Are we OK with how bright headlights are getting?

[strantor]

We all know the drill, driving at night, turn a bend and get blinded by oncoming high beams. You flash the other driver, they still don't turn off their high beams, so you just turn on your own and give it like you're getting it (or is that just me?) and a sluggish 2-3 seconds later they call a truce, turn off their highbeams, and so do you, and you pass each other like the civilized folk you should have been from the start.

That's how it's always been until the last few years when my constant-ON high beams statement is met with a flash from them, letting me know that "no, those aren't my high beams, THESE are my high beams" as they absolutely fry my retinas with brighter-than-the-sun cool white death rays. They make ME look like the a-hole (which maybe I am). When this first started I would wear that a-hole hat and say (not that they could hear me) "sorry, sorry, my mistake" and turn off my high beams, tuck tail and pass in humility.

But lately I am just almost not able to drive at night anymore and I'm reevaluating what the whole high-beam flashing exchange actually means. When you flash high beams are you saying (A) "I think you forgot to dim your high beams" or are you saying (B) "you're blinding the hell out of me and creating an unsafe situation?" I used to mean A. Now I mean B. And when I say B, it doesn't matter if your high beams are on or not. So I have started just blasting through the brighter-than-the-sun reply to my full-on frontal assault. I mean, it really makes no difference if they are blinding me at full power or half power, they are blinding me either way so I might as well return favor?

It's not like they went out of their way to install light bars and spotlights just to blind me, that is factory equipment. What message am I trying to send them?
"You shouldn't have bought a car with such bright headlights?"
"You should replace your headlights with some that aren't so bright?"
I guess so. I admit it's not 100% rational. My gripe really is with the manufacturers. How do I laser their retinas? Right now I'm trying to do it by discouraging the people buying their product but that's a losing battle and it's pushing me closer to having to admit to being an actual a-hole.

 

[Hughman]

My gripe with new car lighting is that the dash lights are always on. This results in countless idiots driving around at night with their headlights off.

 

[strantor]

My gripe with new car lighting is that the dash lights are always on. This results in countless idiots driving around at night with their headlights off.

Yeah that's in the city, I am usually driving at night in rural areas where you couldn't possibly not realize your headlights aren't on.

 

[ruffdog]

You are not alone. Complaints from people about headlights that are too bright have been on the rise for a while now. LEDs are part of the problem, so is the fact that vehicles are taller putting the lights taller too. Complaints have led to recalls of some vehicles too as their owners say everyone is flashing them. Yes, some people don't dim their lights.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

It's a double edge sward for me. I'm getting to where I don't see as well at night, so I appreciate the bright headlights on my vehicle. But I drive a truck 99% of the time so I'm sitting high enough that most of the time I don't experience the negative side. However, I have had instances where I have blinded people with mine and could not help it. My truck does still have the old fashioned bulbs but they are mounted quite high. Lots of times when I pull a trailer they point too high, but are correct when I'm driving without a trailer. There is no provision for me to be able to easily adjust them based on load. I feel bad about it but nothing I can do really. Also, when I'm driving around town at night and end up at a light with a short car in front of me, or in a drive through I'm blinding them through their mirrors. Used to I would cut off my lights and just use my parking lights until I got out of that situation. Now with the auto lights it's hard to do that. I've had my truck a year and still can't figure out how to do that. The headlights are on at night, and if i turn them off the daytime running lights are on, and guess what, IT'S THE SAME DANG LIGHTS!

 

[masseyrider]

I take advantage of it when I need X-rays for the Doctor.
I just put blank white paper on my seat back and go for a ride at night.
The lower extremities are a little tougher to get.
Hand and skull shots are eazy.

 

[steve tym]

I just adjusted my low beams because I was getting flashed all the time (not the good kind of flashed either). We'll see if it helps.

 

[ultrarunner]

NO NO NO

I can’t drive at night without someone blinding either on coming or from the rear…

The lamps can’t be legal as some pierce the rear view even when dim

 

[ptsg]

I don't the issue is as much with headlights too bright but rather poorly adjusted height on said headlights, which will blind anyone in front of them.

For instance, most Teslas come from factory with lights too high. When it's time for the anual vehicle inspection over here, they all get a type 1 annotation on the inspect sheet with the lights too high.

 

[Blue Mule]

This is definitely a "catch 22". If you're passing a new vehicle it sucks. But if you're driving a new vehicle and you can actually see the road (something that never existed before LED lighting) then it's amazing.

The issue is that the IIHS and NHTSA started considering headlight performance a safety metric, and they now rate vehicles based upon headlight performance. The fact is, if you have headlights that are terrible then it's dangerous to be driving at night. Many popular OEs including Ford, GM, Chrysler, etc. got horrible ratings on their lighting.

So now these OE designs are using LED or HID tech and they are finally putting out usable light. But….now people are complaining about how bright they are. It’s like there is no winning here. If they are too dim it’s dangerous, if they’re too bright older folks complain. What are the OE’s supposed to do?

