Keep being flashed!
Discussion
Osinjak said:
Alucidnation said:
Osinjak said:
Alucidnation said:
Seems the bell ends are in tonight.
I'm assuming you've missed the breathtaking irony in your post? Half term still isn't over it would seem.How are you sweetheart? X
Life is too short.
Enjoy the rest of your Bank Holiday.
TonyG2003 said:
To the OP. How old was the eclass you were driving. I’ve had two with ILS and we have a SLC with ILS. The oldest eclass (62 plate) was a bit slow but the SLC (16 plate) and eclass (68 plate) with adaptive LED lights work much better and I’ve never been flashed driving either.
It’s a 2019 model (hired) and has the matrix type lights (not sure what the Merc name for them is) which switch off individual LEDs rather than the more basic high beam assist. From my side it was brilliant constantly having the best visibility but other drivers kept flashing at me. They did do what they were supposed to, and I don’t think ever did blind anyone, but people seemed to flash in preparation for being blinded!Tankrizzo said:
Alucidnation said:
Oh dear, you appear very angry.
Life is too short.
Enjoy the rest of your Bank Holiday.
I'd stick to spouting your tiresome rubbish in the electrical threads, your thing where you try and be provocative like a teenager seems to work better there.Life is too short.
Enjoy the rest of your Bank Holiday.
andyxxx said:
55palfers said:
Yet more "stuff" added to cars that no-one ever asked for.
I am the only person to disagree.I have them on my vehicle, I think they are great and they work brilliantly. They detect cars in front and oncoming perfectly. I have never been flashed because of them (because they work faultlessly)
Far more people forget to dim their lights and end up dazzling you.
I pre-emptively flash before cars even come into view, too many idiots forget to dip until they've already fried your eyeballs.
On the other hand I use my headlights in all but the brightest daylight and I get people flashing me for that.
I think some people are just really sensitive, think they know the law, think they ARE the law and drive around looking for excuses to be offended.
Jonno02 said:
Maybe an alignment issue. I don't have this in my car, but the wife's Tiguan does and when I drive it, I've never been flashed.
Agree though, over-engineered solution to a non-existent problem.
Non existent? Depends what roads you drive on regularly and equally too many people in my view don't use main beam enough to gain greater vision when conditions allow.Agree though, over-engineered solution to a non-existent problem.
I find my adaptive BMW ones fine. Still is like witchcraft though.
Not LED, but on a 2019 halogen car (Octavia, and I assume other VW Group stuff) you can't adjust headlight height using the usual rotary dial, you have to go into a sub-menu in the infotainment system and find the headlight setting. That's stupid as what was a simple thing to do on the move if you found your lights too high now becomes a faff. It also has a setting to leave high-beam on and dip it with an oncoming car. It doesn't work properly unless you are on straight roads and I don't drive in Arizona. So that is disabled too. Just like on the previous 2 cars that also had it, and on which it also didn't work properly in the real world. They both appear to be answers to be problem nobody has.
Edited by Rich Boy Spanner on Tuesday 23 April 10:38
Rich Boy Spanner said:
Not LED, but on a 2019 halogen car (Octavia, and I assume other VW Group stuff) you can't adjust headlight height using the usual rotary dial, you have to go into a sub-menu in the infotainment system and find the headlight setting. That's stupid as what was a simple thing to do on the move if you found your lights too high now becomes a faff. It also has a setting to leave high-beam on and dip it with an oncoming car. It doesn't work properly unless you are on straight roads and I don't drive in Arizona. So that is disabled too. Just like on the previous 2 cars that also had it, and on which it also didn't work properly in the real world. They both appear to be answers to be problem nobody has.
That's a good point, on my Freelander2, one of the first MOT testers failed it due to headlight aim too low. I think, not sure tbh, that was because I had the alignment adjustment wound down a fair bit as had just had a fair old load in it. Edited by Rich Boy Spanner on Tuesday 23 April 10:38
Any way they adjusted it and then passed it. Naturally now on the normal settings it was too high, and from time to time would get flashed, though in compensation the illumination on main beam with high output bulbs is getting close to on par with my old mk1 Escort rally car with Bi-odes and S Oscars.
Since then have left the adjustment as it is, mostly drive around with the lights lowered at which setting they are OK, heading out into the wilds with almost no other traffic it's easy to wind them up and turn night into day. Get to any built up area, easy to readjust.
Rich Boy Spanner said:
Not LED, but on a 2019 halogen car (Octavia, and I assume other VW Group stuff) you can't adjust headlight height using the usual rotary dial, you have to go into a sub-menu in the infotainment system and find the headlight setting. That's stupid as what was a simple thing to do on the move if you found your lights too high now becomes a faff. It also has a setting to leave high-beam on and dip it with an oncoming car. It doesn't work properly unless you are on straight roads and I don't drive in Arizona. So that is disabled too. Just like on the previous 2 cars that also had it, and on which it also didn't work properly in the real world. They both appear to be answers to be problem nobody has.
