If anyone cares the maximum height of headlights here in MA is 42 inches
If anyone cares the maximum height of headlights here in MA is 42 inches
Yeah, there used to be laws regarding light output and headlight height that don't seem to exist anymore. I used to love driving at night but not anymore, I'm even getting blinded in the Ranger!
I really thought it was just my eyes getting old but even up in the Excursion or the RV I find it completely blinding. I wonder if it's the lumens or the color of the light that's the problem. The newer headlights are much more white than the halogens are.
I honestly haven't noticed this, but I will now. So thanks, guys! 
Now that I'm getting older these lights really affect me...and these lights are literally the worst. I've flashed my high-beams at several of them only to realize when I got closer it's a Ford and that's their "normal" lights I had one behind me the other day and could have read a book with all the light shining in my car.
I'm sure it's no fault of the owners...and would be expensive to make them "normal..." but it's hard to believe these were actually tested and deemed OK for oncoming traffic by anyone NOT driving a dump truck 12 ft. off the ground.
I approve of this thread! I always thought it was just me. So nice to know I'm part of a team.
I've been wanting an excuse to riot for several years now. Maybe this is the one. Time to look up where the HQ of the DOT is located. Also Ford's offices.
I was just thinking to myself this morning that the newest Super Duty trucks are freakin' HUGE. You practically need a step ladder to get into one at stock height! The front end is basically a rolling brick wall with giant lights, so yeah, if you are driving a normal car, they are super annoying. That said, I think they are a good looking truck. I haven't seen one of those eye bleach-inducing Chevy HD's yet, but I'm guessing that they will be even worse, especially when the dudebros inevitably jam HID/LED lighting into their reflector housings.
And one more thing on quad headlights...
My Power Wagon has the optional quad-sealed beam halogen headlight package, which was the equivalent of getting LED lighting in 1979. Believe it or not, I can gee GREAT with these things even on a pitch black country road, even without the highs. Shocked the hell out of me the first time I drove at night.
They are the worst, it's like Ford is saying "we want you to hate us! We are getting rid of all cars, moving the ST line to SUVs, and our ubiquitous trucks will blind you! <evil laugh>" I for one will not be surprised when Ford introduces baby-sealskin seats and a factory rolling-coal option on all diesels.
Everyone wants a brodozer, so Ford is only all too happy to give you a head start with those lights.
The ironic thing is that my 2011 F-150 had terrible headlights. They were regular halogens, this was a couple of years before they started offering HIDs. This is a picture I took with the high beams on:
It was like driving by candlelight on the rural roads around here. The F-150 forums were full of complaints about the terrible headlights at the time.
Now I guess they've gone too far the other way.
A friend of mines a contractor and hates the size of the new HD trucks. You need a ladder to load a ladder. He’s since switched to vans
You would think that headlights are such a vital part of operating a car that they'd be one of the things we didn't really need to worry about, but it turns out that's not true and and the effectiveness of headlights on new cars is a total crapshoot.
It has attracted media attention for at least the last 3-4 years. I just dont think the average consumer either A. Ever test drives a new car in the dark before buying (honestly, how do you fix THAT?!) or B. has enough awareness or empathy regarding other drivers to even understand the effect their headlights have on other people. People in general don't know enough about the light pattern coming out of headlights to understand why other people's headlights seem to get dimmer and brighter as they go over bumps, etc. They just haven't committed any brainpower to thinking about that subject.
Ok good to know that I am not the only one who hates new headlights...
Tony Sestito said:I was just thinking to myself this morning that the newest Super Duty trucks are freakin' HUGE. You practically need a step ladder to get into one at stock height! The front end is basically a rolling brick wall with giant lights, so yeah, if you are driving a normal car, they are super annoying. That said, I think they are a good looking truck. I haven't seen one of those eye bleach-inducing Chevy HD's yet, but I'm guessing that they will be even worse, especially when the dudebros inevitably jam HID/LED lighting into their reflector housings.
And one more thing on quad headlights...
My Power Wagon has the optional quad-sealed beam halogen headlight package, which was the equivalent of getting LED lighting in 1979. Believe it or not, I can gee GREAT with these things even on a pitch black country road, even without the highs. Shocked the hell out of me the first time I drove at night.
Glass lenses, flat surfaces, concentric reflectors. There isn't really a way to improve them.
