Over-powerful LED lights

[Biospace]

At a nation-state level we can't do anything about the headlights themselves, other than push for regulation at a higher (UNECE presumably) level. And it's hard to see what else would be effective.

This assumes the design of the lamps is the only way of improving the problem which I'm not convinced is the situation.

Yes, imo some are unnecessarily bright and the dipped beam cut off is too abrupt, but from what I can tell most of the issues on the road arise from poor alignment, which in theory should be dealt with at the MoT if not as part of a larger service. I've observed more expensive German makes and most French ones rarely dazzle - ime it's all too often newer Land Rover products, Minis and cheaper VWs.

[Bmblbzzz]

Yes, in theory at least alignment is checked annually. Difficult to stop people fiddling with it between MOTs, even if it is checked.

[Bmblbzzz]

At a nation-state level we can't do anything about the headlights themselves, other than push for regulation at a higher (UNECE presumably) level. And it's hard to see what else would be effective.

Of course we can... We just limit ourselves to companies that are willing to make a UK spec headlight... and that will slightly increase the cost of vehicles.

As individuals? Yes. At a wider level? No.

[Biospace]

Yes, in theory at least alignment is checked annually. Difficult to stop people fiddling with it between MOTs, even if it is checked.

I wonder how many MoT testing stations actually set them correctly, when needed?

We're reached the point where headlamps can be so bright that they need very careful setting up, even taking into account tyre wear, fuel level and any boot luggage weight. Too many drivers appear to be unaware of the dashboard control to lower their beam height.

This problem has been dragging on for many years now without anything done other than drivers reciprocating in being a hazard. It's certainly not a peculiarly British problem, although our love of high up vehicles perhaps doesn't help.

[Bmblbzzz]

We need an MoT for the testing stations! (I presume there is something but doubt it's annual).

[Biospace]

They have a comprehensive checking regime, my local man tells me. And if their pass/fail statistics don't conform to the national average, the Government computer flags them up for a visit. I think the time taken to carry out each test is monitored also.

Besides, I think all that's required is to adjust the vertical alignment, but since the beam cut-offs are not horizontal or a straight line, this doesn't always solve the problem. I should think it's a little more convoluted for some of these "intelligent" headlamps which direct the lighting wherever it's needed, but avoid oncoming cars (supposedly).

[Bmblbzzz]

And if their pass/fail statistics don't conform to the national average, the Government computer flags them up for a visit.

This sounds like it could creep into dangerous group think! "Everyone passes that, so we will too." Plus, I'd expect the pass/fail to vary by the sociodemographics of each area; poorer districts will generally have older cars and less money for maintenance. The time taken per test sounds like a good metric though.

[rareposter]

Difficult to stop people fiddling with it between MOTs, even if it is checked.

Vanishingly few people ever do ANYTHING to their car other than fill it up with fuel. My car, I can't even reach one of the headlights without significant disassembly of that corner of engine housing. Most modern cars have a self-levelling headlight feature now. The main culprit I suspect is auto-dimming headlights which are usually rubbish, taking way longer than a human* to alter the settings

Kind of the point I've made about bikes many times when some folk have suggested wildly OTT technical solutions - most people don't know and/or don't care and/or don't have the resources to do any of that. Well it's that but x10 when it comes to cars, especially modern ones which require more of a laptop and diagnostics suite than a hammer and a Haynes Manual.

All I can do to my car is check tyre pressure, fill the windscreen washer bottle and put fuel in it. Oh and adjust the seat and mirrors. Literally everything else is locked down solid.

* a human that's paying attention and actually cares about such things anyway.

[mattheus]

This winter has been the worst yet for drivers (apparently) just failing to dip their lights for me (on my bike - this is significant!).
I'm almost sure - from talking to drivers of modern cars - that this is mostly due to the "autodip" features. Now that I'm aware of this facet, I'm noticing it more-and-more cos that's how humans are wired, and thus this winter feels like a step change from previous years. Bah, grumble, hrumph etc

Now this is an issue that is decoupled from over-bright lights in general, but it does rub salt into the wound somewhat!

[MartinC]

Auto-dipping headlights are a classic case motornormation induced stupidity. Headlights don't need to be dipped when there are other headlights coming the other way. They need to be dipped when they're shining into eyes - headlights don't have eyes. The implicit (stupid) assumption is that eyes can only be contained in another motor vehicle. Why any construction and use regs allow them to only dip for car headlights is beyond me. Perhaps we should propose that lorry headlights only dip for other oncoming lorries and enjoy the reaction.

The Highway code:
114
You MUST NOT
use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders

So using them alone clearly contravenes the Highway Code.

[pjclinch]

Auto-dipping headlights are a classic case motornormation induced stupidity. Headlights don't need to be dipped when there are other headlights coming the other way. They need to be dipped when they're shining into eyes - headlights don't have eyes. The implicit (stupid) assumption is that eyes can only be contained in another motor vehicle. Why any construction and use regs allow them to only dip for car headlights is beyond me. Perhaps we should propose that lorry headlights only dip for other oncoming lorries and enjoy the reaction.

The Highway code:
114
You MUST NOT
use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders

So using them alone clearly contravenes the Highway Code.

Not familiar with exactly how/when they operate, but if they auto-dip for oncoming cars but still leave a manual dip possible for e.g. pedestrians then as long as you use that manual dip in such cases you wouldn't be breaking the Code.
Also the case that on e.g. a motorway there won't be horse riders, cyclists or pedestrians, so a bit like being able to drive at 70, just because you can't use it everywhere doesn't scale to you can't use it anywhere.

There's not really an easy way for an on-board sensor to pick up eyes ahead, but that's not so much the case for oncoming powerful lights. Failing to dip lights for peds/cyclists isn't anything new, and I doubt it's limited to automatic dip systems.

Pete.

[Biospace]

This sounds like it could creep into dangerous group think! "Everyone passes that, so we will too." Plus, I'd expect the pass/fail to vary by the sociodemographics of each area; poorer districts will generally have older cars and less money for maintenance. The time taken per test sounds like a good metric though.

Completely. It's how everything is coming to be - someone is paid a small fortune to write some software, it's plugged in to Government agency computers and from there on it's a case of "the computer says yes" or "the computer says no".

Auto-dipping headlights are a classic case motornormation induced stupidity.
...
The Highway code:
114
You MUST NOT
use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders

So using them alone clearly contravenes the Highway Code.

Indeed this is true, I wonder if any cycling organisations have made this point clearly to the DfT?

[Airsporter1st]

In the ‘60’s the Government used to air a number of road safety adverts on the TV, one of which advised averting ones eyes in the face of dazzling oncoming lights.

That has always worked for me.

[[XAP]Bob]

In the ‘60’s the Government used to air a number of road safety adverts on the TV, one of which advised averting ones eyes in the face of dazzling oncoming lights.

That has always worked for me.

So you mean looking away from the road ahead... No issues I can see with that as an option, no none at all...

[mattheus]

In the ‘60’s the Government used to air a number of road safety adverts on the TV, one of which advised averting ones eyes in the face of dazzling oncoming lights.

That has always worked for me.

Genius!