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[–] 16 points 6 months ago (4 children)

Opposite of my experience. The LEDs are brighter, but they're focused and many cut out other vehicles from the beam. Xenons/HIDs also have cutoffs and even automatic height adjustment by law in Europe, so unless someone's fucked with the suspension, they don't blind you too much on low beams.

Oldschool halogens though? Most used to not have a projector at all. They'd just shine all over the place.

And of course any aftermarket install of HIDs or LEDs is bound to blind people. It's also illegal (except fairly low output LEDs in place of halogens or HIDs sometimes)

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  • [–] 6 points 6 months ago

    This is an america problem.

    Europe uses the international standard for headlight regulations, whereas the US has their own standard which is far worse for glare.

    US headlights don't have the clear cutoff line. The headlights are allowed to throw significantly more light at the angles that should be dark.

    Not only that, the regulations on beam alignment are based solely on angles, and do not account for vehicle height. This means higher headlights both illuminate more of the road, and dazzle more drivers, so automakers mount the headlights as high as possible. American trucks and SUVs are notorious for this. If you drive a normal car in the US, SUVs from the factory will have headlights above your eyeline, which means you get the full force of the headlight beam shined directly into your eyes. Which american regulations also mandate be brighter than Europe.

    It must be nice having a real government. I hope to live somewhere that has one someday.

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  • [–] 3 points 6 months ago (1 child)

    My car has matrix headlights so it can leave oncoming vehicles in a dark area while brightly illuminating the edge and side of the road

    Modern lights are good to excellent

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago

    We went from a 2008 Renault to a 2018 BMW. Every time we drive at night I am blown away by the lights. Absolutely brilliant, but basically none of it goes into on-coming traffic.

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  • [–] 20 points 6 months ago (3 children)

    I live in a country with a lot of newer cars (not bragging, it is what it is), and the growing amount of led lights really made it more manageable. My car ( Kia Ceed SW 2022) also lights up the road really good, but if you are above the light rays, it's not blinding at all. So I would say the problem existed mostly for cars between 2010 and 2020. So this meme got kinda old

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  • [–] 5 points 6 months ago (4 children)

    I solve this problem by using my full beams.

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  • [–] 3 points 6 months ago (3 children)
  • [–] 1 point 6 months ago (2 children)

    I use an EV with free charging at work.

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago (1 child)

    At typical driving rates, over a lifetime of driving, the average American motorist will kill 0.006 to 0.01 people in collisions with pedestrians (not counting cyclists). Put another way, every 1,000 miles an American drives imposes about 12 micromorts of death on pedestrians from collisions alone.

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  • 56 comments in c/lemmyshitpost@lemmy.world view that post
    [–] 61 points 6 months ago (8 children)

    It all started going down hill when they got rid of the foot switch for high beams.

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  • [–] 15 points 6 months ago (7 children)

    Man, I remember those.

    After only owning/driving them for 20+ years, I finally just swapped from a manual to an automatic. Suddenly want to see if there's an aftermarket kit to make a foot switch work for my car. I mean, my left foot has to do something

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  • [–] 12 points 6 months ago (6 children)

    I refuse to give up manual transmissions.

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  • [–] 9 points 6 months ago (3 children)

    I've decided I'll compromise and give it up for an EV, probably for my next car, assuming I can get a Chinese one (would have never expected to say something like that just a few years ago).

    Though maybe if my current car dies before I can do that I'll try to get a pre-18 MT something or another. Something without touch screens and outside connections other than AM/FM radio.

    Though the kid inside me also wants a fun car since I can now afford it might just rent a Ferrari or something for a few laps around a track to get that out of my system. Probably an or something since the top end cars don't even come with MT anymore. I don't even care that stick shift isn't peak performance anymore, it's more fun and using a clutch is engaging (heh).

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  • [–] 9 points 6 months ago (2 children)

    I've owned an 2012 Nissan Leaf and I currently drive a 2017 Kia Soul EV. I will never go back. Those Chinese cars are awesome, though (too bad can't get them in US). I live in Hawai'i, on O'ahu, where longer range is not needed. My Kia still gets about 125 miles to a charge (if I finesse how I drive and don't run the A/C) and I can go from one side of the island and back on that. But I had the Leaf when I lived in Florida and it got maybe 50 miles to a charge and that was... well, I learned about "range anxiety" with that one.

    What I really dislike about the newer US EVs is that they are, increasingly, enormous. My Kia Soul is perfect. But the US is obsessed with every vehicle being the size of a studio apartment for some reason.

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago (1 child)

    Did the Leaf come from the factory with a 50mi range? That's whack, I remember seeing an eGolf with like 75mi while I was car shopping last year and couldn't believe that would work for anyone who drives any appreciable amount of time or distance.

    The car I ended up with (2021 Polestar 2) has a nominal ~230mi range and that still feels pretty low compared to newer vehicles with 300+mi ranges.

