Are we OK with how bright headlights are getting?

[MattB4]

... I mean, it really makes no difference if they are blinding me at full power or half power, they are blinding me either way so I might as well return favor?

...

This is a bad idea. One driver blinded is a hazard but both drivers blinded is an accident.

Now that I am old I try to avoid nighttime drives. Those times of driving when lights from oncoming traffic was such that I could barely see is not worth dealing with anymore.

 

[strantor]

This is a bad idea. One driver blinded is a hazard but both drivers blinded is an accident.

Now that I am old I try to avoid nighttime drives. Those times of driving when lights from oncoming traffic was such that I could barely see is not worth dealing with anymore.

you're not wrong. That's just me being childish. I'll stop.

 

[dodge man]

The problem is if you are on the outside of a curve or the other car crests a hill just right headlights that normally wouldn’t blind you are up in your eyes.

 

[Jstpssng]

There is a construction zone on the interstate where they merge the two northbound lanes to one; and southbound uses the other lane to cross over a bridge; using jersey barriers to keep the two apart. Just as you come onto it southbound, the other lane is a bit higher and on a curve; so their lights blind you just at the wrong time.
I try to get there before dark; otherwise I will get off at the previous exit and go around.

 

[ruffdog]

you're not wrong. That's just me being childish. I'll stop.

In the old days people could see that a car is coming from the other direction BEFORE it would crest the hill. You would dim your lights BEFORE you blinded the other driver. Now it seems many drivers only dim their lights AFTER you repeatedly flash at them. It does piss a person off though. Thank goodness I don't drive as much as I use to.

 

[5030]

Last time I checked, NO add on light bar is approved for on road use and they all have a sticker on them that plainly states that, not that idiots pay any attention to the sticker because having an add on light bar is 'cool'.

If I was a cop, I'd be writing a ton of tickets for them as well as poorly aimed headlights.

Both our vehicles have auto on headlights. If the wipers are on, the headlights are as well. If it's low light (dusk), they are on as well. Both our vehicles have the 'driving-fog' lights we never use. My pickup truck (97), I refitted with HID lamps but I also took the time to properly aim them and far as loaded, I have air bags on the back so if I have the camper in the bed or a heavy load, I use the bags to level it.

I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt with high beams but if everything fails, I just switch on my KC Daylighters and fry their eyeballs and it usually takes a split second for them to dim their lights. By that time however, I've fried their eyeballs anyway.

 

[QRTRHRS]

In the old days people could see that a car is coming from the other direction BEFORE it would crest the hill. You would dim your lights BEFORE you blinded the other driver. Now it seems many drivers only dim their lights AFTER you repeatedly flash at them. It does piss a person off though. Thank goodness I don't drive as much as I use to.

Perhaps people are no longer taught to look for the reflection on overhead utility wires or guard rails coming into curves or approaching hills?

 

[RjCorazza]

Perhaps people are no longer taught to look for the reflection on overhead utility wires or guard rails coming into curves or approaching hills?

I've noticed this also. I was taught (and common sense would also dictate) to observe power lines of whatever may be reflecting an oncoming car's headlights.
I definitely relayed all that kinda stuff to my daughter when I taught her how to drive, and she is a courteous (and safe) driver!

 

[etpm]

I, like so many here, am older and really appreciate brighter headlights. But I have my lights adjusted on my truck, a Tundra, so that they point low. My other cars don't have the extremely bright lights. And I am always trying to dim my lights well before I see the car. It is almost always possible to see the other car's headlights before you see the car on a curvy road, and on straight roads there is plenty of time to dim my lights before they start to blind an oncoming car. But you know what? I too am guilty of sometimes putting my brights on when an oncoming car refuses to dim their lights. I shouldn't do so but it really pisses me off when someone is so inconsiderate.
Eric

 

[Jstpssng]

I've noticed this also. I was taught (and common sense would also dictate) to observe power lines of whatever may be reflecting an oncoming car's headlights.
I definitely relayed all that kinda stuff to my daughter when I taught her how to drive, and she is a courteous (and safe) driver!

I stopped doing that when manufacturers started installing halogen headlights. They were bright enough so that people didn't always realize you had dimmed them, so if the road was straight I would wait until they could see the lights dim.

I still watch the wires, just don't dim my lights as soon.

 

[Richard]

I used to resent (I think it's the Ford 150) drivers where they have a "C" shaped light....over and under.

The rudeness of them driving with their brights. I happen to drive a Honda Accord so I'm closer to hugging the road than they are.

Flashed my lights before...nothing. Now I'm convinced at their superior rudeness.... (I often leave at 5:00 A.M. so it's dark and then get home after dark)

Driving in the middle of nowhere once.... here comes that over/under blinding sunshine so I turned my brights on (which are bright on their own accord (no pun intended))

Then the sun was unleashed on me. Guy brights me back. As it turned out, that was my lesson that the full wrap of light comes on whereas, I thought lower/low, lower AND upper together would therefore be brights.

Ooops.

