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I think UK drivers also agree. It’s like lots of people are driving around with their high beams on. They aren’t because if they were you’d wouldn’t be able to

I think UK drivers also agree. It’s like lots of people are driving around with their high beams on. They aren’t because if they were you’d wouldn’t be able to look at them at all. They are 20% too bright and all too cold.

ljf 3y ago
It is bad here (uk) but in America it is wild - not only do they use far brighter bulbs in the usa, but the rules on how they can be angled aren't as strict and in some states are not enforced at all. It can be unpleasant here, but I don't know how there aren't more accidents in the US
- ProllyInfamous 3y ago
  >in some states [lighting laws] are not enforced at all. This is how it is in the American South, where every 90's pickup truck has been "retrofitted" with xenon bulbs, without actually having replaced the headlamp reflector housing == blinding oncoming drivers. Don't even get me started on people driving around with their actual highbeams on because "it allows me to see better" [an actual response]. My state does not even inspect vehicles in any capacity — would love to see police actually cite offending vehicles, but they're too busy busting kids for marihuana.
- curiousgibbon 3y ago
  There are more accidents in the US than in civilized countries. Per mile.
dageshi 3y ago
I find wet weather particularly bad, if the roads are wet and it's raining then I often find myself blinded to the road ahead as a car is passing me on the opposite side of the road.
clort 3y ago
One issue I noticed when I rented a newer car a couple years ago, was that it automatically switched to full-beam and dipped where it thought appropriate though I only switched on low beam in the first place. I was driving a winding country road with a fair amount of oncoming traffic so I didn't really need full beam. The problem is that it only dips when it has seen the oncoming headlight, whereas to avoid dazzling the driver it would be better to dip just before they come into view.
- oarsinsync 3y ago
  I had this experience with an Opel (Vauxhall) recently. The solution was to manually deactivate the high beams when they were automatically engaged. They stayed off after that. Don’t know about a permanent solution, this was a one week rental.
lttlrck 3y ago
I am just heading back from the UK to SoCal. I was in the west country for a week and did plenty of backroads driving in heavy rain at night. I can't say I noticed many blinding LED headlights but general headlight alignment and high beam discipline is infinitely better than in the US.
- gravescale 3y ago
  Headlight alignment is at least part of the yearly vehicle check for vehicles older then 3 years. Aftermarket lights that are illegally bright will (or rather, should) also fail that check. But I would assume if you're knowingly putting some eBay NightVision-b-Gone supernova in your car that has "not legal for road use" on the box, you're going to swap it out beforehand and put it back afterwards.

ljf 3y ago

It is bad here (uk) but in America it is wild - not only do they use far brighter bulbs in the usa, but the rules on how they can be angled aren't as strict and in some states are not enforced at all. It can be unpleasant here, but I don't know how there aren't more accidents in the US

ProllyInfamous 3y ago
>in some states [lighting laws] are not enforced at all. This is how it is in the American South, where every 90's pickup truck has been "retrofitted" with xenon bulbs, without actually having replaced the headlamp reflector housing == blinding oncoming drivers. Don't even get me started on people driving around with their actual highbeams on because "it allows me to see better" [an actual response]. My state does not even inspect vehicles in any capacity — would love to see police actually cite offending vehicles, but they're too busy busting kids for marihuana.
curiousgibbon 3y ago
There are more accidents in the US than in civilized countries. Per mile.

dageshi 3y ago

I find wet weather particularly bad, if the roads are wet and it's raining then I often find myself blinded to the road ahead as a car is passing me on the opposite side of the road.

clort 3y ago

One issue I noticed when I rented a newer car a couple years ago, was that it automatically switched to full-beam and dipped where it thought appropriate though I only switched on low beam in the first place. I was driving a winding country road with a fair amount of oncoming traffic so I didn't really need full beam. The problem is that it only dips when it has seen the oncoming headlight, whereas to avoid dazzling the driver it would be better to dip just before they come into view.

oarsinsync 3y ago
I had this experience with an Opel (Vauxhall) recently. The solution was to manually deactivate the high beams when they were automatically engaged. They stayed off after that. Don’t know about a permanent solution, this was a one week rental.

lttlrck 3y ago

I am just heading back from the UK to SoCal. I was in the west country for a week and did plenty of backroads driving in heavy rain at night. I can't say I noticed many blinding LED headlights but general headlight alignment and high beam discipline is infinitely better than in the US.

gravescale 3y ago
Headlight alignment is at least part of the yearly vehicle check for vehicles older then 3 years. Aftermarket lights that are illegally bright will (or rather, should) also fail that check. But I would assume if you're knowingly putting some eBay NightVision-b-Gone supernova in your car that has "not legal for road use" on the box, you're going to swap it out beforehand and put it back afterwards.