God I hate the new Ford trucks. So much. As if having these freakin monstrosities tailgating me isn't stressful enough, they had to put flood lights on the damn thing..
Vigo said:You would think that headlights are such a vital part of operating a car that they'd be one of the things we didn't really need to worry about, but it turns out that's not true and and the effectiveness of headlights on new cars is a total crapshoot.
Another issue is the disparity between what drivers "want" to see in a headlight versus what they need to see. By this I mean, that big comforting pool of light directly in front of the car is essentially useless. That is not where you should be looking while driving. This is why people like to run with their fog lights always on, that big lit area directly in front of the vehicle is what makes you think your lights are doing their job. What you do need to see is far ahead of that pool (Folks need to think about where they are looking at the road during the day and where that pool of light is at night and how drastically they would need to reduce their speed to make that "short sightedness" safe)
But again. It is not a logic thing, it is a comfort thing and humans will choose what makes them feel safe over what actually is safe every time. Manufacturers have chosen to make drivers feel comfortable over actual safety and the consumers are lapping it up.
I suspect in a lot of these trucks it's the "leveling kit" they installed, and never adjusted the headlights down to compensate for.
In rural michigan, I've found a ton of older trucks using aftermarket hid bulbs in halogen housings blinding everyone. I bitch to myself a lot when these trucks pass by or are behinde me. I've thought of getting a mirror and holding that up in a effort to clue them in. I've actually tried to adjust my side mirrors and driven off center in the lane, to no avail.
I thought it was just me getting older a dn grumpier, but apparently theres more to it.
Jumper K Balls (Trent) said:But again. It is not a logic thing, it is a comfort thing and humans will choose what makes them feel safe over what actually is safe every time. Manufacturers have chosen to make drivers feel comfortable over actual safety and the consumers are lapping it up.
That's an interesting point. I've talked to ex pats from europe before and when the subject comes up of driving habits of europeans vs. united states-ians, there's a distinct rift. Europeans seem to be taught accident avoidance, defensive driving techniques, and proper management of speed. In the US conversely we're taught how to survive an accident and blindly obey road signs. This dichotomy leads to US people buying large trucks and SUVs with no intention of doing truck things with them while europeans are happy towing a camper with a jetta. I suspect a lot of our complaints about modern vehicles are a culture thing and not a logic thing.
In reply to penultimeta :
I generally get the feeling most drivers in the US rarely look any farther ahead than the car in front of them. Or maybe 50 feet - whichever is closer.
I am positive people put lift kits on their truck and then they don't adjust the aim of their headlights.
In reply to Tom_Spangler :
My 08 is the same, the halogen headlights are terrible....
And the DOT does no light testing. They must be SAE approved for road use.
penultimeta said:Jumper K Balls (Trent) said:But again. It is not a logic thing, it is a comfort thing and humans will choose what makes them feel safe over what actually is safe every time. Manufacturers have chosen to make drivers feel comfortable over actual safety and the consumers are lapping it up.That's an interesting point. I've talked to ex pats from europe before and when the subject comes up of driving habits of europeans vs. united states-ians, there's a distinct rift. Europeans seem to be taught accident avoidance, defensive driving techniques, and proper management of speed. In the US conversely we're taught how to survive an accident and blindly obey road signs. This dichotomy leads to US people buying large trucks and SUVs with no intention of doing truck things with them while europeans are happy towing a camper with a jetta. I suspect a lot of our complaints about modern vehicles are a culture thing and not a logic thing.
Don't be ridiculous. 90% of driver education in America is doing math on what your BAC is based on time and number of drinks.
dean1484 said:If anyone cares the maximum height of headlights here in MA is 42 inches
Curious, where is that measurement taken? The bulb, the top of the housing, the bottom of the housing?
Bright stock low-beams are annoying, but far less annoying than imbeciles who compensate for a burned-out low beam by driving around with their high beams on.
"I cain't afford a new bulb!" WRONG - If you can afford tats and a phone, you can afford $9.97 at AutoZone for a new bulb.
"I cain't replace a bulb, I ain't no mechanic!" If you can install a SIM card in an iPhone, you can replace a low beam bulb on 90% of modern vehicles.
And nobody has brought up those aftermarket LED light bars that say "not for highway use"...............
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