I drive an Octavia with the same system, and it works fine on twisty Suffolk back roads.Edited by Rich Boy Spanner on Tuesday 23 April 10:38
I've never been flashed at.
Agree the lamp adjustment in a sub menu is a faff though.
I think these people with the “clever” headlights should get someone to drive their car towards them at night and then they can make an informed decision about how f
king bright they are.
Even dailying a Van I’m regularly dazzled at night by super duper 10,000,000 lumen white headlights and in 90% of cases they’re fitted to a German brand car.
king bright they are. Even dailying a Van I’m regularly dazzled at night by super duper 10,000,000 lumen white headlights and in 90% of cases they’re fitted to a German brand car.
Leptons said:
I think these people with the “clever” headlights should get someone to drive their car towards them at night and then they can make an informed decision about how fking bright they are.
Even dailying a Van I’m regularly dazzled at night by super duper 10,000,000 lumen white headlights and in 90% of cases they’re fitted to a German brand car.
Ha! You know full well there is a limit on headlight output.king bright they are. Even dailying a Van I’m regularly dazzled at night by super duper 10,000,000 lumen white headlights and in 90% of cases they’re fitted to a German brand car.
Leptons said:
I think these people with the “clever” headlights should get someone to drive their car towards them at night and then they can make an informed decision about how fking bright they are.
Even dailying a Van I’m regularly dazzled at night by super duper 10,000,000 lumen white headlights and in 90% of cases they’re fitted to a German brand car.
Are you moaning about the actual use of adaptive headlights or just simply the fact that the light is whiter from xenon, LED and laser lights?king bright they are. Even dailying a Van I’m regularly dazzled at night by super duper 10,000,000 lumen white headlights and in 90% of cases they’re fitted to a German brand car.
Be careful with your answer as in many cases a number of people have complained about lighting systems and the fact that these drivers "appear" to be using main beam, but a number probably are not.
The underlying issue is that lighting regulations still have a focus on wattage and not lumen output, and make for little account of how efficient these light sources now are.
Just been having a read of the U.N. EVE lighting regulations
On these auto dip systems the sensitivity requirement appears to be as follows -
"6.1.9.3.1.2. The sensor system shall be able to detect on a straight level road:
(a) An oncoming power driven vehicle at a distance extending to at least 400 m;
(b) A preceding power driven vehicle or a vehicle-trailers combination at a distance extending to at least 100 m;
(c) An oncoming bicycle at a distance extending to at least 75 m, its illumination represented by a white lamp with a luminous intensity of 150 cd with a light emitting area of 10cm² +/- 3cm² and a height above a ground of 0.8 m. "
Now not sure if the light intensity mentioned in (c) is applicable to other vehicles, but seems as if 150 candela is roughly equivalent to a tungsten filament bulb of 17w.
Regs then go on to say -
"6.1.9.3.2. The transition from main-beam to dipped-beam and vice versa according to the conditions indicated in paragraph 6.1.7.1. above may be performed automatically and shall not cause discomfort, distraction or glare. "
It seems from comments on here and personal observation that some systems comply well, others clearly do not.
Just for reference 6.1.7.1 and 6.1.7.2 say
"6.1.7.1. Except when they are used to give intermittent luminous warnings at short intervals the main-beam headlamps may be switched ON, only when the master light switch is in headlamps ON position or in "AUTO" (automatic) position and the conditions for automatic activation of dipped-beam exist. In the latter case, the main beam headlamps shall be switched off automatically when the conditions for automatic activation of dipped-beam ceased to exist.
6.1.7.2. The control of the main-beam headlamps may be automatic regarding their activation and deactivation, the control signals being produced by a sensor system which is capable of detecting and reacting to each of the following inputs:
(a) Ambient lighting conditions;
(b) The light emitted by the front lighting devices and front light-signalling devices of oncoming vehicles;
(c) The light emitted by the rear light-signalling devices of preceding vehicles.
Additional sensor functions to improve performance are allowed.
For the purpose of this paragraph, "vehicles" means vehicles of categories L, M, N, O, T, as well as bicycles, such vehicles being equipped with retro-reflectors, with lighting and light-signalling devices, which are switched ON."
Also
"6.1.9.3.1.1. The boundaries of the minimum fields in which the sensor is able to detect light emitted or retro reflected from other vehicles defined in paragraph 6.1.7.1. are defined by the angles indicated below.
