Off Topic » Headlights - Too bright?

Here's an interesting MCN article about headlights. I wonder what the Europeans would think if most 4-wheel vehicles were 1/2 to 1-ton 4x4 Pickups as in the US?

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2024...-investigation/

I've been moaning about this for years. It used to be 60 watt (800 lumens) was the max for main beam. 100 watts (1500 lumens) were available for rallying and Racing but strictly not for highway use as the would dazzle oncoming traffic.
Now LED lamps are available from 3000- 4500 lumens. How the hell can has this been allowed? 🤔 Yes it gives better visibility, but it's not safe for oncoming traffic. Especially with the auto dipping lights. By the time they dip, the oncoming drivers retina's have burnt out. It's wrong and dangerous.

The issue isn’t lumens…it’s aiming.

I went with high-lumen LEDs and auxiliary lamps. The stock bulbs just don’t cut it at night. My eyes are fine, but distinguishing details in the dark requires light.

My XX had a much better headlamp…better light spread. When I installed the HID bulbs, I bought a deflector made by a fellow XX owner to conceal the “hot spot” from view. Didn’t really impact light projection, but it did shield oncoming drivers from looking at the heart of the HID lamp.

On every vehicle I’ve owned…except my Prius, I’ve had to adjust the low beams upward because they aim so far down that I need high beams to see more than 50 feet ahead of me.

Of course, I have the advantage of living in the country, so to test, I simply stop on a flat section of road and see where the upper limit for my low beams falls.

Now, when people go with auxiliary lights, I don’t think they grasp that those are for light under special circumstances…not for driving. If you are going to use them when driving, you must be able to control where they project light…and many don’t bother.

I agree to a point, but the luminosity will always be a problem if aim is incorrect or oncoming vehicles are on an uneven road or coming over a crest. You can't cover those situations.

Zitat von L2RKE im Beitrag #5

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I agree to a point, but the luminosity will always be a problem if aim is incorrect or oncoming vehicles are on an uneven road or coming over a crest. You can't cover those situations.

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I reserve my particular venom on this subject for pedal cyclists who wear searchlights on their heads... forget about the problems of auto-dipping headlights, those lamps just send a blinding beam wherever the cyclist happens to be looking. Completely mad.

The other day I was driving at night when I was faced with three blinding lights across the road coming straight at me - "What the bloody hell is that" I thought, as I hit the brakes - looked like some massive vehicle spanning the road - but no, just three twatty teen cyclists arsing about.