An American Problem: Headlights are Blinding Us

Thursday, February 15, 2024

CNN reports that many countries require cars have adaptive head lights which help prevent motorists from being blinded by on coming vehicles' headlights. The United States has no such requirement.

Posted by retort at 09:53 PM | 25 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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Of course, we don't. Because FreeEDumBz!!

#1 | Posted by jpw at 2024-02-15 10:32 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

The best solution is to drive in reverse and use the rear-view mirror as protection.

#2 | Posted by pumpkinhead at 2024-02-15 10:34 PM | Reply

It's a nifty feature and would certainly improve safety, but I saw online that the price for the Audi system in Europe is $5k. Cost/benefit seems a bit out of whack if that's the going rate.

#3 | Posted by censored at 2024-02-15 11:37 PM | Reply

I have noticed people driving with brights on when not needed.

Also those tall trucks, what a PITA.

#4 | Posted by oneironaut at 2024-02-15 11:56 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

So why does the US seem to be so far behind other countries in dealing with the issues of the LED headlights?

#5 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-02-16 12:11 AM | Reply

It's been an interesting journey.

Here's a rough summary of what I've been reading over the years...

Shine a Little Light On: U.S. Headlight Standards to Get Major Update Thanks to Infrastructure Law (February 2022)
www.motortrend.com

Adaptive LED Headlights Finally Get NHTSA Approval In The US (February 2022)
www.motor1.com

LED headlights should be illegal (2023)
www.reddit.com

Headlight Revolution
www.headlightrevolution.com

The US seems to be so far behind other countries in this area.

Why?

#6 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-02-16 01:27 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

To me, the question seems to boil down to...

When it comes to sharing the road, who has priority, those who want to light up hat is in front of them, or those who want to be able to see what is in front of them?

Stated differently, should the photon torpedoes I have in my car be allowed to blind everyone else I share the road with?

#7 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-02-16 02:09 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

I have high output HID lights on my 4Runner. I just kick the low beams on as soon as I see an oncoming vehicle. This is not difficult.

#8 | Posted by REDIAL at 2024-02-16 03:45 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

I just kick the low beams on as soon as I see an oncoming vehicle. This is not difficult.

#8 | Posted by REDIAL at 2024-02-16 03:45 AM | Reply | Flag

You really think the people that argued, breathed on, coughed on store employees for asking them to wear a mask during a viral pandemic are going to be bothered to turn off their brights?

If you want to get a good look into the soul of a person, see how they react to mildly inconvenienced to protect the life of a stranger.

#9 | Posted by Nixon at 2024-02-16 07:26 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

I just kick the low beams on as soon as I see an oncoming vehicle. This is not difficult.

Obviously that isn't working for most people so I don't see the relevance of your anecdote.

#10 | Posted by JOE at 2024-02-16 07:51 AM | Reply

No problem, I just close my eyes.

#11 | Posted by TFDNihilist at 2024-02-16 07:54 AM | Reply | Funny: 3

"I just kick the low beams on as soon as I see an oncoming vehicle. This is not difficult."

LED low beams can be quite blinding, as well, depending on the viewing angle...

#12 | Posted by Angrydad at 2024-02-16 08:27 AM | Reply

Doesn't Mercedes have a commercial about hot powerful their headlights are that you can see through a cow?

www.instagram.com

#13 | