Bothered By Bright Headlights?

[cbcdesign]

So it may be fair to say that the problem isn't JUST about the brightness of headlights, but the ability for SOME people to cope with the light when faced with it head on?

I guess there is no real cure for this problem as its inevitable, and in order to drive at night, we need lights!

Of course, we could ban people of a certain age from driving when it gets dark...

Yes we need lights but do we need 15-25 million candlepower lights in a car driving on lit roads in town? I think not. This is the problem with them. They are fine for use on dark country roads but total overkill in every other respect. As for that annoying blue colour they emit at certain angles, I hate it.

[capnbirdseye]

So it may be fair to say that the problem isn't JUST about the brightness of headlights, but the ability for SOME people to cope with the light when faced with it head on?

I guess there is no real cure for this problem as its inevitable, and in order to drive at night, we need lights!

Of course, we could ban people of a certain age from driving when it gets dark...

There are people of all ages with eyesight problems & you think that so you can have your toys they should be banned off the road ??

No ,the answer is to ban people who think that driving with fog lights & HID's is somehow 'cool' & raises street cred, everybody look at me I've got real foglights where in actual fact it's only like minded people who might be impressed whilst the majority of the population think people who do it are pathetic morons

[Parts-King]

Don't sit on the fence Cap'n :lol:

[Daveyonthemove]

I agree (partly) with both responses to my last post.

Yes, my HID lights are not really required in towns where street lighting is ample, but then there is no reall reason for any lights, which is why the law allows us to drive in areas with street lighting and a limit of 30mph on only our side lights.

I also despise the people who drive with fog lights on all year round, but i think this 'craze' is being replaced by the DRL option instead.

As for my comment about banning older drivers, it was meant tongue in cheek and i even added a cheeky little smilie on the end just to highlight it ;)

As most of my personal driving is done over long distances and in evening periods, I find that the need for more light is necassary, and i have done the best i can to ensure that i can see as much as possible, whilst preventing my lights from dazzling oncomming cars.

I feel that i've been responsible in this area, and would like to draw attention to the second post on this thread where someone (who actually critisised me for my lights) 'Likes to adjust mirrors to blind the cars behind' making that person a very large hypocrite.

There are many out there who DON'T go to the effort of ensuring their lights are safe for others, and they are probably the ones who deserve the critisism and snide comments, but if anyone would like to quote any of my posts and tell me what a bad boy i am, then please feel free to come and visit me this weekend and see my lights for yourself BEFORE your next comment.

I'll happily show anyone on here who is willing to make the effort to see for themselves, and if they can show me that i am wrong, then i will galdly remove the lights in front of them, and they can personally chuck them in a bin.

I patiently await an RSVP to my invite....

[capnbirdseye]

I agree (partly) with both responses to my last post.

There are many out there who DON'T go to the effort of ensuring their lights are safe for others, and they are probably the ones who deserve the critisism and snide comments, but if anyone would like to quote any of my posts and tell me what a bad boy i am, then please feel free to come and visit me this weekend and see my lights for yourself BEFORE your next comment.

I'll happily show anyone on here who is willing to make the effort to see for themselves, and if they can show me that i am wrong, then i will galdly remove the lights in front of them, and they can personally chuck them in a bin.

I patiently await an RSVP to my invite....

Well ,I accept that you are seemingly much more aware & have actually made an effort to set yours properly but it's the other 99% that bothers me.

[Daveyonthemove]

I agree (partly) with both responses to my last post.

There are many out there who DON'T go to the effort of ensuring their lights are safe for others, and they are probably the ones who deserve the critisism and snide comments, but if anyone would like to quote any of my posts and tell me what a bad boy i am, then please feel free to come and visit me this weekend and see my lights for yourself BEFORE your next comment.

I'll happily show anyone on here who is willing to make the effort to see for themselves, and if they can show me that i am wrong, then i will galdly remove the lights in front of them, and they can personally chuck them in a bin.

I patiently await an RSVP to my invite....

Well ,I accept that you are seemingly much more aware & have actually made an effort to set yours properly but it's the other 99% that bothers me.

The same could be said about nearly aspect of driving and driver aids....

Its the minority that don't use them correctly, or fail to use them at all that give others a bad name.

Not all BMW drivers are selfish pratts, but most of us have seen at least one of them doing 100mph in the outside lane, bullying cars out the way and failing to indicate... but that isn't everyone!

I'm not saying that all cars and drivers should be able to have HID bulbs fitted, as there are a large number of headlight units that can't use the light in the correct fashion, but projector lenses can, and if they are aligned correctly they are safer than a stray halogen bulb that is lighting up everything above head height.

