Most drivers don’t choose how bright their headlights are or how they’re calibrated. Most modern vehicles come with super-bright LEDs, and because of the popularity of larger SUVs and trucks (which is a different conversation) those lights are about a foot higher off the road. Realistically, we can’t expect individual owners to replace or modify factory headlights on their own. If we want the problem to improve we will need stronger industry regulations or financial incentives.
one of the first things we learned in auto shop back in school was how damn easy it is to properly aim headlights. you turn two screws/bolts. bugs the shit out of me how it’s never done anymore.
calibration, unfortunately, only helps on smooth flat ground when aimed at stuff on the same plane
there’s a McDonald’s drive through that I go past sometimes that is right next to oncoming traffic but 10 ft higher in elevation, and I fucking hate that thing. I just hold my horn down whenever somebody is sitting in there with blinding headlights so I can’t see if somebody is turning across my lane at the intersection just ahead. they still haven’t put something up to block headlights. maybe if more people get on the horn they’ll finally do something about it
I’ve heard that most of the cars in the rest of the world have some sort of mechanism by which their lights will not shine directly at the faces of drivers in other cars. But of course here in the US we can’t have that.
matrix headlights are only suitable for environments where vehicles are the only other things that will be encountered, like highways
they don’t work for pedestrians or cyclists, and they’re not quick enough to react on hilly or windy roads
great tech for high speed highways, not appropriate pretty much anywhere else. it’s not the loss a lot of people think it is, to not have them in North America
I also hate how bright modern headlamps are and agree that it’s a potentially painful annoyance at best, and a huge safety issue at worst.
If you’re in the U.S., a study has been mandated and a bill introduced to take steps towards setting brightness limits for auto manufacturers. If this is an issue you care about, consider reaching out to your Congressmen and let them know you want them to support the bill and study mandate introduced earlier this year:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/7772/committees
https://gluesenkampperez.house.gov/posts/gluesenkamp-perezs-amendment-passes-house-appropriations-committee-to-investigate-overly-bright-headlights
Most drivers don’t choose how bright their headlights are or how they’re calibrated. Most modern vehicles come with super-bright LEDs, and because of the popularity of larger SUVs and trucks (which is a different conversation) those lights are about a foot higher off the road. Realistically, we can’t expect individual owners to replace or modify factory headlights on their own. If we want the problem to improve we will need stronger industry regulations or financial incentives.
one of the first things we learned in auto shop back in school was how damn easy it is to properly aim headlights. you turn two screws/bolts. bugs the shit out of me how it’s never done anymore.
calibration, unfortunately, only helps on smooth flat ground when aimed at stuff on the same plane
there’s a McDonald’s drive through that I go past sometimes that is right next to oncoming traffic but 10 ft higher in elevation, and I fucking hate that thing. I just hold my horn down whenever somebody is sitting in there with blinding headlights so I can’t see if somebody is turning across my lane at the intersection just ahead. they still haven’t put something up to block headlights. maybe if more people get on the horn they’ll finally do something about it
@mrgoosmoos @HeyThisIsntTheYMCA
I’ve heard that most of the cars in the rest of the world have some sort of mechanism by which their lights will not shine directly at the faces of drivers in other cars. But of course here in the US we can’t have that.
matrix headlights are only suitable for environments where vehicles are the only other things that will be encountered, like highways
they don’t work for pedestrians or cyclists, and they’re not quick enough to react on hilly or windy roads
great tech for high speed highways, not appropriate pretty much anywhere else. it’s not the loss a lot of people think it is, to not have them in North America
That’s just a bandaid. And not a good one.