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I know people who have had their headlights "tuned" to have them raised higher. Purpose was to "blind"/"warn" traffic on the German Autobahn when they wanted to

I know people who have had their headlights "tuned" to have them raised higher. Purpose was to "blind"/"warn" traffic on the German Autobahn when they wanted to clear the lane for themselves and the car to look more aggressive. Works as easy as removing the battery, pushing the back of the car down, therefore lifting the headlights up. Reconnect the battery and that lifted state will be memorized as 0-level by the headlights. Now remove the weight from the back, the car will come back into it's normal position but the lights think they are too low, so they will level themselves higher and therefore blind oncoming traffic...

raducu 8y ago
Where I live, if you blind me with your long distance headlights, I will blind you with my long distance headlights, isn't that universal?
- kevinherron 8y ago
  In the situation he's describing one driver is behind the other. Unless you have headlights that point backwards you won't be able to return the favor.
  - lightedman 8y ago
    I keep a 100w LED cannon pointing out my rear window for EXACTLY that reason. Come up on me with your brights on? I've got something bright for you.
  - raducu 8y ago
    Sure I can, I can turn on the high beam just as they overtake me, not always in bad faith, but maybe they just forgot theirs accidentally and need a reminder; just as I will flash and then completely turn off my headlights when I see a car running without headlights at night in the city, sometimes people just forget. I once turned off my headlights in a hill traffic jam while completely stopped as I was blinding the guy in front of me on my lowest setting and to my surprise everyone did the same in a domino-fashion. Tit for tat is pretty good.
- martin_a 8y ago
  Oh, it totally is, but your attention is sure when they come in flying from behind and starting to blind you. I think that's what they want to achieve by being such jerks.
pluma 8y ago
Wait, that's a thing? Do they reset them before the TüV inspection every time? Having been blinded by oncoming traffic on the Autobahn a few times, reading this is extremely infuriating. Xenon headlights are especially vile.
- martin_a 8y ago
  Well, after all it's no big deal: How long do you think does it take you to disconnect the battery, get a coffee and two friends to sit in the trunk while you reconnect the battery? ;-) And if you need to see the TÜV, you just leave out the trunk friends and are good to go as the headlights will then level themselves to the normal position again. I've been blinded so often by Xenon headlights, I'm not sure if this is a widespread problem or if I'm just sensitive to those bright lights in the dark. On the other hand I've been blinded in daylight too, so it doesn't seem like it's about the darkness. And as my eyes have been tested to working very well I have the feeling that headlight settings are getting more aggressive even in normal mode.

raducu 8y ago

Where I live, if you blind me with your long distance headlights, I will blind you with my long distance headlights, isn't that universal?

kevinherron 8y ago
In the situation he's describing one driver is behind the other. Unless you have headlights that point backwards you won't be able to return the favor.
- lightedman 8y ago
  I keep a 100w LED cannon pointing out my rear window for EXACTLY that reason. Come up on me with your brights on? I've got something bright for you.
- raducu 8y ago
  Sure I can, I can turn on the high beam just as they overtake me, not always in bad faith, but maybe they just forgot theirs accidentally and need a reminder; just as I will flash and then completely turn off my headlights when I see a car running without headlights at night in the city, sometimes people just forget. I once turned off my headlights in a hill traffic jam while completely stopped as I was blinding the guy in front of me on my lowest setting and to my surprise everyone did the same in a domino-fashion. Tit for tat is pretty good.
martin_a 8y ago
Oh, it totally is, but your attention is sure when they come in flying from behind and starting to blind you. I think that's what they want to achieve by being such jerks.

pluma 8y ago

Wait, that's a thing? Do they reset them before the TüV inspection every time? Having been blinded by oncoming traffic on the Autobahn a few times, reading this is extremely infuriating. Xenon headlights are especially vile.

martin_a 8y ago
Well, after all it's no big deal: How long do you think does it take you to disconnect the battery, get a coffee and two friends to sit in the trunk while you reconnect the battery? ;-) And if you need to see the TÜV, you just leave out the trunk friends and are good to go as the headlights will then level themselves to the normal position again. I've been blinded so often by Xenon headlights, I'm not sure if this is a widespread problem or if I'm just sensitive to those bright lights in the dark. On the other hand I've been blinded in daylight too, so it doesn't seem like it's about the darkness. And as my eyes have been tested to working very well I have the feeling that headlight settings are getting more aggressive even in normal mode.