headlights on new cars to bright or is it me?

[path1]

I see eye dr every year, mid 60's, 20/20 with bi-focles for close up stuff. Dr says my eyes OK.
I notice that newer cars headlights are supper bright. Just me or anybody else notice this?

[RayJayco]

Just as a note, it is illegal in some states to flash your lights.

Not sure if it still is here in FL, however I know of some people that actually received tickets for it some years ago. Years ago, that was a way to alert oncoming drivers that police were up ahead.
Maybe it was like tooting your horn to pass, a thing of the past...

One of our utility trailers had polished (new & shiny) diamond plate on the rear gate (about 4'w & 1.5'tall) and was pulled over due to it reflecting light back on the car (police) that was following...

Motor safely!

[Ski_Pro_3]

1320Fastback wrote:
It's a big problem with new cars with stock headlight as well as older car with upgraded bulbs in factory housings which are the worst.

All get flashed by me and if your behind me my 4x6 KC backup light as well as a super insanely bright CREE bed/cab light might just turn on until you pass or turn away becuase I know you cant dim.

Another good defense is keeping your rear bumper highly polished;)

When someone with high beams rides my arse, I adjust my outside mirror right back at them. They get the hint real fast and usually pass me if it's a multi lane road.

[Mr_Mark1]

The way that the new headlights are designed, if a car goes into a dip, it looks like they are flashing at you when they are not. The lights are SO directional causing this but I'm getting use to it.

My Land Rover has the headlights that turn with the steering wheel (just like a '48 Tucker 😉 ). That's a really neat feature.

MM.

[1320Fastback]

It's a big problem with new cars with stock headlight as well as older car with upgraded bulbs in factory housings which are the worst.

All get flashed by me and if your behind me my 4x6 KC backup light as well as a super insanely bright CREE bed/cab light might just turn on until you pass or turn away becuase I know you cant dim.

Another good defense is keeping your rear bumper highly polished;)

[zcookiemonstar]

I have had problems with this since I started driving. My eyes are very sensitive to bright light eye DR says it is because I don't have much color in my eyes to filter the light.
When I drive if some one comes up behind me with to bright of lights I just slow down till they pass me. I get passed a lot. A couple months ago I was driving my Dodge Neon when a Ford F150 pulled up behind me with very bright lights so I just kept going slower so he would pass. I thought He was just being a jerk he stayed behind me even after I turned. I was going 20 in a 45. Then after about a half mile I seen the blue lights come on. It was a cop he pulled me over to "make sure I was okay" I told him I just wanted him to pass because he was blinding the blank out me. After checking me out he said he never noticed his lights were a problem.

[Mr_Mark1]

DrewE wrote:

Mr.Mark wrote:

I, too, will flash people with 'over-bright' headlights. I feel they need to know that they are blinding oncoming traffic. If someone has their brights on, I will flash my brights and if they don't turn them off, I leave mine on too. Many times, they will turn theirs off.

It has always seemed counter-productive to me to leave one's brights on when an oncoming car fails to dim theirs. The last thing I want when I have trouble seeing the road and another car is approaching is for them to also not be able to see anything. In the off chance that it's not their brights but a very misadjusted light or an (illegal) aftermarket light or something, there's no way they'd be able to correct the problem in the several seconds before we pass each other.

It seems to me that a quick flash or two is all that would be advisable, and if that doesn't work, grumble and get on with life...or even just carry on without grumbling.

I know, but I'm Italian and a Taurus, bad combo. :R

MM.

[DrewE]

Mr.Mark wrote:

I, too, will flash people with 'over-bright' headlights. I feel they need to know that they are blinding oncoming traffic. If someone has their brights on, I will flash my brights and if they don't turn them off, I leave mine on too. Many times, they will turn theirs off.

