Modern headlights are blinding!

[-Virgil-]

Would you consider writing a letter to your Congressman on the height of headlights and their beams, with a recommendation of changing the regs?

I wish there were a point, but assuming such a letter actually gets acted on and not just ignored, Congress just immediately asks NHTSA about it, NHTSA says everything's fine, and that's the end of it. I mean, just last month Congress ordered NHTSA to allow ADB as defined by SAE J3069, and NHTSA declared "NHTSA shall allow ADB as per SAE J3069" didn't actually mean they had to allow ADB as per SAE J3069. Instead they issued a final rule specifying a more expensive system that gives drivers less seeing light and other road users more glare. So that's where we're at as far as any Congressional oversight of NHTSA goes.

 

[Poppy]

I wish there were a point, but assuming such a letter actually gets acted on and not just ignored, Congress just immediately asks NHTSA about it, NHTSA says everything's fine, and that's the end of it. I mean, just last month Congress ordered NHTSA to allow ADB as defined by SAE J3069, and NHTSA declared "NHTSA shall allow ADB as per SAE J3069" didn't actually mean they had to allow ADB as per SAE J3069. Instead they issued a final rule specifying a more expensive system that gives drivers less seeing light and other road users more glare. So that's where we're at as far as any Congressional oversight of NHTSA goes.

@-Virgil- ,
Thanks for the response.
Sad state of affairs.

 

[kerneldrop]

I wish there were a point, but assuming such a letter actually gets acted on and not just ignored, Congress just immediately asks NHTSA about it, NHTSA says everything's fine, and that's the end of it. I mean, just last month Congress ordered NHTSA to allow ADB as defined by SAE J3069, and NHTSA declared "NHTSA shall allow ADB as per SAE J3069" didn't actually mean they had to allow ADB as per SAE J3069. Instead they issued a final rule specifying a more expensive system that gives drivers less seeing light and other road users more glare. So that's where we're at as far as any Congressional oversight of NHTSA goes.

What motives does NHTSA have for making these decisions and or giving their stamp of approval

 

[-Virgil-]

What motives does NHTSA have for making these decisions and or giving their stamp of approval

I wish I knew!

 

[SubLGT]

I'm no expert in headlight rules and regulations. I don't even play one on TV. BUT, many of the new headlights on cars and trucks hit you so hard in the face you can't see S@@t....

The older you get, the less tolerant you become of glare.

A little snippet from Driving Vision News:

At the 2018 Tokyo DVN Workshop's regulatory session, Dr. Bodrogi reviewed research concerning the worldwide demographic development and its consequences for the development of global vehicle lighting technical requirements. He emphasised that current technical requirements are written for young to middle-aged drivers, but elderly people over the age of 60 need twice the light and half the glare load just to see as well as younger drivers.

GTB Ex-President Geoff Draper on Future Challenges – DVN

www.drivingvisionnews.com

 

[HitFactor]

A high beam for a high beam makes the whole world night blind.

A quick flash has been the signal to lower your beam for decades.

 

[John_Galt]

the abdication of control to the bureaucracies that are effectively not answering to the people supposedly in control of the pursestrings, is the reason NHTSA thumbed their nose at congress's direction.

The "leds should be illegal" argument has no merit, other than perhaps exploring a gradient of intensity for glare light based upon the color temperature of the lightsource, as its well established that high color temperature lightsources cause greater discomfort glare than lower color temp sources.

... Still stealth editing. Childish.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

I wonder if my 65 year-old eyesight plays a part in my night-driving vision issues. Perhaps the problem doesn't rest entirely on new and/or modified LED bulbs.

 

[bykfixer]

We have annual safety inspections in my state. Many stand in front of the vehicle and if all bulbs work you pass. Where I get mine inspected dude checks the aim. He checks all 4 brakes too saying "you never know but one caliper may not fully open while the others do", and one year he rejected one wiper blade saying the other passed. I go to get my vehicle and he had charged me for one wiper blade. lol. One year he made me remove a license plate frame before he'd pass it because it partially covered the name of the state on the plate.

He checks stuff most don't like defroster operation, suspension on all 4 wheels etc. If the customer is elderly he restores their headlights at no charge. If you are young and healthy he'll do it for $75.

I tip the guy $20 every year. Bottom line, if the guy passes your vehicle it has headlights aimed properly and properly bright. You go in there with some after market gizmo headlights you aint getting an inspection sticker. Truck all jacked up…… nope. Car all lowered til it drags speed bumps, no dice fella. Thing is he's never been busted for "just kicking the tire" like some who do really tight inspections after being busted.

 

[Poppy]

I wonder if my 65 year-old eyesight plays a part in my night-driving vision issues. Perhaps the problem doesn't rest entirely on new and/or modified LED bulbs.

It absolutely does. The acuity of night vision after age 35 is like falling off of a cliff. However there are multiple studies that show a high percentage of lights that are misaligned, and others that are not properly designed. Enforcement of existing regulation is extremally weak.

 

[bykfixer]

In my state they actually passed laws forbidding police from pulling motorists over for head light/tail light violations. Heck, they were on the verge of halting safety inspections but at the last minute the bill did not pass.

I wear glasses. On a rainy night if my glasses have rain drops lights seem to look 100x brighter. Gyah!

 

[Mister Ed]

All the safety inspections here also require a beam test, and I've seen it done numerous times.
This conversation can continue, but name calling will not be tolerated.

 

[bykfixer]

My state requires safety inspections that include headlight height and output, but we have a surprising number of tire kickers. Used to be the state police would do a random check. I suppose they still do.

My company keeps us in 3 or less year old vehicles and over the years it's surprising how many would say "honk the horn" while they'd check to see if all lights burned and that was all they'd do. Often my job has me working out of town so I got inspections away from my normal shop.

When we were issued Ford Rangers it was not unusual for one rotar up front to warp because that one caliper would stick. Coworkers used to say they had the same issue. So each year the company would pay for new front brake parts on both sides.

The company had an authorized shop who used to rip us off good. Go in for an inspection and it would pass, but somehow my truck needed a new radiator. Hey, they'd pay the bill. But this one time they passed it with clear turn signal bulbs. A month later I took it in for an oil change and they got us for over $800!! Seems the clear bulbs were not legal so they hit us for $4.89 per bulb and $400 each to install them. But I was legal, right?

 

[MikeKerr]

Interesting thread. I don't have much of technical importance to add but I do agree the driving light situation is a community wide issue. They are way to many vehicles with blinding or at least annoying light emissions with beam height a frequent problem. Hopefully the regulatory gurus will help rather than hinder in the future.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

A quick flash has been the signal to lower your beam for decades.

You don't say!

I'm referring to the people that *don't* flash theirs when they encounter high beams from another car, but just turn them on and leave them on.

 

[bykfixer]

This fine fellows lights were blinding me in the DAYTIME!!
Can't imagine what a drag it is to have him behind you at night. Sheesh.