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Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

caranddriver.com

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Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#131
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my state, you would not pass the yearly safety inspection. Can't you just adjust the headlights?

Of course you would do the safety inspection without the trailer?

I assumed the OP meant "camper" as a mostly-permanent thing mounted in a pickup truck bed, not a detachable trailer.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#132
post #37

I really hate led headlights here in USA, They are too bright and need to be banned. People using these should be jailed for endangering lives. I don't know why but This seems to be particularly common here on big pickup trucks, which is even worse because they hit you right in your eyes if you are driving a regular car due to height difference. Also, I've had adaptive headlights on my subaru forever.

what is with Americans and jumping up at just jailing people? jesus christ you don't need to jail people because they used bright lights.

It is literally what we do. 8O

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#133
post #37

I really hate led headlights here in USA, They are too bright and need to be banned. People using these should be jailed for endangering lives. I don't know why but This seems to be particularly common here on big pickup trucks, which is even worse because they hit you right in your eyes if you are driving a regular car due to height difference. Also, I've had adaptive headlights on my subaru forever.

what is with Americans and jumping up at just jailing people? jesus christ you don't need to jail people because they used bright lights.

[deleted]

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#134

I installed the (OEM) European headlights on my car. It's, well, a night and day difference. It's been 8 years and no one has noticed.

I imagine in most cases that's just swapping halogens for HIDs. Lots of cars these days have HIDs (or LEDs, which look very similar to most people). I can't imagine you'd stand out. Maybe if you imported matrix lights.

The only thing that comes to mind as immediately obvious is the absence of amber on the sides, which, if it was ever an issue, I think could be solved. But it has never been an issue.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#135
post #28

Even more importantly: Why is America still stuck with cars that honk when they're locked and that have indicator lights flashing in the same color as the tail-lights? One is a nuisance, the other one a straight-up safety issue.

Is there some other feature you can use to find your car in a parking lot? I have pretty bad ADD so this happens to me a lot, but I assume it happens every now and then to most people in any case.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#136
post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

what does jailing someone achieve here? what is with this gross authoritarianism? most of these people using these bright LEDs dont realize how bright it is for the other drivers - it's probably just to make the roads brighter because driving in America is extremely different than the rest of the world (very very rural highways - with essentially no extra lighting)

When you are literally blinded by somebody's headlights making you momentarily blind, you are a danger to yourself and others and could kill yourself and / or others which is not even your fault to begin with! Jail time doesn't sound too insane then. I've literally had to close my eyes whilst driving due to someone's ridiculous headlights being super bright on the opposite side of the road.

Jail should be only reserved for a time when a person is refusing to change their behavior to stop being a risk to themselves or society.

It is not and should not be used as a punishment. This is ridiculous.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#137
post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

what does jailing someone achieve here? what is with this gross authoritarianism? most of these people using these bright LEDs dont realize how bright it is for the other drivers - it's probably just to make the roads brighter because driving in America is extremely different than the rest of the world (very very rural highways - with essentially no extra lighting)

> most of these people using these bright LEDs dont realize how bright it is for the other drivers How can you possibly not know that. You are literally making them bighter so it would obviously be brighter for the drivers too. why do you think its illegal in the first place.

Again because most of American roads have literally no lighting. They are not raised from the surrounding land. They have no sort of guard rails. If you want to drive safely at night on these roads you need a longer visibility distance.

You're likely not thinking about if this is going to bother someone else or not. And most US law isn't even clear on whats street legal and whats not.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#138
I get the criticism, want, and need...but comparing a $120K+ Porsche to a $20K average car isn't exactly a fair comparison, even when it comes to headlights. The replacement cost on that headlight is probably astronomical, where I can replace a bulb for $40. I don't even know if the Boxster which is around ~$60K comes with these headlights. A quick lookup and those Porsche headlights cost ~$2K EACH.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sometimes known as pixel lighting, matrix systems are based around a high-beam unit consisting of a cluster of LEDs (the Audi matrix system consists of up to 25 LEDs per high-beam unit), rather than a single high-beam bulb that you might find in a conventional headlight. This allows you to block out certain portions of the beam so you don't blind other drivers as they approach.

On this type of lighting, what is the purpose of having high and low beams? It seems like you should be able to leave it on high all the time.

Most nicer headlights are shaped[1] in a way that the drivers side beam is shorter than the passenger side beam. You don’t want to blind drivers and it gives the passenger side more visibility. They also adapt to turns. Matrix headlights do the same and much more. High beams illuminate the whole road and not just the ground in the same lane as the car.

[1] https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1827/4457/products/3_03867...

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#140

I get the criticism, want, and need...but comparing a $120K+ Porsche to a $20K average car isn't exactly a fair comparison, even when it comes to headlights. The replacement cost on that headlight is probably astronomical, where I can replace a bulb for $40. I don't even know if the Boxster which is around ~$60K comes with these headlights. A quick lookup and those Porsche headlights cost ~$2K EACH.

The ones on this website say they are £3,800 each for a 2019+ 911 Turbo (992).

https://www.design911.com/Porsche/Porsche-992--911--2019--/9...

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