Headlights, driving lights, a rant!!!

[Kevin D Pem]

In my truck I don't have as much of a problem, but I helped my neighbor drive last night the last 150 miles after dark, in their car, and I came to a conclusion.

Inconsiderate s#b's that don't dim,and drive with driving lights, have no place in the civilized world!!!

Just saying.

 

[TheLooks]

This conversation is had in about every forum on any subject in the world. I am with you. However, there are no hard and fast rules that apply to headlights and the new vehicles hitting the road are out of adjustment from the factory. Plus the new led lights that were never approved by any gov. agency to see a mouse cross the road at 500 yards. Add in aftermarket lights and idiot vehicles jacked up in the air or just the front jacket up and its fun.

 

[rvkev]

The two members above are both correct. Headlights were required to be aimed properly when there were glass sealed beam headlights. New vehicles have Light Emitting Diode headlamps that will blind you if you are wearing welding goggles. The restrictions for new headlamp alignment have been relaxed. It is quite a challenge to drive a smaller car on a two lane highway at night.

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Driving a vehicle that puts the driver above the road gets easer the higher your rig is.

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

Headlight regulations are so far out of date compared to what new headlights can and should do.

Headlights today are dumbed down to meet US regulations.

Complying with current old regulations, headlights can be made to be self auto adjusting. But most vehicles don’t have that feature.
I find pickup trucks can be a significant offender in poorly aimed lights. “Leveling” kits change the front-to-back angle and now headlights are aimed too high. Or the trucks are loaded down in the back, etc.

Over the years have read many articles on this topic in the news. A quick google brought this one up from a couple years ago:

Headlights Are Safer In Europe; Changes To U.S. Standard Proposed

A new report by the AAA details the dangers of headlights on U.S. vehicles and the benefits of a new technology: adaptive driving beam headlights (ADB).

www.forbes.com

Even with better headlight tech, would still need to crack down on use of light bars.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Really guys, my rant was not about government regulating headlights, light bars, driving lights, and such. My rant is about self regulating, so we become more, well so we are the change needed.

When I had to replace a burned out headlight a year ago, I replaced both with more considerate lamps. I figure if someone is coming at me if he swerved there's something in the road, I don't need to blind him to know it's there.

When we stopped for gas, I was the loud one expressing how inconsiderate those people are that don't think of others.

My thought is, maybe if one light went on, we would be in a better world.

 

[Rosy]

Another aspect that you alluded to in your original post but no one else picked up on: people need to turn on their headlights and tail lights at night, dawn, dusk, when it's cloudy or raining, etc.! I'm sick of all these cars that aren't lit at the back.

 

[rvkev]

people need to turn on their headlights and tail lights at night, dawn, dusk, when it's cloudy or raining, etc.!

Many drivers THINK, the automatic setting covers all driving conditions. Manufactures should consider removing the automatic setting so drivers are able to THINK about what the present driving situation calls for.

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We have automatic braking, automatic heat controls, automatic lane control, and the list goes on. Who is driving that vehicle?

 

[Ventana]

And yet, somehow the head lights on RV are still lame. Go figure.

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

I have to admit that the automatic headlights have me a little spoiled. Early iterations were not so good, being too slow to react.

Current vehicle - lights quickly adapt, as soon as we enter a tunnel or garage they flip on, “brights” auto dim as soon as headlights are seen or taillights are seen, even getting anywhere near dusk the lights kick on, I have been very impressed.

 

[DennisT]

They actually had auto dim headlights back in the 60s. My parents had a Chrysler or something with a sensor in top of the dash that dimmed the headlights when it saw others coming.

The problem was it wouldn’t let you flash yours if they didn’t dim their headlights. Easy fix for my dad that put a piece of tape over the eye of the sensor

But I do agree that a lot people don’t pay attention or don’t care anymore and leave their high beams on whether you are coming toward them or not.