Lights how much is too much

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funwithfuel

funwithfuel

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Hi everyone. Been a while. I'm wondering if any of you have the same problem as me. Every day it seems lighting on factory passenger vehicles gets a bit brighter. Emergency vehicles are even worse. I understand and appreciate that they need to be seen, I get that. Do they need to be seen from space? To make matters worse is if it's night time or raining. I'm afraid I'll run somebody over because I can't see. I know there's minimum requirements, are there maximum limits? I hope there is. LED and projector beams have their place, I just don't think it's on vehicles.
What do you guys think?

And yes digitails are the bomb , but they're not blinding. They're just very clear.
 
Well there are many many factors

1.....Idiots using aftermarket non- DOT lighting, which may or may not have a proper beam pattern, regardless of brilliance, and may not be aimed

2....Idiots who overload their vehicles, and now the lamps are pointing way up. On the other hand, isn't it about time that the factories provide "self adjusting" lamps to compensate for vehicle load?

3...Accident or other damage causing that "cross eyed" car coming at you

4...Dirty, scratched and sun damaged PLASTIC lenses, which completely destroy the beam pattern.

So far as "you" PLEASE resist the urge to use some fancy non approved "halo" etc etc etc non DOT junk. The rest of us will thank you, and not only that if you were to get into ANY sort of legal beef such as a crash, and "the other lawyer" learned you have non DOT lighting on your vehicle, they will have a field day in court.
 
67Dart273 said:
2....Idiots who overload their vehicles, and now the lamps are pointing way up. On the other hand, isn't it about time that the factories provide "self adjusting" lamps to compensate for vehicle load?
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Lots of cars in other countries have adjustable height headlights. There are a few people that have done it on the mid 90's BMW's. I've often thought about buying the parts used from UK eBay and retrofitting my car. It's cool technology. My friend has a 92 civic, he bought OEM used Euro market headlights and corner lights since they are clear instead of Amber. His headlights have the height adjustment motors he just never decided to wire them up.

Neither are automatically ride hight adjusted. They are manually done from a switch on the dash or center console. The technology is out there, too bad American DOT doesn't require it.
 
No, I'm not in support of this whatsoever. I'm against it. I won't be using this sort of thing. I wasn't talking about tired worn out neglected vehicle either. I'm speaking of high end over priced stuff. Escalades Mercedes-Benz BMW Hell even the new Chevy and Ford pickups will burn your retinas
 
I will admit......I use non DOT approved E code 7" H4 conversions in my Ford truck, but they are aimed dead nuts on STOCK. IMO, the E code stuff should be DOT approved, because on low beam, they focus an incredible wedge of light on the right hand right of way of the road and illuminate road signs very well. Also, their cut off area on low beam is very abrupt and short. On high beam, of course, it's another story. We live out in the county in Georgia. Deer out here account for a LOT of accidents. I wanna see um comin.
 
Right there with Rusty. Living in the country(no street lights) those brighter lights are a big help.
 
There's a difference between useful, focused light and stupid light.
 
Agreed. I live in somewhat rural will county . Lots of wildlife.
Oops off topic. I just really feel that the products today could be reigned in a bit. Off road is off road. I get that. But when brand new bone stock off the lot vehicles blind you to the point that you yourself become a hazard, that's my beef. Like I mentioned in opening post. Emergency vehicles are the worst. Some cities seem like they're in competition to see who can be the loudest and brightest.
I know I'm coming off as a ***** here, it's just really annoying, and I feel,dangerous.
 
funwithfuel said:
Agreed. I live in somewhat rural will county . Lots of wildlife.
Oops off topic. I just really feel that the products today could be reigned in a bit. Off road is off road. I get that. But when brand new bone stock off the lot vehicles blind you to the point that you yourself become a hazard, that's my beef. Like I mentioned in opening post. Emergency vehicles are the worst. Some cities seem like they're in competition to see who can be the loudest and brightest.
I know I'm coming off as a ***** here, it's just really annoying, and I feel,dangerous.
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Not at all......I completely agree with you. It seems nowadays the brighter the light the cooler people think they are. There's a point when it becomes downright dangerous.
 
I've also noticed factory lights getting brighter and brighter in the past couple of years. And a couple I've seen, one was an Audi, were crazy bright.


Like others have said, if aftermarket and aimed correctly, they shouldn't blind oncoming drivers.
 
I stumbled on a tidbit a few years ago, that purports that as we get older our eyes become overly sensitive to white lights. Since lights were beginning to bother me, I accepted that diagnoses. So IDK if it's true or not, but it sure seems so.
 
AJ/FormS said:
I stumbled on a tidbit a few years ago, that purports that as we get older our eyes become overly sensitive to white lights. Since lights were beginning to bother me, I accepted that diagnoses. So IDK if it's true or not, but it sure seems so.
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LOL, my sister-in-law is visiting from out of state and said the same thing when I first told her about this thread. Might be on to something!

I'm REALLY fighting this growing old thing! I'm 52 and just now starting to feel like I'm not 40 any longer.
 
I also find the new vehicles lights way to bright and really bad on dark rainy nights.
 
