UK government launches review into headlight glare after drivers’ complaints

[BionicJohn]

And about time too.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/apr/02/uk-government-review-headlight-glare-drivers-complaints

[Warrior193]

I would estimate that a significant part of the problem is people who fit LEDs into headlight units that were not designed for this type of light source - which is illegal in the UK anyway.

[petrolcan]

2 minutes ago, Warrior193 said:

I would estimate that a significant part of the problem is people who fit LEDs into headlight units that were not designed for this type of light source - which is illegal in the UK anyway.

 

And yet I'm mostly blinded by modern SUVs

[AGFalco]

8 minutes ago, petrolcan said:

And yet I'm mostly blinded by modern SUVs

 

Are the headlights are higher up on SUV's?

 

Thanks. AG Falco

[olduns]

More likely dealers doing a half-arsed PDI in UK......in France I've hardly ever been dazzled as over here

[@Lee]

55 minutes ago, olduns said:

More likely dealers doing a half-arsed PDI in UK......in France I've hardly ever been dazzled as over here

As @AGFalco said the headlights are higher up on SUVs. 

Isn't that because there's far fewer SUVs in France because they have such a high purchase tax in them? 

[olduns]

Still plenty of SUVs and cars with high'ish lights over there....

[skomaz]

3 hours ago, Warrior193 said:

I would estimate that a significant part of the problem is people who fit LEDs into headlight units that were not designed for this type of light source - which is illegal in the UK anyway.

 

Not so sure on that one...   I find I'm more dazzled by standard fit non working matrix lights or the Teslas lights whatever they are as they are particularly bad. 

[kodiaqsportline]

For the most part, I think headlights work fine, certainly the factory fitted stuff.  But we don't live in a perfect flat smooth road surface world.

 

When going over any traffic calming measure, even the best setup lights in the world are going to dazzle oncoming traffic when the whole car raises and lowers. As you climb a hill and the oncoming appears on the brow of that hill, the lights are going to dazzle you because both cars are not at the same attitude. How do they intend to solve that?

 

Of course it's not just cars. Mr Cyclist has his or her powerful LED light ( totally unneccesary for road use ) beaming ahead at any angle.  Of course the lycra mob who all love to tell you they've bought the best most expensive gear, also have a ruddy LED attached to the top of their helmet - Powerful twin bar lights and a light on their helmet? It's like some alien spaceship coming towards you.

 

And everything made all the worse in the rain.

 

I get the problem, but unless we go back to halogen, I just don't see where the solution lies.

 

PS. all of this reminds me of the days post laser eye surgery. Anyone had a similar experience? I spend the following 48hr indoors with the blinds drawn, only ever venturing out for a short walk at night. However I'll never forget walking along the road in the wee hours when a car with LED lights approached - the piercing bright light blinded so bad it gave me a splitting headache afterwards.

[J.R.]

I have lived that for the last 15 years after my first eye surgery, you adapt but I am having to do so all over again after cataract surgery with multi-focal lens implant, now its not just the dazzle it creates a starburst affect where a single light source (headlight, street lamp, head torch) looks like Christmas tree lights but each one 1000 times brighter. Oncoming headlights in the distance expand to fill both sides of the road and both verges, you cannot tell what side of the road they are on, how many vehicles, whether they are line astern or overtaking, imagine mistakenly driving onto a busy 3 lane motorway at night on the wrong side against all the oncoming traffic!

 

In the running club where I used to live people wore stupidly bright LED head torches and had not the slightest clue of camp site etiquette (turn off head torch when at the table or looking at someone to talk) out locale was in the brightly lit town square, all the winter runs were on roads with street lighting yet they would stand in front of you with the thing turned on to its highest setting blinding you, when they were running you could see their misaligned torch beams lighting up the trees above like a summer day, and that was over the streetlighting!

 

The women were the worst, they said it was for their security yet they would run with their back to the traffic listening to music through earpieces not having a clue what was around them, it seemed to be a contest for who could have the brightest tackiest flashing lights, some of the red rear mounted ones were so bright they were like stroboscopes and would have triggered epilepsy, its no fun having to constantly shade your eyes with your hand and having to sit in the dark for up to 30 minutes before you could drive home when the majority of people causing the distress standing in front of you looking right at you dont even notice the reflex and the wincing in pain

 

Its the reason I have yet to join a running club here although I think it will be a lot better, the people are normal.

Edited 3 April by J.R.

[AGFalco]

My rule of thumb is, while driving on a flat level road if your headlights light up the number plate on the car in front then:-

 

Your headlights are to bright.

Your headlight aim is to high.

Your too close to the vehicle in front.

Or a combination of the above.

 

Thanks. AG Falco

[Ootohere]

14 years of a Conservative and Unionist Government that just agreed with the EU up to Brexit and since.  Type approval of vehicles and legislation.   Cornering Foglights, brake lights on with Autohold, brake lights the full length of the rear of cars.    They let the Manufacturers off with defeat devices.  They knew of them pre breaking news late 2015.   So now they are against the war on motorists seemingly.   Now they think that older drivers annoyed by headlights might give their vote to the Tories at the next GE.  Simply clever.   Maybe mandate that car headlights require checking at a PDI and at each pre delivery check and not first after 3 years on the road. 

[@Lee]

On 03/04/2024 at 22:33, Rooted said:

14 years of a Conservative and Unionist Government that just agreed with the EU up to Brexit and since.  

 

With those new found freedoms maybe the UK could, after consulting the results of the petition, demand that auto makers sell them only cars with UK specific type approved non glarey headlights.

The downside is the added cost of making HMG compliant 'freedom headlights'™ 😉

Edited 5 April by @Lee