Car Headlights

[Servant King]

Is it just me, or has lighting in general gotten way overbearing? Specifically headlights on cars--it seems as though they are designed to blind anyone and everyone in their path, not to mention the ugly, garish white light that they all seem to uniformly put out. I feel like I'm taking a chance every time I drive at night, and I think putting on sunglasses at night is a bit overkill. I'm not even a codger yet, but seriously... when I was a kid, lights used to be mellow, pleasant, and have a yellowish, almost golden hue to them. Now it's like something you'd see in an interrogation room in [insert 3rd world country other than America here]. I'm reminded of Manfred Mann when I say that I don't want to be blinded by the light. Like a douche.

Anyone else notice this?

Edit: And they're all aimed upward and outward, instead of down, to illuminate the ground! WTH?!?!

 

[Chasing Embers]

Those LED headlights are from Hell.

 

[mikethompson]

No, headlights are fine, but aiming them is something that is much needed.

 

[seanv]

They are horrible for other drivers oncoming. They are the worst on curves. We had a fatal accident years ago when one of our drivers was blinded by the head lights of an oncoming vehicle on a curve. People are becoming more used to light due to living in cities and struggle to see properly using the old style headlights is what I have heard. I am not sure if I believe that but I can see some logic to it.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It’s putzes blowing an extra $20 at the Autozone for those. They want to see you clearly as you swerve right into their dumbasses because your temporarily blinded. Dumbasses.

 

[beefeater33]

YES!!!...
I've had this same conversation with the missus while driving at night.
To me...... It's actually MUCH more dangerous driving at night than it was 10-15 years ago..........
Those F-ing oncoming lights are like lasers through my eyeballs..........
So glad I'm not the only one that notices this.......... it's been an aggravation of mine for years.....

 

[F4RM3R]

Yes it’s like the brightness wars out there wtf

 

[elessar]

 

[mikethompson]

You guys whine about lights but everyone sees my Lada coming

 

[elessar]

No, headlights are fine, but aiming them is something that is much needed.

Yeah aiming is a big issue. Also its people taking high output hid and led bulbs and putting them in regular housings blinding and glaring the piss out of everyone. It's important to match the housing type to the light source type. Most factory lights have a nice cutoff keeping light close to the ground where it belongs.

 

[STP]

Newer cars are equipped w/LEDs, which tend to be brighter (higher lumens) and whiter/bluer on a Kelvin Scale. The older halogens were around 3,700 w/half the lumens… and there are the PepBoys-like replacement versions. As mentioned, it’s the positioning of the beams that makes it difficult for on-coming drivers.

 

[captainsousie]

No, headlights are fine, but aiming them is something that is much needed.

This. One thing I miss about my car that I owned in Latvia was the fact you could change the headlight angle using a roller switch in the car. When you were in town or a busier road, you could angle the lights a bit lower while if you were in the countryside you could raise them up a bit to see further.

What gets me are the ones who get lift kits on their trucks and don't adjust the headlights. Often it raises the headlights to just the right spot to blind oncoming drivers.

 

[weezell]

Retina burners... ?

 

[elessar]

This. One thing I miss about my car that I owned in Latvia was the fact you could change the headlight angle using a roller switch in the car. When you were in town or a busier road, you could angle the lights a bit lower while if you were in the countryside you could raise them up a bit to see further.

What gets me are the ones who get lift kits on their trucks and don't adjust the headlights. Often it raises the headlights to just the right spot to blind oncoming drivers.

Oh man that brings back memories. When I was driving in the Czech Republic I kept fiddling with that roller switch trying to figure out what it did. I stupidly didn't notice all the other cars flashing their lights at me! My dad, who is Czech, explained what was happening. I agree a great feature, if a bit poorly labelled.

 

[craig61a]

Then ya get the balloon heads who drive around in the city with the fog lights lit up and the 10 aircraft landing lights on the Fall Guy rack all blazing’…

 

[ssjones]

As a driver, I love my LED headlights. We drove 15 hours before Christmas, mostly at night. Despite working all day, leaving MD at 6 PM (arrived in Louisiana at 9 AM), my eyes were far less tire than previous drives in my wifes truck (standard Halogen headlights). My old Lincoln, had articulated LED headlights, that swiveled in the direction you steered. I frequently was shown high-beams by oncoming drives, so I could see them be annoying.

Some of the double-stack LED headlights on the new pickups are pretty intense behind you, despite the anti-glare mirrors on my Avalon.

 

[Laurent]

I had to change all my light systems on my 78 f100 because no one could see me with their led headlights. I was almost rear ended 3 times because the old tail lights don’t light up enough with the new led on cars. So now, my 78 is up to date and people see me now.

 

[mikethompson]

What gets me are the ones who get lift kits on their trucks

You had me at just that honestly.

 

[ssjones]

Down South (Bama down), we saw a fair number morons driving these "Carolina Squat" trucks. Fortunately, they must be a nightmare on the interstate, so I can't say we encountered any there.

 

[elessar]

https://www.reddit.com/r/Unexpected/comments/a6edg2