVs and 4x4s) behind you. The auto-dimming interior mirror doesn't do enough, so i'm considering fettling with it and sticking some tinted plastic on it!
Driving a lowish car can put you in the bright-spot on dipped beams of cars (esp MPVs and 4x4s) behind you. The auto-dimming interior mirror doesn't do enough, so i'm considering fettling with it and sticking some tinted plastic on it!
SuperHangOn said:
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
You know how when you were 4 you were told not to look directly at the sun?
Well the same applies to car headlights. You need to learn to look past the on coming headlights.
Once you have taught yourself to do this, rather than stare directly into the light you won't have any more problems.
If you can see through solid objects and landscape then thats a great idea! Well the same applies to car headlights. You need to learn to look past the on coming headlights.
Once you have taught yourself to do this, rather than stare directly into the light you won't have any more problems.
I regularly drive down fairly narrow, bendy and hilly A-roads in the dark- the lights hit you when they come around the corner or over the hill. Nothing you can do but drive slower and squint.
If you teach yourself not to focus on the source of the light you may find it helps - but you're obviously not willing to listen to helpful 'ideas' which may help you, and prefer to replying with sarcastic remarks, I guess this is PH after all. Go you.
Personally, I too regularly drive down narrow country lanes and never have to squint or slow down unless the road is too narrow for two cars to safely pass. Go me.
MarkRSi said:
Dr Doofenshmirtz said:
PSBuckshot said:
But we shouldn't be made to adjust.
There is nothing wrong with bulbs that are not as bright, it isn't like every car will become invisible.
Ah, clearly you've never owned a Morris Minor, or a Beetle, or old Mini then There is nothing wrong with bulbs that are not as bright, it isn't like every car will become invisible.
Yes, they emitted a lovely warm yellow glow from the headlights which I'm sure other driver appreciated. For the driver is was pretty much guess work where the road was, especially in the rain!!
MarkRSi said:
FWIW I have driven a few Morris Minors and I didn't find it to be a problem TBH...
Great...although to be perfectly honest, the lights were the least of my problems in the Minor fangio said:
I just don't understand why anyone needs such w
er lights. Do people actually need to drive that fast? Even with them, a deer can still get you! 
The advantage of sensitive eyes is that you can see perfectly well with halogens, if it wasn't for the HID tossers coming the other way!
As has been pointed out, the maximum wattage law in this country was to create an even playing field. Now the eu's fed it up!
The thing is, you are being highly biased. A good set of halogens are far more powerful than older sealed beam units, so as you moan about people with HIDs, you are doing exactly the same to those with sealed beam lights.er lights. Do people actually need to drive that fast? Even with them, a deer can still get you! The advantage of sensitive eyes is that you can see perfectly well with halogens, if it wasn't for the HID tossers coming the other way!
As has been pointed out, the maximum wattage law in this country was to create an even playing field. Now the eu's f
ed it up!Is part of the problem that newer cars all have the headlights that appear much higher in relation to the ground plus many cars featuring projector style units which focus the light far more than traditional glass designs? This is before we begin to consider how many people are running HID kits combined with the original glass/reflector set up which has a tendency to create incredibly dazzling retina burning light which isn't focussed in the slightest and rarely even on the right side of the bloody road.
Edited by aka_kerrly on Monday 14th November 17:11
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