NHTSA Probes Headlight Glare

WardsAuto.com ^ | Aug 9, 2006 | Herb Shuldiner

[neverdem]

As far as I'm concerned, this is money well spent, regardless of the moronic comments it might generate. I don't drive at night now if I can avoid due to the glare from new headlights because of the instant anxiety I get from being almost blinded at 65 mph. The only thing I want to know is the spelling, zenon or xenon?

[IronJack]

Technically, it's "xenon." And if your eyes are that sensitive to light, you're well advised NOT to drive at night.

It's hell getting old, ain't it?

[Perdogg]

The problem is, these new lamps burn out fast and they are expensive. So people drive with their brights on.

I think the lamps ought to work for more than a year.

[Kimmers]

Have you tried wearing yellow tinted glasses? It helps me.

[wagglebee]

Yes, oncoming headlights even on low-beam with the newer zenon ones create problems when they are coming at you. EVERYONE ALREADY KNOWS THIS, so why does nearly a million dollars of taxpayer money need to be spent to study this?

[Southern Partisan]

xenon is correct

[oceanview]

xenon.

I guess the nanny state will be banning these soon too.

[montomike]

What gets me are the yay-hoos that drive the trucks and cars with what are essentially four headlights. They can get pretty bright on rural highways even on low beam.

[boomop1]

I wear shooting glasses they have the perfect yellow tint.

[Socratic]

I agree. Perhaps if one is sitting up high in an SUV the effect is less but, in a regular car, one is blinded. Not only that, but the least bit of dirt on your windshield causes a distracting halo effect which pulsates if you move your head side-to-side.

[cripplecreek]

I agree that some of the new headlights are too bright even on low beam.

[Kimmers]

And there is always the cool factor with shooting glasses....my cousin used to wear the yellow ski goggles...he is a rather small guy and wore these big ski goggles, that combination was too funny.

[xcamel]

The HID lights on my Audi S4 automatically "dip" to oncoming cars, substantially reducing the glare. This should be standard on ail HID systems.

The LRC does some amazing work with low power home lighting. My company has done several projects with them and NYSERDA to certify CF and 'superwhite' LED lighting for in-home use.

[Strategerist]

The killer is SUV lights on cars that are low to the ground - I have an Acura Integra and it can be pretty brutal.

Also I see people just leaving their highbeams on all the time too.

[cripplecreek]

Ted Nugent used to have an old Bronco that had a dozen or more lights across the roof and front bumper. He said they were designed to know your eyeballs to the back of your skull at three quarters of a mile.

We were carefull about flashing our lights at anyone, just in case.

[RightWhale]

I have some background in headlight design. At the time I did that, there were standards that would not have allowed what we have now on most cars. It is amusing to watch cars drive by and lighting up the tops of trees all the way from 300 yards until they pass by.

[Cogadh na Sith]

Get off the road.

It's just more class warfare: the more expensive vehicles have the good headlights, so we have to ban them so everyone is equally unsafe, but still have high self esteem.

[neverdem]

EVERYONE ALREADY KNOWS THIS, so why does nearly a million dollars of taxpayer money need to be spent to study this?

Maybe to get these pernicious creations outlawed? I used to enjoy holiday evenings with the rest of my family. If they document that they cause increased morbidity and mortality, well so much more reason.

[ApplegateRanch]

They can get pretty bright on rural highways even on low beam.

And yet, ever since the 1950's & 6-volt systems, the dimming distances have not changed.

As to rural roads, there seem to be a lot of drivers who simply don't understand that no matter how bright their lights are, they still can't see any farther than the next dip or bend in the road.

[Fan of Fiat]

The new (top of the line) lights you see are HID; not xenon. They never burn out since they don't have a filament.