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago

    No. I think it might have had around 100 miles when new (it was a 2012 model, one of the first EVs on the market after the Saturn fiasco covered in Who Killed the Electric Car?), but I bought it when I was at the dealership to look at a used vehicle (Nissan Frontier) and there was a Leaf there for $4000. My entire equation was: I'd like an EV+Here's a used EV+It's way cheaper than the truck I was test-driving=I'm buying the used EV. I did no research on battery capacity, etc. going entirely into the purchase cold. Apparently like 40% of the cells were spent. But I really only needed the car to get me around town, so it was perfect for that. It also taught me how to effectively drive an EV for maximum battery usage (which works great for my current car).

    What they've done with battery capacity in the last five years is incredible. My 2017 Kia was ~125 when new (but purchased in 2020 and battery was down to about 95 miles). I had some manufacturer related issues, so I wound up getting a brand new electric motor and battery in the car, significantly jumping up the range of the vehicle (but they never reset the calculator, so it's a bit of a guessing game. When fully charged it says I have between 96-100 miles, but I've got it to 126 with a bit to spare, never once going into "turtle mode" or anything like that). But, again, since I live on a not-very-big island, I don't need more range than this. What would be nice is if there was better EV charging infrastructure (and not needing twelve different apps). More chargers would make range-anxiety on older EVs nonexistent, but I'm sure that since Big Oil is now investing in chargers they want to try and pull an Apple/Samsung and steer everyone toward having to buy newer cars more often.

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  • [–] 3 points 6 months ago (1 child)

    Yeah, I still feel the same, but car was scratching at 20 years old and maintenance was becoming more than I have time for these days. So swapped to an (almost) new hybrid.

    I regret it almost every day (not that the hybrid is bad; its just not the same feel. Plus all these newfangled sensors are a bitch).

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  • [–] 51 points 6 months ago (3 children)

    If you need lights that have more lumens then the sun to drive at night, you shouldn't be allowed to drive at night

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  • [–] 43 points 6 months ago* (1 child)

    The cybertruck is so poorly designed, if it wasn't legally mandated for vehicles to have headlights, those ugly things would have a night vision HUD projection on the windshield dash screen and nothing else, allowing those IN the vehicle to see, but not allowing anyone else to see the truck at night.

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  • [–] 17 points 6 months ago (3 children)
  • [–] 12 points 6 months ago (22 children)
  • [–] 15 points 6 months ago (19 children)

    Audi gave the world this nice upgrade. They also find out people hate it. So they have developed a new headlight that give some kind shadow to other cars. Hopefully this will be a new law for led light.

    duck://player/skY9okjSzWA

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  • [–] 35 points 6 months ago (18 children)

    Those idiotic LED matrix lights keep conveniently missing the wing mirrors of cars in front when casting their shadow

    Arsehole lights for arsehole cars for arsehole people, I guess.

    There was a well established and very simple technology for not blinding other traffic. High beam and low beam, with a manual switch. No myriad of sensors and computers that do a worse job than any driver with just half a brain and some small remainder of decency.

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  • [–] 37 points 6 months ago (3 children)

    any driver with just half a brain and some small remainder of decency

    Those are getting more scarce too.

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  • [–] 16 points 6 months ago (2 children)

    Unfortunately, they do. People seem to think because of all the assistance systems in modern cars, they don't need to pay attention anymore. My daily commute on a narrow country road with largely no centre line has become a harrowing adventure in the past couple years. Idiots are increasingly driving in the middle of, or even on the wrong side of the road. These days even a solid centre line is becoming a mere suggestion.

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  • [–] 16 points 6 months ago (2 children)

    Every car has auto high beams now, and I gotta wonder what the folks living on country roads think about thousands of cars flashing their lights for the split second there's no oncoming traffic.

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  • [+] -23 points 6 months ago (8 children)

    Point your side view mirrors lower and out more? They are to see your sides, the rear view covers the behind.

    If they’re set properly, it shouldn’t be reflecting cars behind you into your eyes.

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  • [–] 12 points 6 months ago (2 children)

    This poster loves blindspots.

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago* (4 children)

    You're supposed to be able to rely entirely on your side mirrors, the rear view is for quick glances, it's honestly not a great mirror

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago (3 children)

    If you’re got the rear view, use it and save yourself.

    Seems a no brainer.

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago (2 children)

    ... Am I supposed to move my side mirrors out of place every time when someone blinds me through them?

    How about switch off your fucking high beams when you're driving behind another car instead of making them adjust their mirrors. Not all cars even have rear view mirrors. Vans don't. Mine's aimed at the rear seat so I can see what my kid's doing.

    You can't even pass the driving exam here if you use your rear view mirror instead of side mirrors.

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  • [–] 1 point 6 months ago (1 child)

    ... Am I supposed to move my side mirrors out of place every time when someone blinds me through them?

