Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: MillCreek on June 05, 2021, 03:55:49 PM
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https://dnyuz.com/2021/06/05/blinded-by-brighter-headlights-its-not-your-imagination/
Maybe it wasn't just the cataracts.
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No, not just cataracts. New lights are too bright.
David Aylor, the manager of active safety testing at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, said technology known as high-beam assist automatically switches high beams to low beams when it senses an oncoming car.
The feature, which was introduced about five years ago, is becoming more readily available. Whether it has reduced complaints about headlight glare is not yet clear, Mr. Aylor said.
Five years ago? My grandfather's car had that in 1960.
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No, not just cataracts. New lights are too bright.
Five years ago? My grandfather's car had that in 1960.
My 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee dims the lights as oncoming cars get closer until they are on low beam. That is as long as I have it enabled. I don't use it a lot unless I am on a divided highway, I don't like how close it gets to cars in front of me before it dims.
bob
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My 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee dims the lights as oncoming cars get closer until they are on low beam. That is as long as I have it enabled. I don't use it a lot unless I am on a divided highway, I don't like how close it gets to cars in front of me before it dims.
bob
My Tacoma has that. I don't like to depend on it too much. Sometimes the other cars lights are on the edge of the brightness limit and I find my truck is flashing high beams at the other car.
It also happened with truck in front of me. It will normally turn off the high beams when you get too close, but can sometimes flash them.
I like the idea, but seems like it needs some work.
I agree that some LED headlights are too bright, but part of it is the old problem of some people having their light adjusted to point too high.
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In the parts store:
"I need some lights for my F150 Silverado."
"Okay... Is it that silver truck."
"Yeah. That my truck."
"Okay - what year is it? <types in 2012 F150 _IF THE CUSTOMER KNOWS THE YEAR_>"
More than a few younger people who seem to be students at a very high dollar university, look puzzled and reply "2021?"
Sigh.
Anywho, I figure out which model, and which batch of bulbs the (*^*(&%^&*(^%)(*& automotive engineers used that model year, and...
"Do you need high beams or low beams?"
"Huh?"
"Do you need bright lights or dim lights?"
"I want the bright ones!"
<we usually take those in return...>
Some folks don't know. I go out to figure out the WTF factor.
"Turn you lights on! Okay - one of your brights is out. Now, dim your lights!"
"Huh?"
There are a LOT of people out there who do not think that their lights are on unless the blue light on the dashboard is on.
Many of them drive Dodge Chargers.
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No, not just cataracts. New lights are too bright.
Five years ago? My grandfather's car had that in 1960.
I remember driving a car with that headlight dimming "feature" in the mid-70s. I believe that was a Ford LTD Crown Victoria.
Half the time it was just annoying to me.
(Going the other way, I had a Datsun 310 GX whose chrome bumper reflected a strong ray upward which would turn streetlights off. No kidding, no BS. Drive down the street and the damn streetlight ahead of me would turn off. Not
100% of the time, but often enough to creep me out.
Now that was spooky until I saw what was going on when I parked it near a tall brick wall and could see the bright streak higher up on the wall. AHA! I thought my evil spirit was causing it. Cue Twilight Zone music.)
Terry, 230RN
REF (310 GX front end for unbelievers. Took me a couple of months to notice the effect and confirm it for sure, another week or so to get around to actually diagnosing it. Notice for that picture angle, you can see a reflection of part of the headlights in the bumper. ):
https://barnfinds.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/031820-1981-Datsun-310-GX-1-e1584635272411.jpg
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The one thing about living in metro Washington, DC, is that you rarely get to use your high beams...
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I wear night time driving glasses. Solves the problem nicely.
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I remember the first car I drove with the dimmer in the turn signal switch. It turned dark and I'm stomping on the floor looking for the switch.
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The one thing about living in metro Washington, DC, is that you rarely get to use your high beams...
What if you're in Southeast?
Because that seems to be the demographic of many of my customers. Who have them on.
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First care I drove with it on the tree was a VW bus - I LOVED that and never looked back. Hated the floor dimmer.
