Bright Headlights - Rac Want Action.

[10ClarionSt]

This was on R5 Live this morning. The RAC say lots of drivers are complaining about being dazzled by modern headlights. I mentioned this on here some time ago but some people seem to think it's ok, particularly those who use poorly lit roads in rural communities. Headlights should not be used as searchlights. They should point towards the kerb and be dipped when encountering other road users. A lot of the time when I'm driving, I shield my eyes from on-coming traffic with my right hand. In addition, like most other drivers I suspect, I'm watching the road surface for pot holes. This is hardly conducive to good driving practice, I admit, but these are some of the conditions we face when driving.

[baza]

I am with you on this, sometimes I am sure the other drivers forget to dip their headlghts causing temp blindness . Is it the halogen bulbs ?

[woofgang]

I quite often get flashed when driving with my dipped headlights on. I suspect its the bright halogen bulbs which cause the issue as I too have trouble with being dazzled. I suspect that few people ever see their own headlights so think its just everyone else who is driving on main beam.

[ubasses]

According to Telegraph this morning it is LED lights. They are too directional instead of spreading the light. Also it is a brighter light than halogen.

[angie55]

The article actually says the headlights are blinding other drivers even though the headlights are dipped, so it’s not about forgetting to dip headlights, it’s about the power of the newer types of headlights.

[baza]

Perhaps we should all wear sunglasses at night. I am taking the urine.

[bhg481]

I suspect that part of he problem is people failing to adjust their headlamps when they have a load in the car. Many cars nowadays have an adjuster on the dashboard which enables the headlamp beam to be lowered if there is a load in the boot. I wonder how many people are aware of this and, of those who are, how many bother to use it. HID/LED lamps are obliged to have automatic levelling by law, so they shouldn't be a problem.

[Old_Geezer]

Surely more to do with correct adjustment than power. If it isn't pointed into the windsceen of oncoming cars it's not much of an issue how brightly the kerb is lit up. Surely it should be caught during the MOT or service.

[Old_Geezer]

I've noticed the adjuster. Wondered why they think modern cars are so badly designed that one has to manually adjust when older cars didn't need it. Lights should hit to the left regardless. Ridiculous obligation on the driver. If the design is that bad let the car automatically adjust. The wipers and lights come on automatically already.

[EDDIE51]

I have noticed this. Headlights , even correctly dipped, are so bright on modern cars that the lights dazzle you. I think it is just that the lights are so bright rather than incorrectly adjusted.

[bhg481]

Og //Wondered why they think modern cars are so badly designed that one has to manually adjust when older cars didn't need it//

Older cars did need it, they just didn't have it. Back in the 60s I hired a Mini and with 4 people on board the headlamp beam was horizontal on dip.

10Clarion - the correct way to set/check headlamp aim is to set the dashboard adjuster to its highest level and then do the test. That way the adjuster can only be used to lower the beam when the car is loaded.

[Old_Geezer]

"with 4 people on board the headlamp beam was horizontal on dip."
Reads to me that it wasn't set properly to allow for worst case to start with.

[bhg481]

OG - No, it was a hire car and was perfectly alright when there were only people in the front. Once my, fairly heavy, parents got in the back the headlamp beam went all over the place.

[bhg481]

10 Clarion - You misunderstood me. All cars have adjustment screws, even those with automatic adjustment, so that you can set up the beam if you change the bulb. Lots of cars also have a wheel on the dashboard to allow for temporary adjustment if you have a load which upsets the beam eg, you have a heavy load in the boot, towing a trailer etc. This was the adjuster to which I was referring when I said people don't know/care about it.
If you have the beam set too low you reduce your visibility - it's also an MoT failure.

[bhg481]

I don't ever remember it being an offence to use headlamps in dayligth. I fact I remember on one occasipn in 1965 I was driving down the M6 in the middle of the day with my headlights on because I thought the light was poor, when my mate reminded me I had my very dark sunglasses on.

[Hymie]

Before the introduction of halogen/LED vehicle headlights, the power of the dipped beam was limited to 25W per bulb (with main beam at 55W). The halogen/LED bulbs are much brighter than a 25W incandescent bulb.

Mrs Hymie’s mini is fitted with bright halogen bulbs. The vehicle has no provision for easy adjustment of the beam height – the dipped beam brightness is of the order of the old main beam.
The problem is that the dipped beam illuminates up to the height of the bottom of the wind/rear screen of other road vehicles – such that any bumps in the road result in other drivers being hit by the full power of these lights.

[woofgang]

bhg my car (rav4) has a headlight adjuster which I keep correctly adjusted but I still get flashed for having my headlights on main beam...the bulbs may well be led, I have no idea, just know that people seem to think that I have them on main beam when I haven't.

[jourdain2]

I agree about the dazzling. E.g. OH and I just received an invite to a choral festival at granddaughter's school. 8 Middle and Junior schools involved. We went last year and it was a fantastic evening hearing them all singing their hearts out - but the journey home (1hr 20) was such a complete nightmare, due to the strain of driving against the dazzle on the A64, that we are debating very seriously whether or not to go this year. We've both cut down our night-time driving, which is limiting.