[Jan&tone]

On a more serious note, and to take up an earlier point.... When I'm in the Aygo, I find that 4x4's of any breed and vans are the worst when they are sitting 3 feet from your back bumper with all their lights on as if it was Christmas!

I note that The Government is 'going to switch away from speeding' and 'tackle anti-social and dangerous driving... Where does plod come into all this? 'cos it's the lack of plod on the streets that is causing all this anti-social driving by not stamping on it in the first place!

Retrofit HID's are in the main illegal, withness the comments about removing them temporarily for the MOT... These should be the first port of call, plod must have, or could easily obtain, a list of models that have HID's fitted by the manufacturer, any others should be taken off the road if they are incorrectly fitted or adjusted.

Front fog lights IMO are generally unneccessary, if the fog is thick enough to use them legally then you shouldn't be driving in it anyway!

Rear fog lights are a pain when they are left on when not needed, don't people look at their dashboard, or do some mAnufacturers not put warning lights on their cars?

We can go on discussing this till the cows come home - or till plod gets back on the streets... But while companies sell them and there are people that don't give a !Removed! about other people I'm afraid we are stuck with them. Even if they are one day proved without doubt to have caused an accident, we are still stuck with HID's I feel

[kithmo]

I feel that i've been responsible in this area, and would like to draw attention to the second post on this thread where someone (who actually critisised me for my lights) 'Likes to adjust mirrors to blind the cars behind' making that person a very large hypocrite.

If you're going to quote something from another post then quote it correctly, I said, with tailgaters, I adjust my mirrors so they get the reflection of their own lights right back at 'em.

BTW I am very large.

[Daveyonthemove]

Sorry for misquoting you, i missed the even more dangerous aspect of the person sitting close to your bumper, and you still choosing to blind them.

It seems that the safety aspect on the roads only applies if the person complaining about is suffering for some reason, but when they do something equally as dangerous, it's ok....?

If someone is tailgating you, move over and let them past if you can. If they are dazzling you, dim your mirrors accordingly. Don't sit on a forum and complain about other peoples driving technique or choice of headlights if you are going to behave in an equally irresponsible fashion and endanger the people who are sat on your rear bumper. Its plain stupidity.

:censor:

[blitzchaser]

So it may be fair to say that the problem isn't JUST about the brightness of headlights, but the ability for SOME people to cope with the light when faced with it head on?

I guess there is no real cure for this problem as its inevitable, and in order to drive at night, we need lights!

Of course, we could ban people of a certain age from driving when it gets dark...

SPOT ON

[Grumpy Cabbie]

So it takes two non Prius owners to lower the tone?

If it's an age thing perhaps they won't mind if I switch my rear fog on next time some ****** sits too close with their dodgy after market HIDs glaring at me? I mean hey, it ain't gonna blind you!

[acetip]

are these realy fog lights or what was called spot/driving lights.your not allowd use them unless there is reduced visability.but if these lights are mounted over a certain height you are allowed to use them anytime

why you cant use them at anytime i dont know as they are hardly going to dazzle anyone if adjusted corrctly.

but being higher fitted there is more chance of dazzling othe drivers. bit strange.

i will do a search to find out more later.

though ive had many cars fitted with these, i cant remember when i last used them.dont get the fogs we use to.

[Daveyonthemove]

So it takes two non Prius owners to lower the tone?

Pardon??

Your cars must be very inferior if the Prius is the only car on the road that is affected by incorrectly aligned headlights, or do you think there is a slight possibility that other car owners may suffer from the same problem and feel they may have the right to comment?

Also, if you read my first post again, you will see that I have admitted to having a HID kit fitted, and for the purpose of constructive conversation, i have informed people (mostly HID kit haters) my reasons for it, whilst also agreeing with you all that they can be dazzling if fitted incorrectly, but then so can a normal halogen!

If it's an age thing perhaps they won't mind if I switch my rear fog on next time some ****** sits too close with their dodgy after market HIDs glaring at me? I mean hey, it ain't gonna blind you!

By doing that, you are proving that your age and experience counts for nothing and you are behaving dangerously to prove a point, and the driver may not be aware that they are dazzling you. Nearly all 4X4's with legal HID kits seem to dazzle due to the height of the bulbs, but they are complying with the law, so you would be the one breaking the law and hauled up in court if your actions caused an accident.

And if you really think about it, you're never going to win by dazzling a driver with your fog light because if they are already dazzling you with low beam headlights, they only have to stick full beam on to really annoy you!

I seriously expected more common sense from a professional driver, especially one with many years of wisdom.

Maybe all taxi drivers are the same after all....