    What? Why?

    How about switch off your fucking high beams when you're driving behind another car instead of making them adjust their mirrors.

    Why are you constantly adjusting your mirrors? You set them and leave them.

    Not all cars even have rear view mirrors. Vans don't.

    Most come with back up cameras now, maybe install one.

    Mine's aimed at the rear seat so I can see what my kid's doing.

    Lmfao, you are an idiot.

    You can't even pass the driving exam here if you use your rear view mirror instead of side mirrors.

    That’s just making shit up.

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago*

    What? Why?

    You were recommending people adjust them to not see behind them when there's someone blinding them. Or were you recommending just setting them far off to the side all the time so you can never use them?

    Why are you constantly adjusting your mirrors? You set them and leave them.

    You were recommending people adjust them to not see behind them when there's someone blinding them. Or were you recommending just setting them far off to the side all the time so you can never use them?

    Most come with back up cameras now, maybe install one.

    You ARE aware that those usually only come on when reversing though, right? Right? And are aimed downwards?

    Lmfao, you are an idiot.

    Takes one to know one

    That’s just making shit up.

    No, you literally have to visibly move your head to check the side mirrors before maneuvers (including lane changes) for your driver's exam here because you can't rely on the rear view mirror alone. Your side mirrors have to show the blind spots on the side and behind you, not the side of the road or whatever you aim them at.

    If you're ever driving behind me with your high beams on and there's nobody else in my car, I'm going to brake check you. Your insurance can pay for my next car.

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  • Our cars are evolving into anglerfish

    We have been taken for absolute fools 😔

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  • [–] 3 points 6 months ago

    That cyberjunk inadvertently (probably) like like it's already been in a fender bender, judging by the huge dent and crumple patterns.

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago

    Have been contacting different places about 3500k lights for my vehicle but they all just go "what do you mean? Halogen?"

    JFC, 3500k colour is possible in LED, halogen, any light. They just don't want to make/sell them.

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  • [–] 1 point 6 months ago

    I'm wondering if this is due to the fact that so many politicians (and, thus, members of regulatory bodies) are OOOOLLLLLLD and need the night to look like the inside of an Apple Store in order to drive.

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  • [+] -10 points 6 months ago (9 children)

    I think strong lights are needed... I have two cars, one old and one new. Im afraid to drive the old one when its dark because its impossible to see anything.

    May not be a popular opinion but thats how it is.

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  • [–] 9 points 6 months ago (5 children)

    so slow down

    my 2008 with halogens does perfectly fine

    one day someone like me is going to drive head-on into you because we can't see shit because of your asshole headlights

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago (4 children)

    The asshole headlights do less blinding than most 80s and 90s halogens, because the asshole lights have projectors whereas the halogens just shoot whereever the fuck.

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  • [–] 1 point 6 months ago (3 children)

    didn't realize 80/90s blinding and 2020 blinding were the only options

    too bad there isn't a happy medium somewhere around 2010

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  • [–] 0 points 6 months ago (2 children)

    Modern lights are still less likely to blind you because you may adjust your low beam to spec, but most people don't and halogens typically don't have auto adjustment and many even aim them high because they don't get how low beams are supposed to work.

    Also I find that people with halogens or burnt out xenons take longer to switch off their high beams.

    The LEDs that blind you are most likely illegal retrofits or lifted trucks. Proper LED lights have very clear low beam cutoffs and multibeam LEDs will literally cut other cars out of their beams.

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago (1 child)

    your premise that the cutoff works well enough is incorrect

    source: my fucking life

    I'm blinded by "properly aimed" stock LEDs all the fucking time. roads aren't flat. and they're bumpy. hills exist. different elevations exist.

    and your point about multibeam LEDs just proves my point more because it completely ignores non-vehicles

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  • [–] 1 point 6 months ago

    I’m blinded by “properly aimed” stock LEDs all the fucking time. roads aren’t flat. and they’re bumpy. hills exist. different elevations exist.

    And improperly adjusted halogens will blind you even on flat terrain. And the drivers are more likely to keep their high beams on for much longer before switching over. Same with burnt out HIDs, once the 20 year old projectors have burnt out, the low beams are so shit that people will just drive with high beams into oncoming traffic. Whereas people with actually good lights can turn off their high beams when there's oncoming traffic.

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  • 6 comments in c/fuckcars@lemmy.world view that post
    [–] 13 points 6 months ago

    And that's not even the brights, which half the drivers will always use around me

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  • [–] 11 points 6 months ago (1 child)
  • [–] 11 points 6 months ago

    Ford F9500 Super Ultra Duty Orphan-Muncher Limited Edition lifted pickup truck with flashbang headlights shining straight into your mirrors.

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  • [–] 4 points 6 months ago

    I can only see a Chrysler 300 as the bottom car.

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  • [–] 1 point 6 months ago

    I do not like the new angrified car designs.

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