Oh, and you can always tell who bought some landing light LEDs from Fleabay - They are either dim, or too damn bright. And if you move the diode(s) in the reflector, you get a different effect.
Corncobs work best, but the best is where the reflector and the diode(s) are integrated.
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There are a LOT of people out there who do not think that their lights are on unless the blue light on the dashboard is on.
Many of them drive Dodge Chargers.
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
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I remember the first car I drove with the dimmer in the turn signal switch. It turned dark and I'm stomping on the floor looking for the switch.
Just as an fyi, typical floor of a transit bus has 3 of those switches on the floor just to the left of the steering column. They are in a triangle, with just enough room to fit your left foot in the middle of them. The one at the apex, near your toes, is the dimmer and operates as you would expect. The other two, to the left and right of your foot, are the left and right turn signals. Momentary contact switches. Hold down the one on the left side of your foot and the left signal flashes. Lift your foot, it stops. Same on the right.
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What if you're in Southeast?
Because that seems to be the demographic of many of my customers. Who have them on.
I can honestly say I have never been in Southeast while driving. And I never intend to be, either.
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Pretty sure that my 1977 Ford Maverick was the last car I had that had the high beam switch on the floor.
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Pretty sure that my 1977 Ford Maverick was the last car I had that had the high beam switch on the floor.
My Dad had a 1982 Chevy truck with the floor switch.
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I went from the Maverick to a 1986 Nissan Stanza, and I'm pretty sure the Stanza had the high beam on the column.
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Out here in deer and hog country those much brighter high beams are a godsend. Irritating when the person coming at you is a bit too reliant on auto-dimming, sure, but otherwise a giant boost in nighttime driving safety.
We used to have a ranch truck with KC Highlighters on the bumper bar. Pity the poor oncoming fool who didn't pay heed to a friendly "Your lights are sill on bright" headlight flash. Related wisdom... don't use this strategy when aforementioned oncoming fool happens to be a cop.
Brad
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I went from the Maverick to a 1986 Nissan Stanza, and I'm pretty sure the Stanza had the high beam on the column.
It probably did. My first new car, a 1973 240Z had stalks, one for lights on/off and dim and wipers on the other side. It took a while to get used to that.
bob
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My 1982 Datsun Nissan Stanza was on the tree... My current 2000 Tiburon has signals on the left, along with the lights, and the wipers are on the right. Shifter is on the floor where it is supposed to be. When I get in my 1985 van, the turn signal, wipers, and cruise control is on the left of the tree. Pull switch on the dash for the lights, but bump the left lever for high/low.
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The only thing light-related on the dash with any of my Subarus is the switch for the fog lights and the dimmer switch for the interior dash lights.
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My Tacoma has that. I don't like to depend on it too much. Sometimes the other cars lights are on the edge of the brightness limit and I find my truck is flashing high beams at the other car.
It also happened with truck in front of me. It will normally turn off the high beams when you get too close, but can sometimes flash them.
I like the idea, but seems like it needs some work.
I agree that some LED headlights are too bright, but part of it is the old problem of some people having their light adjusted to point too high.
That would explain some experiences I've had.
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Not being a fan of bright lights, Car headlights have been bugging me for 30 years. As the article states, a lot of the problems relates to the different levels the drivers and lights are located.
I don't know what kind of headlights are in my two vehicles as I have never had to replace them. They are an '08 Ranger p/u and a '11 Elantra with the Elantra having the DRLs (highs at half power). Naturally the Elantra, being lower, is the one where I have had the most problem with lights from others.
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My Dad had a 1982 Chevy truck with the floor switch.
It was still there on the '83 model as well.
My '68 M715 has the dimmer switch on the floor but it came factory with the starter switch on the floor as well.
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Oh yeah - I get so many customers who just bought a 10-15 year old "luxury" car come in because they have a headlight that burned out, and discover what HID headlights cost...
Yeah, that BMW sure looks gangster, but that costs...
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Blinded by head light,
Jacked up like a *expletive deleted*che,
Another blinder in my sight!
=D