[dwilson]

Personally, I hate DRL's, too bright, waste of time, nothing wrong in turning your headlights on when required, that is why there is a switch on the column we dont need DRL IMHO

Can't understand the need for HID and bulbs that are ultra powerful. I have driven for about 35 years, motorbikes with 6V lamps, cars with the old 410 bulbs, then Halogen 472's and now xenon / projector lights. in all those years I have never felt the need for more light, I am perfectly happy with the light produced and see no need to change them

More Lighting hates

T0ssers who drive around with strip lights under the car like a mobile disco

T0ssers who fit VIVID BLUE side and spot lamps, looks like something only a emergency vehicle should have, oh yes that's right it is ILLEGAL to show blue lights, does anybody do anything about it? NO

T0ssers who drive around with fog lamps on permanantly

T0ssers who annnoy me for any other reason, just coz they are T0ssers

There are not enough Police on the road to apply the law as it stands, I see we are going to give a fixed penalty fro driving badly, who is going to enforce that?

Give those Traffic officers who sit on motorway bridges something to do while waiting for accidents to occur, or VOSA officers who have the right to stop you

Rant over, I'll get me coat :!Removed!:

Kingo

I, for one, agree with all of the above.

David

[kithmo]

Sorry for misquoting you, i missed the even more dangerous aspect of the person sitting close to your bumper, and you still choosing to blind them.

It seems that the safety aspect on the roads only applies if the person complaining about is suffering for some reason, but when they do something equally as dangerous, it's ok....?

If someone is tailgating you, move over and let them past if you can. If they are dazzling you, dim your mirrors accordingly. Don't sit on a forum and complain about other peoples driving technique or choice of headlights if you are going to behave in an equally irresponsible fashion and endanger the people who are sat on your rear bumper. Its plain stupidity.

:censor:

At least what I am doing is legal, unlike aftermarket HIDs

[Daveyonthemove]

Sorry for misquoting you, i missed the even more dangerous aspect of the person sitting close to your bumper, and you still choosing to blind them.

It seems that the safety aspect on the roads only applies if the person complaining about is suffering for some reason, but when they do something equally as dangerous, it's ok....?

If someone is tailgating you, move over and let them past if you can. If they are dazzling you, dim your mirrors accordingly. Don't sit on a forum and complain about other peoples driving technique or choice of headlights if you are going to behave in an equally irresponsible fashion and endanger the people who are sat on your rear bumper. Its plain stupidity.

:censor:

At least what I am doing is legal, unlike aftermarket HIDs

Dazzling other road users is legal???

In that case, what is your argument against HID kits?

This leads back to the word 'hypocrite' again..

[cbcdesign]

By doing that, you are proving that your age and experience counts for nothing and you are behaving dangerously to prove a point, and the driver may not be aware that they are dazzling you.

If you travel behind somebody and can clearly see your own lights illuminating the interior of the car in front including the top of the dash, its reasonable to assume you may well be dazzling the person in front of you. Even windscreen reflection can cause a problem.

Talking of adjustable lights, how's this for sad? When cleaning the inside of my Jag today with a view to selling it, I came across and adjuster to raise or lower the front lights. I didn't even know I had such a feature and I have had the car for 4.8 years! The shame of it, lol :o

[Daveyonthemove]

By doing that, you are proving that your age and experience counts for nothing and you are behaving dangerously to prove a point, and the driver may not be aware that they are dazzling you.

If you travel behind somebody and can clearly see your own lights illuminating the interior of the car in front including the top of the dash, its reasonable to assume you may well be dazzling the person in front of you. Even windscreen reflection can cause a problem.

But a car's headlights is designed to light up objects in front of it?!

Like i said, a car may have a perfectly legal set of bulbs fitted, and the driver is not breaking any laws, but the person in the car in front may assume that they are, and decide to dazzle the car behind them as some form of revenge. Why? Since when did 2 wrongs make a right?

Do the sensible thing and allow them to pass so they can disappear into the distance and not dazzle you.

Talking of adjustable lights, how's this for sad? When cleaning the inside of my Jag today with a view to selling it, I came across and adjuster to raise or lower the front lights. I didn't even know I had such a feature and I have had the car for 4.8 years! The shame of it, lol :o

I'm pretty sure every car has this feature these days, and the handbook should refer to it.

So you may well have been the cause of dazzling oncoming vehicles by having a laden boot or passengers in the back, making your lights higher than they should be, and not adjusting them like you are meant to.

HID's are NOT the only cause of dazzling on the roads, and some people need to realise this.

[Daveyonthemove]

As a final comment from me, and hopefully to prove my point about HID bulbs being no worse than Halogen bulbs (IF aligned correctly and fitted in a projector lamp) I have been out tonight and taken a couple of pictures.

