Modern car lights article

[tyred]

"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 can see everything I need to see with standard H4 halogen. I would suggest anyone who can't is driving too fast for the conditions.

The problems start when I am dazzled by someone else's far too bright or poorly adjusted headlights

 

[2wheelsgeth]

Signed here, too.

Me too. I assumed that it was only us poor glasses wearers that got dazzled by these things, but it seems it affects everyone.

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

I signed this as well yesterday, then had an experience yesterday evening that showed me how serious this issue is.

I was in the car on a main road, approaching a light controlled crossroads to turn right where oncoming cars turning right cross nearside-to-nearside, which seems to be quite common these days. There was a Chelsea tractor coming the other way, also turning right, with its ("dipped") Xenon headlights shining right in my face, both of us waiting for oncoming traffic before making our turn. As I moved forward slowly, the other car started to move, at which point I noticed that there was a cyclist in front of him, dead centre between his headlights. The cyclist had good lights and reflective stuff, including spoke reflectors, but was totally invisible against the lights of the SUV. Until that moment, as far as I was concerned, there was just me and the SUV.

Fortunately, there was no actual danger as I was being quite cautious, but I can't help thinking: "what if I'd moved a few feet further, sooner". The cyclist would have no way of realising that I couldn't see him. It really is time that something were done about these stupidly bright headlights.

 

[Jezston]

So that's what those bloody LEDs that you get around some people's headlights are all about.

I thought they were some kind of stupid bodykit bling thing.

They look completely ridiculous.

 

[Black Sheep]

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)

When driving an older car (2000 reg) being followed by a car with xennon HID things I have found they can actually cast a shaddow of my car into my headlight beam, which is bizzare and affects vision.

I have also had to sit and wait for some time to be sure a roundabout was clear at the bottom of a motorway off slip as I couldn't see anything with my own lights due to the car behind me. My car at the time was a 1980's fiesta