I will never have a vehicle without LED headlights again. Game changer.

 

[Oaktree]

LED headlights are great if you're driving, for oncoming drivers not so much.
LED (and to a lesser extent HID) lamps DO cause a lot more glare, especially when road surfaces are wet.

My gripe with new car lighting is that the dash lights are always on. This results in countless idiots driving around at night with their headlights off.

Don't most modern vehicles have automatic headlights? GM vehicles have had them for decades now.

The lamps can’t be legal as some pierce the rear view even when dim

Bingo! Most, if not all aftermarket replacement headlight bulbs have never been DOT approved, and as such are not legal. You can kinda, sorta get away with them in projector headlamps if properly adjusted. Don't even consider it with reflector headlamps.

 

[2manyrocks]

FWIW, somewhere I remember reading some advice to look at the white line and not the headlights, but agree that the newer lights help light up the road, but are also more blinding.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Add to the bright lights are the butt heads using driving lights/fog lights or worse yet, an off road light bar in conditions where the extra lighting is not needed.

 

[ruffdog]

I just adjusted my low beams because I was getting flashed all the time (not the good kind of flashed either). We'll see if it helps.

It is so easy to do too.

 

[ponytug]

It's a double edge sward for me. I'm getting to where I don't see as well at night, so I appreciate the bright headlights on my vehicle. But I drive a truck 99% of the time so I'm sitting high enough that most of the time I don't experience the negative side. However, I have had instances where I have blinded people with mine and could not help it. My truck does still have the old fashioned bulbs but they are mounted quite high. Lots of times when I pull a trailer they point too high, but are correct when I'm driving without a trailer. There is no provision for me to be able to easily adjust them based on load. I feel bad about it but nothing I can do really. Also, when I'm driving around town at night and end up at a light with a short car in front of me, or in a drive through I'm blinding them through their mirrors. Used to I would cut off my lights and just use my parking lights until I got out of that situation. Now with the auto lights it's hard to do that. I've had my truck a year and still can't figure out how to do that. The headlights are on at night, and if i turn them off the daytime running lights are on, and guess what, IT'S THE SAME DANG LIGHTS!

I agree that it is a double edged sword. On the one hand, older lights never enabled me to see things "two seconds" out for a timely stop, and while the newer lights are great for seeing that deer lurking by the edge of the road in time, some headlights have a lot (ok, too much) overshoot. I have read that some cars come with auto leveling headlights to minimize the issue, but if the terrain isn't pancake flat, it is not much help.

To your trailering headlight issue: There are devices for load leveling your truck when trailering, e.g. air suspension bags, and weight distributing hitches for bumper pull trailers. I've driven both, and personally, I prefer the latter as they typically come with antisway features as well, and for me that makes trailering safer, though I know a lot depends on the tow vehicle and trailer.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ruffdog]

Don't most modern vehicles have automatic headlights? GM vehicles have had them for decades now.

What we really need is adaptive (ADB) headlights. The US is dragging their feet on this advancement and it would be a game changer.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/15/cars/headlights-tech-adaptable-high-beams-cars/index.html

 

[Jstpssng]

FWIW, somewhere I remember reading some advice to look at the white line and not the headlights, but agree that the newer lights help light up the road, but are also more blinding.

I have done this for years; mostly because I am afraid there might be a pedestrian there.

 

[Jstpssng]

Add to the bright lights are the butt heads using driving lights/fog lights or worse yet, an off road light bar in conditions where the extra lighting is not needed.

Many if not most of those are sold for "off road use" as they don't meet DOT specs.
Then there was the time I flashed my high beams at somebody to get them to shut their fog lights off; and they flashed their blues at me. Oops!

 

[bridge4]

What we really need is adaptive (ADB) headlights. The US is dragging their feet on this advancement and it would be a game changer.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/15/cars/headlights-tech-adaptable-high-beams-cars/index.html

This is really what needs to happen. Hopefully thats implemented soon, then in 20 years it will trickle down and benefit us as the average car is 12 years old I think the real high end cars are doing this or something like it now.

The look at the white line doesn't work on me. I'm basically a bug and can't help but stare at the cars and try to figure out what car is coming at me based on the headlights/outline shown.

The only real fix is don't drive at night. Easy in the summer, near impossible in the Winter.

 

[Carl_NH]

We have LED auto headlights in the 2018 Tundra that also has a leveling knob for changing the height for a load etc.

When I run with "auto high beams" (back roads) the sensors are pretty fast to dim - less than a second, and sensitivity - lights on a driveway will dim them too.

The only case where they don't shine is if the opposing vehicle is cresting a hill or around a turn, then yes, they can be very bright for a second, and I attempt to dim manually in these cases when I see them.

I also have poorer night vision than I used to, and really like these new lights, but agree, the opposing lights are very bright too, and I have flashed my HB in these cases too when running low beams.