It has always seemed counter-productive to me to leave one's brights on when an oncoming car fails to dim theirs. The last thing I want when I have trouble seeing the road and another car is approaching is for them to also not be able to see anything. In the off chance that it's not their brights but a very misadjusted light or an (illegal) aftermarket light or something, there's no way they'd be able to correct the problem in the several seconds before we pass each other.

It seems to me that a quick flash or two is all that would be advisable, and if that doesn't work, grumble and get on with life...or even just carry on without grumbling.

[myredracer]

path1 wrote:
Just me or anybody else notice this?

I thought it was just me. I find them way too bright and flippin' annoying and actually distracting. It used to be that the super bright HID headlights weren't legal now they're standard equipment. I can only imagine the pressure that was put on the gov't by vehicle and headlight manufacturers to allow them. The bluish/purplish spectrum of them is annoyingly harsh.

Around here in our rural area, we have a lot of pickup trucks which bother me when I drive our car because we're lower to the ground and get the light reflected back of the mirrors. Lifted trucks are really bad and their headlights go directly into my eyes. When they come up behind me at a stoplight, I feel like getting out with a hammer and fixing the problem. Cars full of passengers can tilt the beams higher and into your eyes.

And then there's some drivers that insist on using fog lights when it's not foggy and high beams at the same time 'cuz it's cool.

[Mr_Mark1]

As a person being in my very very very late 50's :R ....so late, that the BIG number is just around the corner. Bright headlights do bother me.

I bought a new 2002 ML500 SUV (at the time) when the xenon headlights were first coming out. I was flashed quite often and took the car back to the dealer. My headlights were out of aim and once fixed, I never had the flashing problem again.

I, too, will flash people with 'over-bright' headlights. I feel they need to know that they are blinding oncoming traffic. If someone has their brights on, I will flash my brights and if they don't turn them off, I leave mine on too. Many times, they will turn theirs off.

I don't know if it's just human nature but when people have their brights on (and won't turn the off), I can't help but naturally want to stare at them. I have trained myself to focus on the right fog line until they pass.

About a year ago, I sold my old '64 car that I had for almost 19 yrs. It had the dual sealed beam headlights. I think I could have seen better with a flashlight...LOL!

MM.

[doc_brown]

Agreed, too bright for me. I rarely drive at night for many reasons this is one of them.

[Sam_Spade]

Facebook featured this article today:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-43525525

[tatest]

Not so much bright as the lighting patterns are poorly controlled, beam cutoffs higher even when adjusted right, and the technologies (particularly HID) are going to color temperatures that scatter a lot more: atmospheric moisture and dust, dirt on windshield, eyeglass surfaces, cloudiness in aging lenses.

There was briefly a move in headlamp standards to reduce the max headlight height to where the low-beam cutoff below windshield height for most cars, but the manufacturers kicked back on the standard as more and more buyers shifted to taller SUVs and pickups. The proposals did manage to get lower mounting points on large trucks, where styling is not so much a factor in lighting.

I've found the best thing I can do is keep my windshield clean, inside and out, and make sure my glasses (polarized) are clean before driving at night.

[Edd505]

Lynnmor wrote:
Studies show that the new stylish headlights are a problem. Headlight article

The current crop of designs are more about style and aerodynamics and less about safety and function.

Good article Lynmor always got good comments.

[Edd505]

gbopp wrote:
I don't think they're too bright. It's new technology and we need to adapt.
LED street lights are becoming common, yes they are bright, just don't stare at the 'light bulb' and you will be okay.

The technology maybe good but they have to be aimed properly and I don't believe the are. I find truck being one of the worst droping the TT/5W on and you have blinding lights.

[chiefcamper]

I remember back in 1976 when my sister bought a brand new car with "square" headlights. They were so bright, whiter than any older car on the road. Nobody thought lights could possibly get any brighter! Fast forward to today, headlights, fog/driving lights are very bright indeed but will they be brighter in 40 years? Probably but it won't matter, the cars will be driving themselves and can only blind each other! Amazing technology.