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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?

#371

Post by ajuc »

Slartie wrote: post #288
kolinko wrote: post #265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And also instant free wire transfers. Paypal would probably never happened if US had a banking system like the one in some European countries.

For fairness one must say that our free run-of-the-mill wire transfers being instant is a relatively recent development. They used to take multiple days in pre-SEPA-days, and international payments were a hassle (and also usually not free). And even today not all transfers are instant, as both banks must support this feature. But the processing time for the non-instant ones is down to one day across the board at leas…

Depends on the country. Poland had intra-day free interbank transfer system called Elixir since 1994.

Basically it pays to be backward with these things - you skip many bad solutions and can learn from others. Our bank system was reconstructed almost from scratch in early 90s so it's quite modern now.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#372

Post by corford »

Slartie wrote: post #288
kolinko wrote: post #265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And also instant free wire transfers. Paypal would probably never happened if US had a banking system like the one in some European countries.

For fairness one must say that our free run-of-the-mill wire transfers being instant is a relatively recent development. They used to take multiple days in pre-SEPA-days, and international payments were a hassle (and also usually not free). And even today not all transfers are instant, as both banks must support this feature. But the processing time for the non-instant ones is down to one day across the board at leas…

SEPA really is great. Would be awesome if more of the world (including the US) adopted IBAN - maybe it would lead to a similarly cheap and fast global payment area.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#373

Post by praestigiare »

csomar wrote: post #310
bsimpson wrote: post #253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For instance: payments. Europe and Asia got chip cards and tap-to-pay decades before we did, even though Mastercard and Visa took part in their invention. America had credit card infrastructure first, so our payment networks were stuck with it, while other countries could start off with better stuff. Without the consumer demand that Google/Apple Pay (and later coronavirus) created, we still probably wouldn't have wid…

This gets thrown a lot but I think the reason the U.S. didn't move from the swipe system to the PIN is the speed of processing your card. With the swipe, the cashier just swipe your card and you're done. With the chip, I have to wait and then enter my PIN and then wait. It's just a hustle.

This process is nearly instant in every country I have used it in except for the US, where it inexplicably takes 20 seconds of waiting both pre and post pin entry.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#375

Post by throwaway0a5e »

lvspiff wrote: post #53
serf wrote: post #14

groups like Audi/Porsche/BMW have trouble bringing their fancy LED setups to America due to laws pertaining to high / low beams -- meanwhile every Jack and Jill on the road has glaringly illegal aftermarket Xenon bulb setups in refractor headlight housings rather than proper projectors, blinding the hell out of everyone on the road, and the police seem to do nothing about it. I mean, hey -- i'm usually happy about au…

The worst thing to happen to America was Autozone and Fast and Furious. Cheap aftermarket modifications to your car being sold to people with no knowledge of what they were doing but wanted it too look cool cause they saw it in the movie. Its led to years of teenagers with no training putting things on their cars that turn them into obnoxious spectacles on the road. I know I sound like an old coot but frankly I'm gla…

Pep Boys was a thing for like 20yr before the first Fast and Furious movie came out.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#376

Post by rawland »

So, I'm riding to work by bike and in winter times I came to hate these lights.

They destroy any natural darkness adaptation, which takes some time to set in again and then already comes the next car.

These super fancy lights don't give a shit about the sidewalk or wild life. To me they increase no security whatsoever and contribute mainly to the ongoing light pollution.

Probably they even decrease safety overall by randomly blinding humans/animals.

Studies/Exp needed.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#377

Post by throwaway0a5e »

All these people stroking it to fancy new LED or projector lights clearly have never had to service (pro-tip: you usually can't) or replace them. The projectors in particular have a bunch of asinine failure modes as they age. Good luck finding a complete assembly for less than half a grand. Screw that.

Give me sealed beam lights that cost $20 and if they're not bright enough then give me more of them (e.g. 2013 Ford E-series).

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#378

Post by brianwawok »

seer wrote: post #278
ramenmeal wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've noticed newer Toyota headlights's are really bright and angled too high up. That or Toyota drivers leave their brights on more.

Isn’t there a knob to control the angle of the projectors? So that if you have heavy cargo at the back you can adjust the angle? In the country I live in you’ll get honked to oblivion if you mess with that and blind the other drivers.

No car I have ever seen in the US has this.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#379

Post by throwaway0a5e »

kube-system wrote: post #221
jdietrich wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most of the European Audi and BMW range is equipped with adaptive LED or laser headlights that selectively dip for oncoming traffic; self-levelling headlights are mandatory on new cars in the EU.

Nobody tows with an Audi or BMW in the US. People here tow with an F150, which is equipped with an incandescent bulb in front of a chrome-plated plastic reflector.

People tow small boats and jet skis with their cars. HN just never crosses paths with those people because they're both above and below the income range around here.

Re: Why is America stuck with bad headlights?

#380

Post by nemo44x »

bsimpson wrote: post #253
gautamcgoel wrote: post #238

So, basically the same reason we have bad everything . Our institutions and regulations are outdated relative to the rest of the world, so we get stuck with shitty stuff.

For instance: payments. Europe and Asia got chip cards and tap-to-pay decades before we did, even though Mastercard and Visa took part in their invention. America had credit card infrastructure first, so our payment networks were stuck with it, while other countries could start off with better stuff. Without the consumer demand that Google/Apple Pay (and later coronavirus) created, we still probably wouldn't have wid…

Yeah that’s mainly correct I believe. The USA had an earlier electronic system well established by the time chip and pin was available. The costs to switch would have been greater than the amount of fraud prevented.

We see this in other systems like NYC’s metrocard VS London’s Oyster. Metrocard was an early system that works reasonably well. Now the MTA is deploying a new modern system as metro gets near its planned lifetime.

I think the USA has been far more innovative with credit cards that give rewards. Many of my EU friends complain they can’t get more airline points, etc with their cards.

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