The cut off line is clearly visible here:

And here:

Head on the light is not glaring out the camera:

And behind a car you can see that the light is not lighting up the car's interior:

And the Skoda in front of the corsa could be an oncoming car, and the light is focused at number plate level:

Hopefully some of you drivers with halogen lamps can post up pics of your cut off lines so we can compare?

[kithmo]

The drivers side one in the third picture (front view of your car) looks dazzling.

[Daveyonthemove]

The drivers side one in the third picture (front view of your car) looks dazzling.

Well if you are able to take a photo of some car headlights head on using a camera phone, and can manage it without the light looking bright, then feel free to show us all.

I notice there are no comments about the clean cut off line, or even some comparison pics from your car

Better still, come across to Cheltenham tomorrow and see for yourself. You have plenty to say on here about it, so i'd like to hear your comments after physically seeing them.

Somehow i suspect that you are more likely to whine about it on here instead, and justify your own 'legal' dazzling antics. :censor:

[kithmo]

The drivers side one in the third picture (front view of your car) looks dazzling.

Well if you are able to take a photo of some car headlights head on using a camera phone, and can manage it without the light looking bright, then feel free to show us all.

I notice there are no comments about the clean cut off line, or even some comparison pics from your car

Better still, come across to Cheltenham tomorrow and see for yourself. You have plenty to say on here about it, so i'd like to hear your comments after physically seeing them.

Somehow i suspect that you are more likely to whine about it on here instead, and justify your own 'legal' dazzling antics. :censor:

I didn't say your lights look bright, I said the drivers side one looks brighter than the other.

So here's the list of insults you've thrown at me for having a different opinion to you, so far:

Large hypocrite - post #29

Stupid - post #34

hypocrite (again) - post #41

and now, whiner - post #46

any more you'd like to add ?

[Daveyonthemove]

The drivers side one in the third picture (front view of your car) looks dazzling.

Well if you are able to take a photo of some car headlights head on using a camera phone, and can manage it without the light looking bright, then feel free to show us all.

I notice there are no comments about the clean cut off line, or even some comparison pics from your car

Better still, come across to Cheltenham tomorrow and see for yourself. You have plenty to say on here about it, so i'd like to hear your comments after physically seeing them.

Somehow i suspect that you are more likely to whine about it on here instead, and justify your own 'legal' dazzling antics. :censor:

I didn't say your lights look bright, I said the drivers side one looks brighter than the other.

So here's the list of insults you've thrown at me for having a different opinion to you, so far:

Large hypocrite - post #29

Stupid - post #34

hypocrite (again) - post #41

and now, whiner - post #46

any more you'd like to add ?

They are both the same bulbs, and as you can see from the cut off line, they are both aligned correctly, so one can't be brighter than the other can it??! It has to be down to the camera, which is unfortunately a meagre 5MP camera phone.

Large Hypocrite was a remark about how you complain about being dazzled by lights behind you, but feel its ok to dazzle them back by adjusting your mirrors to do so. That is hypocritical. It was not a remark about your size/weight/height as i have no way of knowing any of these factors.

Stupidity was what i actually said, and that was (again) in reference to dazzling a car who is sat on your rear bumper because you are being dazzled. The person behind you may not see your brake lights if you need to stop in a hurry, and you would be hit from behind. I stand by my comment.

Hypocrite.... see explanation 1 & 2

Whiner, I think its fair to say that you have whined about other peoples lights regardless of any explanation or photo evidence provided, and not taken up the offer to see the lights first hand and make an educated comment about them. I stand by this comment too.

In summary, you can't sit at your computer and deem every HID kit a nuisance without seeing every HID kit, and if you are dazzled by one set of lights, its not responsible to start a dazzling contest on a public road where your actions could cause injury or death.

As i have said (several times), a badly fitted HID kit is a problem, but so are badly fitted halogen bulbs, and that problem is far more common i'm afraid.

[Red Yaris 54]

Forum users are respectfully reminded not to "Get personal" with comments on this topic as it is disrespectful and against TOC rules

Any such posts may be moderated or removed

Please play nicely

[kithmo]

As i have said (several times), a badly fitted HID kit is a problem, but so are badly fitted halogen bulbs, and that problem is far more common i'm afraid.

I was merely pointing out the fact that aftermarket HID kits are illegal unless fitted to EU approved HID headlamp units, regardless of how you adjust them, and you seem to take offence at this.

Are you headlamp units EU approved for HID bulbs ? if not then you are breaking the law, whereas adjusting my mirrors to wherever I want them, i.e so the driver behind is not dazzling me through them, is not illegal.

My "right back at 'em" comment was a tongue in cheek comment, as indicated by the smiley, as I have no way of knowing where the reflection from my mirrors is going once I've adjusted them out of my face, but you seem to have taken it all out of context to become some evil deed that requires a hanging.