Are car headlights too bright nowadays.......

[shouldbeinbed]

..........or are they all just badly adjusted?

I've driven today and one stretch of my commute is a narrow 2 lane country road, no pavement, no lighting nor verge before the fences and hedges start & 2 cars passing one another is literally tarmac edge to tarmac edge. It is however a convenient cut through that negates a several mile detour that lots of people walk & a few of us cycle.

I have driven at less than 10mph & come to a stop while one big 4x4 thing came by as I simply could not see past the end of the bonnet for much of it because of the absolute dazzling I've had from vehicles coming the other way, not simply the wet road but dipped beam lights shining directly into my eyes

It has made me feel exceptionally vulnerable and seriously consider if I want to be cycling it anymore as I have never yet seen anyone else brake nor slow to such a degree as I do but I have realised how utterly blinded motorists along there are by bad alignment and the arms race in headlight intensity.

I'm not one to be frightened but coming home that way tonight has really got me thinking and it annoys the hell out of me. Why should I be scared off my usual route because some silly sod with excessive headlights will blind some other silly sod who won't slow down even as he drives over me and another bunch of silly sods in silly wigs will let him away with it because it was unavoidable like low sun & I'm just an unfortunate consequence.

 

[Colin_P]

They are.

HID (high intensity discharge) and DRL (daylight running lights) are to blame. How they have been allowed is beyond me as unless ALL vehicles have them then there are safety and visibility issues.

It used to be bad enough years ago when knobbers used to have their fog lights on for no reason at all. That was illegal. These days the legal DRL's have taken there place and cannot be switched off. What makes it worse is the DRL's don't turn off once headlights are on.

I don't know why it has all been allowed, in fact I can guess that it is something to do with the Germans, but instead of increasing safety it has reduced it.

 

[Tin Pot]

Another thread?

 

[DWiggy]

My big worry is that the oncoming lights are so bright they dilute my rear light making me less noticeable!

 

[shouldbeinbed]

My big worry is that the oncoming lights are so bright they dilute my rear light making me less noticeable!

Yes, thats where I'm coming from with this, I light myself well front and rear but it really did make me think about how far a driver is actually seeing through the glare approaching them to distinguish the further away lights. I was very aware there could have been a pedestrian or unlit bike feet away and I'd be frighteningly close before I knew.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Another thread?

click on New Posts, theres loads of them, you may find one you approve of.

 

[Globalti]

As you age your eyes are less able cope with the glare of oncoming lights. I have to drive over a big hill with no street lights and about every 20th car has fog lights on so I have fun flashing the stupid barstewards in the hope that they'll crash. Well it makes me feel better anyway.

 

[theclaud]

Yes.

 

[Smokin Joe]

They're way too bright. Especially bad on wet roads when the reflection is particularly blinding. We seem to have developed this "You can't have too much of a good thing" attitude when it comes to many safety issues, but beyond a certain point it can be counter productive.

 

[Turbo Rider]

[QUOTE 3390129, member: 9609"]
Tonight I watched a woman driving her range rover through the town centre with no lights on at all, she did have a phone held to her ear, so may be she was phoning Land Rover for advise.[/QUOTE]

Ah well, if she was on the phone then you have to give her some slack really, because you can't expect her to be able to think about lights and talk on the phone at the same time, else she'd be completely hands free

As for the question though, yes. Yes they are.

 

[Glow worm]

They've started installing retina burning streetlights around here too. Personally I wish they'd switch them all off.
It really is like some kind of arms race this light thing, whether on streets, cars, or bikes. I've had enough to be honest!

 

[Levo-Lon]

Yes they are, and lots seem adjusted high as they light up the roof lining and the rear view mirror.
Could be the age thing too...

 

[jarlrmai]

Take advantage of it by wearing more reflectors!

Yes I think they are too bright and people driving with fogs on when it's clear as a bell need taking to task.

 

[Tin Pot]

They're way too bright. Especially bad on wet roads when the reflection is particularly blinding. We seem to have developed this "You can't have too much of a good thing" attitude when it comes to many safety issues, but beyond a certain point it can be counter productive.

There is no such thing as 'enough' .

I won't rest until everyone and everything is cocooned like Michelin man, with sirens and strobe lighting, and RFID triggered proximity warnings ranging sub through to ultrasonic wavelengths.

Only then will it be safe to leave the house or command a vehicle, and only then with a Sergeant Major screaming "Watch out!" In your ear at near-random intervals.

 

[mr_cellophane]

I had a headlight bulb blow last week. The replacement I got was much whiter that the old one. Good job Halfords had buy one get one free on bulbs so both sides match. I got the cheapest, they sold others which would have been even brighter.