32 replies to this topic

[sonscar]

Perhaps we should revert to sealed beams,drive more slowly,enjoy the journey more,love life and each other.Self adjusting modern lights flashing all over the place annoy me.
I am in my "twilight years"and I am serious about reducing light output on all cars.Steve..

[Ethel]

Projector headlights may be good for high beam on open roads, but is there any need for dipped beams that bright in built up areas? You can see more from the street lighting provided your eyes have adapted the the light levels. I also wonder if people with restricted vision have difficulty seeing them: I find they can be less noticeable because virtually all of the light is concentrated in the beam, especially when you're in a position that could lead to a pedestrian stepping in to the path of the car. Add in a near silent EV motor & the hazard is compounded.

 

Bring back dim-dip relays 

 

Seriously, with everything canbus now, it probably wouldn't be difficult to retrofit & might not even need any extra hardware.

[PoolGuy]

Projector headlights may be good for high beam on open roads, but is there any need for dipped beams that bright in built up areas?

Well adjusted projectors are actually very good for town and city driving, what they aren't particularly good at is long range stuff. The bi-xenons (projectors) that I had a few years ago were exceptional, but the main beam was supplemented by specific main beam reflectors lights.

[coopertaz]

my problem is when car behind is so bright i fold in my mirrors to be able to see infront, easy to do on my ford, this is with cars that have modern led lights not retrofit. also an issue at traffic lights on a gradient where car opposite is glaring at you whilst stationary. also i'm not some old myopic duffer who drives twice a month as one post suggested but need to commute at all hours so a common issue. i remember this years ago when hid lamps where popular raised by motoring groups that came to nothing so expect this will be the same.

[Ethel]

Had a quickie ganders out of curiosity....

 

Apparently headlight levellers should be set for no weight adjustment for an MoT, but they can be used to correct the beam.

 

Shouldn't that be changed so they're tested on their highest setting?

[sonscar]

Not only headlights that dazzle,today a BMW parked facing oncoming traffic was blinding with only the four halo type marker lights on.DRL's have become so much larger and brighter and with them turning on and off with indicators and turning the wheel light overdose is becoming real.(or am I too old to be seduced by all this marketed tosh?)Steve..

[coopertaz]

Not only headlights that dazzle,today a BMW parked facing oncoming traffic was blinding with only the four halo type marker lights on.DRL's have become so much larger and brighter and with them turning on and off with indicators and turning the wheel light overdose is becoming real.(or am I too old to be seduced by all this marketed tosh?)Steve..

marker lights were always on volvos but were sidelights, find it strange that DRL's are bright then go dim on first light setting then main headlight bright as chuff on second setting. wouldn't it make more sense to have dim DRL's then switch up to dim head lamp (dim dip relay!) then normal dipped beam.

[mab01uk]

Front DRLs with no rear light activation on some modern cars was not very well thought out as a combination of very bright front DRL's and a dashboard always lit by LEDs confuses some drivers to be unaware they have no rear lights on in the dark.....often because they or their local garage has switched off the Auto-Light setting during a service or MOT.

 

[johnR]

I feel that more dangerous are the tiny indicators fitted to many new cars at the moment, especially if they're in a cluster of bright LEd brake/stoplamps

[Ethel]

That too, but not as common now the style over function brigade have the disco running light effect.

[sonscar]

Until the new car arrival of the strobing blinkers they were illegal.Some early Japanese models were equipped with them operated mechanically by cams and had them disabled to sell them.Once upon a time the operation of a lamp which affected the operation of any others was illegal but now it is needed to see the blinkers flashing.All good fun eh?,Steve..

[stuart bowes]

maybe this is why they added the 'foglight malfunction' mod so it's more obvious when they're turning 

 

not once in all my years of driving have I ever struggled to see the edges of the curb when taking a turn, even at night, so that did seem like a pretty tenuous reason

Edited by stuart bowes, 19 January 2024 - 10:06 AM.

[mab01uk]

Until the new car arrival of the strobing blinkers they were illegal.Some early Japanese models were equipped with them operated mechanically by cams and had them disabled to sell them.Once upon a time the operation of a lamp which affected the operation of any others was illegal but now it is needed to see the blinkers flashing.All good fun eh?,Steve..

 

I seem to remember during the 1970's custom car era in the UK strobing blinkers were a reason to often get stopped by traffic police to be told they were illegal. I think some American cars had them and of course most of the custom car influences and trends in the UK came from the USA.

Edited by mab01uk, 19 January 2024 - 10:35 PM.

[Spider]

Rather than take up bandwidth unnecessarily, I've read everyone's post in this thread to here and I agree with all of you.

 

I can't for the life of me see how these lights were made legal in the first place.

 

Retrofits are the worst, be it by fitting an LED 'Bulb' in to a H4 or similar or most of the cheap rubbish LED Assemblies, in particular in to 4WDs and similar.

[PoolGuy]

maybe this is why they added the 'foglight malfunction' mod so it's more obvious when they're turning 

 

not once in all my years of driving have I ever struggled to see the edges of the curb when taking a turn, even at night, so that did seem like a pretty tenuous reason

Cornering lights were fitted to the last three Transit's that I had, in the Transit Custom they're part of the headlight assembly and work exceptionally well, in the Transit Connect they're just one fog light coming on as you turn, complete waste of time.