I have however, decided that if I ever went to buy a truck, I might stop by the Ford dealer....and now, accidently realize this truck has those lights.... "Can this be defeated or are they ALWAYS on like that??"

If answer is they can be defeated, fine. If not, then just walk away. I think that is the rudest design of lights of all vehicles I've seen. Whomever designed that, needs their engineer card revoked!!

 

[steve tym]

Yes, the Ford lights can be turned off. I.E., you can set the four light setup to only have 2 on in low beam. It is a weird setup. Four lights, and all four are on in low beam.

 

[ning]

I'd love to say they're all aimed badly, but I kinda doubt it just because of their prevalence.

A few years back my '97 F350's headlights were heavily yellow and sanded, and then finally leaked and filled with water so it was time to replace. I went with new clear housings + LED... so bright! I no longer tire when driving at night, because I can see so well.

I almost never get flashed, though. Maybe because it's a "big truck" but I doubt it; I think it's because I did a great job adjusting the lights. Mind you though, these headlights aren't LEDs through an almost-pinhole projector; these are the big reflectors just like came with the truck. I think this makes a lot of difference because the worst case face full of headlight you get is from a much larger area, less concentrated.

(The truck has a small "factory lift" from the original "off-road package", plus bigger tires for pumpkin clearance, so it rides higher than stock - as a result if I pull up behind a car at a stoplight, I know my lights are going right over their trunk and I turn off the headlamps, leaving parking lights on until they pull out. I can see this being a huge problem otherwise...)

I've definitely gone to the "stare at the white line" too. For whatever reason I grew up looking at headlights - probably because in my younger years I could ID potential cop cars from far off by their headlight shape, but that was still a bad habit to have. As it is now, I focus on driving on the white line whenever there's oncoming traffic, though being rural I hug the middle line to have a couple extra feet to avoid animals, so I'm bouncing around the lane depending on what's going on. I think it's a really good thing to get used to, being able to drive on the white line, regardless of a right or left turn or straight. So many head-on collisions could be avoided just by being a foot further away... and that goes double at night when some people shouldn't be driving, and visibility is worse.

 

[5030]

I finally replace the headlights on my 97 F360 Ford because they yellowed to the point where sanding them did no good, so I replaced them. My Focus RS, the headlights never got yellow. Must have changed the plastic formulation or something.

 

[ultrarunner]

Often wondered why so many cars have light covers made of plastic that ages?

My cars with sealed beams and those antique have glass that always cleans up.

The Range Rover has excellent factory lamps behind glass covers so I know glass is legal because the Rover came that way new…

 

[ning]

Often wondered why so many cars have light covers made of plastic that ages?

My cars with sealed beams and those antique have glass that always cleans up.

The Range Rover has excellent factory lamps behind glass covers so I know glass is legal because the Rover came that way new…

The plastic is less likely to fracture from road rocks, but a better reason is that the plastic ones are molded - curved - to flow with the shape of the car, while the old sealed beams were pretty standardized shapes.

 

[bigtiller]

When I go in for supper, I stay inside. It works out great, especially in the winter because mom said to come home when the street lights come on.

I seldom get a chance to drive after dark. But sometimes I have to, and when I meet an oncoming car on a 2 lane road with bright lights, I slow way-down (40-ish) and follow the white line.

I'm not taking any chances.

 

[Hay Dude]

I finally replace the headlights on my 97 F360 Ford because they yellowed to the point where sanding them did no good, so I replaced them. My Focus RS, the headlights never got yellow. Must have changed the plastic formulation or something.

F-360, huh?
What’s that, some kinda special edition truck for rich hobby farmers?

 

[bdhsfz6]

In some cases, I think the industry is over compensating for bright headlight complaints. The OEM low beam LED lights on my 2023 Buick Enclave are so dim, I sometimes think I forgot to turn them on. Most of the time, I ride around with the high beams on and I get no "flashing" from on coming traffic. At first, I thought they were out of alignment but the dealer says the adjustment is correct. I'm thinking of getting a pair of those super bright LED bulbs to compensate.

My 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 is just the opposite. I frequently get "flashed" with just the low beams on. Again, the dealer says the alignment is correct. I adjusted the beams downward myself to keep from blinding others. The problem with that is, it fails inspection and the dealer adjusts them back.

Another issue I have with these focused beam LED's on oncoming vehicles is, when they go over bumps in the road, I think they are flashing me. I then flash mine to let them know I have the low beams on. This starts the "flash war" until we pass each other.

None of this was a problem with those old round yellowish incandescent headlights. Yeah, you couldn't see much, but at least you didn't blind other drivers with them. You could also replace them yourself for a couple of bucks and 10 minutes of your time. Some of these new LED's cost $100 or more and that's just the bulbs! The labor can also get pricey, especially when you have to dismantle half the front end to replace them!

 

[5030]

F-360, huh?
What’s that, some kinda special edition truck for rich hobby farmers?

Here we go again...So I fat fingered the keyboard and you knew what I meant but just had to post a disparaging comment anyway. I keep forgetting you are perfect and never make a posting mistake on here... right. 'Kinda' isn't a word btw.