6.1.9.3.1.1.1. Horizontal angles: 15° to the left and 15° to the right.
Vertical angles:
Upward angle 5°
Mounting height of the sensor (centre of sensor aperture above the ground) Less than 2 m Between 1.5 m and 2.5 m Greater than 2.0 m
Downward angle 2° 2° to 5° 5°
These angles are measured from the centre of the sensor aperture relative to a horizontal straight line through its centre and parallel to the longitudinal median plane of the vehicle."
On these auto dip systems the sensitivity requirement appears to be as follows -
"6.1.9.3.1.2. The sensor system shall be able to detect on a straight level road:
(a) An oncoming power driven vehicle at a distance extending to at least 400 m;
(b) A preceding power driven vehicle or a vehicle-trailers combination at a distance extending to at least 100 m;
(c) An oncoming bicycle at a distance extending to at least 75 m, its illumination represented by a white lamp with a luminous intensity of 150 cd with a light emitting area of 10cm² +/- 3cm² and a height above a ground of 0.8 m. "
Now not sure if the light intensity mentioned in (c) is applicable to other vehicles, but seems as if 150 candela is roughly equivalent to a tungsten filament bulb of 17w.
Regs then go on to say -
"6.1.9.3.2. The transition from main-beam to dipped-beam and vice versa according to the conditions indicated in paragraph 6.1.7.1. above may be performed automatically and shall not cause discomfort, distraction or glare. "
It seems from comments on here and personal observation that some systems comply well, others clearly do not.
Just for reference 6.1.7.1 and 6.1.7.2 say
"6.1.7.1. Except when they are used to give intermittent luminous warnings at short intervals the main-beam headlamps may be switched ON, only when the master light switch is in headlamps ON position or in "AUTO" (automatic) position and the conditions for automatic activation of dipped-beam exist. In the latter case, the main beam headlamps shall be switched off automatically when the conditions for automatic activation of dipped-beam ceased to exist.
6.1.7.2. The control of the main-beam headlamps may be automatic regarding their activation and deactivation, the control signals being produced by a sensor system which is capable of detecting and reacting to each of the following inputs:
(a) Ambient lighting conditions;
(b) The light emitted by the front lighting devices and front light-signalling devices of oncoming vehicles;
(c) The light emitted by the rear light-signalling devices of preceding vehicles.
Additional sensor functions to improve performance are allowed.
For the purpose of this paragraph, "vehicles" means vehicles of categories L, M, N, O, T, as well as bicycles, such vehicles being equipped with retro-reflectors, with lighting and light-signalling devices, which are switched ON."
Also
"6.1.9.3.1.1. The boundaries of the minimum fields in which the sensor is able to detect light emitted or retro reflected from other vehicles defined in paragraph 6.1.7.1. are defined by the angles indicated below.
6.1.9.3.1.1.1. Horizontal angles: 15° to the left and 15° to the right.
Vertical angles:
Upward angle 5°
Mounting height of the sensor (centre of sensor aperture above the ground) Less than 2 m Between 1.5 m and 2.5 m Greater than 2.0 m
Downward angle 2° 2° to 5° 5°
These angles are measured from the centre of the sensor aperture relative to a horizontal straight line through its centre and parallel to the longitudinal median plane of the vehicle."
tonyb1968 said:
Don't have a problem with my Peugeot 3008 SUV which has these, it could just be that the standard beam needs adjusting, take your car back to the garage and get them to check its all aligned properly 
I get flashed a fair bit in the wife's 5008 SUV it's a right pain so tend to just leave in manual mode I had the BMW matrix lights on my 3 Series. They were brilliant, but not infallible. Like eyeballs, they cannot see around corners and so a car emerging from one on dipped beam would sometimes result in the oncoming driver being main-beamed for a second. Equally dips in the road. In the main though, on our typical A and B roads at night, being able to follow the luddite in front, who's refusing to use his own main beam, whilst using your own headlights to illuminate around them, is great.
Ninja59 said:
Are you moaning about the actual use of adaptive headlights or just simply the fact that the light is whiter from xenon, LED and laser lights?
Be careful with your answer as in many cases a number of people have complained about lighting systems and the fact that these drivers "appear" to be using main beam, but a number probably are not.
The underlying issue is that lighting regulations still have a focus on wattage and not lumen output, and make for little account of how efficient these light sources now are.
What do you think I’m moaning about? I couldn’t give a sBe careful with your answer as in many cases a number of people have complained about lighting systems and the fact that these drivers "appear" to be using main beam, but a number probably are not.
The underlying issue is that lighting regulations still have a focus on wattage and not lumen output, and make for little account of how efficient these light sources now are.
t what colour the light is, it’s the brightness that’s the problem.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff