Anyone else bothered by overly bright headlights at night? I know manufacturers bang on about safety and the ability to light up more of the road but I can't see the point when most of the time traffic is coming the other way and when it isn't, that's what the high beam is for...

 

What I do know is I'm finding I'm getting dazzled more and more when driving at night, both from the front and quite often when someone in a SUV is in the outside lane and dazzles me via the wing mirror. I definitely feel less safe at night than I used to.

 

Is there anything I can do about it? Are night driving glasses any good?

Not helped by the fact that some are in love with their fog lights either.

For me it's the number of cars with poorly adjusted lights.

 

Quite often they will be set way too high and lighting up the headliner inside my car.

 

Or they will have just one light that's pointing too high or off to the side.

 

Never found bright headlights a problem that are properly adjusted/automatically adjusting (I'm assuming we are referring to cars with xenon and LED lighting systems fitted).

I'm not so sure it's just badly adjusted lights - I think much is to do with things like automatic high beam systems and the like.  Certainly I find I get dazzled by certain makes more than others and worry that 5 to 10 years down the line when the systems fail and are out of warranty it'll be even worse

 

I must admit that tall vehicles fitted with xenons like range rovers are annoying.

 

Although they have the lights angled down to not shine as far because the source of the light it higher it does produce more dazzle.

 

And remember that not all xenon/LED systems are self adjusting. If they are below a certain lumen output they do not need this. But then because of a brighter and lighter tone of the lights they tend to dazzle more than halogens.

 

The likes of the Seat Leon with LED lights do not adjust or anything.

 

Although I like the idea of the clever Audi LED matrix headlights I wonder if like all technology it will mis-read the road and end up dazzling.

 

But if the systems themselves break then they go into a default mode with the lights dipped down to avoid dazzling.

My missus uses some anti-dazzle glasses at night, and thinks they help.

I might get some for my birthday if I drop a hint or two.

 

Ever-worsening problem though. Consideration for others is so last millennium.

I'd guess a chunk of it is glare from poorly adjusted lamps. Even auto-levelling systems have to adjust from a basic mechanical setting and if this is wrong the auto-adjust can only correct so far.

 

Also, how many people take the time to ensure their headlamp lenses are clean and free of scratches and chips? Any hazing or scratching on the lens is going to cause flaring no matter how well adjusted the beam is.

1 hour ago, Phil-E said:

 

 

The likes of the Seat Leon with LED lights do not adjust or anything.

 

Although I like the idea of the clever Audi LED matrix headlights I wonder if like all technology it will mis-read the road and end up dazzling.

 

But if the systems themselves break then they go into a default mode with the lights dipped down to avoid dazzling.

I have the Adaptive LEDs on my X3 and I've never been flashed other than when I set it to continental traffic by mistake.

 

The only time I've noticed it not dipping/moving the light beam away from traffic is if I'm approaching a car at 45degrees that's waiting to join the road at a junction and then I'll override it. 

 

All in all its amazingly good but as with all tech you have to watch it and make sure it's working not just relying on it. 

Edited 29 March, 20179 yr by gullyg

There is no excuse with many for dirt, scratches or anything like, 66 plates and 17 plate cars and even ones with Trade Plates on can have ridiculous

'i am all right jack lighting'.  ie see and be seen and up yours buddy!

Didn't we just do this thread?

 

Abo are you Clunk in disguise?

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/423788-headlight-dazzle-suddenly-worse 

Ye that was a thread on suddenly, this one is good IMO,

and maybe we could have another or why has it been going on for so long.

 I want some to just switch on Side & Headlights (and no need for other lights) when lighting is poor, see and be seen,

 and only switch on additional Fogs or Spots/driving lights if  there is an actually visibility / weather condition requiring them.

 

Edited 29 March, 20179 yr by Awayoffski

Gentlemen, welcome to the ( vehicle lighting ) arms race!

4 hours ago, camelspyyder said:

Didn't we just do this thread?

 

Abo are you Clunk in disguise?

Lol did we, I mustn't visit often enough!!!