I'm "only" 45 . I did consider age as a factor. My wife and kids agree with me though. That's why I thought I'd throw the question out at you all. A couple reasons. First, here at A-bodies we have a real wide age group. Next, you folks don't act like a bunch of wannabe engineers, even though some actually are engineers. Most all of you speak from experience and knowledge. Many of you whose opinion I have great respect for.
I recall slantsixdan had a big axe to grind with folks who deviated from factory on the electrical system, especially lighting.
I didn't think I could possibly be the only one who felt a line had been crossed along the way.
Again, I don't wanna come off as poo-poo on everything bright, just let's be reasonable.
 
A lot of lights are incredibly bright, but what peaves me even more is the inconsiderate ones who have the high power lights then run the high beams IN TOWN!
 
Emergency vehicles... I worked on a 911 response ambulance in San Francisco for close to four years before an accident ended my career when I was driving to a call. I was driving code 2 (no lights or sirens). Code 3 is lights and sirens.

An ambulance is a big giant box with crap visibility and handling.

I absolutely HATED driving code 3. It is a very dangerous thing to do. A LOT of people just don't see or hear that big giant box, you'd be surprised how many don't see...
 
Ottmundr said:
Emergency vehicles... I worked on a 911 response ambulance in San Francisco for close to four years before an accident ended my career when I was driving to a call. I was driving code 2 (no lights or sirens). Code 3 is lights and sirens.

An ambulance is a big giant box with crap visibility and handling.

I absolutely HATED driving code 3. It is a very dangerous thing to do. A LOT of people just don't see or hear that big giant box, you'd be surprised how many don't see...
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Too many idiots don't see a noisy giant box, its bad enough with cars or even motorcycles.

That's why I don't ride my motorcycle anymore. Too many damn morons on the road, both 4 and 2 wheeled. I can be dressed from head to toe in fluorescent, reflective gear and they still don't see me.

Too bad, I really enjoyed riding. I'll only do open roads with less people.

It's bad enough we got idiot ricers who think its cool to put obnoxious HID lights, and to top it off the get the stupid 10-12,000 Kelvin lights and give off that useless stupid blue or pink-purple tint.
 
isn't it about time that the factories provide "self adjusting" lamps
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Some do. My '03 jag does, or at least it did until the motors broke (common) and it's $600 for a new assembly... each.

Even though mine were factory lights and met regulations, their brightness still often had passing drivers flashing their high-beams at me when mine weren't even on. Not much I could do about it.
 
Some trucks and cars have a speed lamp in the bumper which they seem to leave on all the time. These seem to be way too bright to run all the time nor do I think they were ment to be.
 
I first noticed this several years ago while waiting for a traffic light to change while I was behind a behemoth Cadillac SUV. The giant array of brake lights all lit up at once can be literally blinding.

Another pet peeve of mine is front turn signal indicators that are right beside the head lights. Usually in the same housing. While waiting to turn sometimes I cannot see the flashing amber turn indicator until the vehicle is right by the intersection because there is a super headlight shining out and masking the dimmer turn signal light.

Slantsixdan will probably weigh in on this.
 
Plus all the idiots who insist on driving w/ high beams, though some factory low-beams are so bright now that it is hard to tell. At least cops occasionally pull them over since some cars stay on high-beam when hot-wired and stolen.

On the flip-side, I can't count how many idiots don't turn on their lights after dark or when raining, even after I flash them several times. I guess that Facebook page is too interesting to divert their attention. For several years, CA has a law that if your wipers on are your headlamps must be on, but in the last winter rains I estimated only 50% of cars had their lights on. Don't get me started on all the modified Harleys with little or no muffler. There are laws, but the cops don't enforce, even when they sound like a machine gun.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I will admit......I use non DOT approved E code 7" H4 conversions in my Ford truck, but they are aimed dead nuts on STOCK. IMO, the E code stuff should be DOT approved, because on low beam, they focus an incredible wedge of light on the right hand right of way of the road and illuminate road signs very well. Also, their cut off area on low beam is very abrupt and short. On high beam, of course, it's another story. We live out in the county in Georgia. Deer out here account for a LOT of accidents. I wanna see um comin.
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I started using those on cars 40 years ago. The well engineered Marchal's and Hella's have well shaped beams that put out good light but not into others' eyes. The cheap conversion stuff is awful. When I meet them, I just put on my high beams and keep them on. But they don't get the clue; it just makes me feel better. They don't get or don't care that just because they see better, they are hurting others' vision.
 
nm9stheham said:
I started using those on cars 40 years ago. The well engineered Marchal's and Hella's have well shaped beams that put out good light but not into others' eyes. The cheap conversion stuff is awful. When I meet them, I just put on my high beams and keep them on. But they don't get the clue; it just makes me feel better. They don't get or don't care that just because they see better, they are hurting others' vision.
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I got the Hellas. I did the Cibie conversion on an O8 Jeep Wrangler I had and I was hooked. To me, there's simply not another lighting upgrade that's anywhere near as good and cost effective. I wanted the Cibies again, but I could not afford it this time. The Hellas are almost the same.
 
Yep, great performing and well engineered lights; I have been using Hella's, Marchal's and Cibie's on my rally cars since '77.

Maybe I need to get some 8" or 9" pencil beam rally lights on my Ram 2500 and teach 'em what real lights are... and 'do unto others'...
 
nm9stheham said:
Yep, great performing and well engineered lights; I have been using Hella's, Marchal's and Cibie's on my rally cars since '77.

Maybe I need to get some 8" or 9" pencil beam rally lights on my Ram 2500 and teach 'em what real lights are... and 'do unto others'...
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If you are like me, then you would be the one who got in trouble. lol
 
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