Modern car lights article

[Milo]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16215106
Hmm

 

[gaz]

http://www.lightmare.org/

 

[Mad at urage]

http://www.lightmare.org/

+1
"If you don't see correctly, then the other aspects of safety, such as brakes, are less effective as they come on later," says Dominiek Plancke, general manager of automotive, Philips Lighting.

I don't know about anyone else on here, but I think that if someone can't see correctly, they should stop driving and get their eyesight corrected. If the problem is simply low daylight levels, then slow to a speed where you can see in the distance you can see to be clear. All extra lights on a car do (in low daylight or at night in lit streets) is to make that car more visible. Xenon lights are provably less safe for oncoming road users because they are more dazzling; they are less safe for the road users behind the Xenon-lit car for the same reason.


"In Germany, for instance, you could save 18% of the lives lost in traffic if all cars were equipped with Xenon headlights," he says, referring to a study by technical services firm TUV Rheinland.
Compare the arguments used for seatbelts: http://john-adams.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2006/SAE seatbelts.pdf

 

[upsidedown]

I've started wearing a baseball cap now to try and stop the glare from Xenon headlights on Range Rovers in the country lanes around here. Full blaze at head height, ridiculous.

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

I find Xenon headlights absolutely blinding to the point some of them hurt my eyes, four wheel drives seem to be the worst ! What chance has the average cyclist of getting seen when the poor driver behind you has just been left blind for a few seconds by an oncoming Xenon equiped car ?

 

[jonny jeez]

I cant say I've found HID's to be more dazzling...but I do notice a routinely dangerous effect.

Any bump in the road causes HID's to appear as if they are flashing momentarily (due to the sharp contrast at the edge of the light diffusion). I've witnessed cars that clearly thought this "flash" was for their benefit and simply pulled out.

If you drive infront of a car with HID's then you are forever thinking they are trying to attract your attention.

I dont believe these lights are safe.

Sure they throw a brighter light on the ground, but why do we need this, the speed limits are set to take into account a safe driving speed and depth of vision for existing (old fashioned) lights. Being able to see further will surely encourage faster speeds.

Perhaps we need smaller lights (along with the obligatory spike in the centre of the steering wheel)

 

[sheddy]

lightmare petition signed - http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/5860

Also mentioned in April http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13143206

 

[Davidc]

I find HID lights dazzling. They're far worse when driving than cycling too as it's more difficult to look down or away.

 

[mr_cellophane]

bulbs costing up to £85 each

That will mean even more

out there.

 

[fossyant]

Proper HID's have self levelling, but they can't always react quick enough for the bumps, hence the dazzle. The 'cheap' systems tend to dazzle more.

TBH you can legally and properly improve standard car beams by fitting better quality bulbs which have a tighter focus

 

[snorri]

It was clever of Dominiek to wangle free advertising with the BBC.

 

[BADGER.BRAD]

I've also noticed this flashing affect on a rough road mainly when the vehicle is behind me constantly blinding me in my mirrors, I can imagine some one mistaking it for a flash out quite easily ! I wonder if you would notice more people pulling out on you if you were to drive one of these cars !

 

[doog]

I get more glare from cyclists than I do vehicles. Part of my route is 3 miles of trailway, a busy cycling commuter route which is pitch black and full of people with no manners or thought of the cyclists coming the other way.

 

[akb]

Xenon Lights are a pain in the eyes. Especially on 4 x 4 vehicles.

 

[fimm]

lightmare petition signed - http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/5860

Signed here, too.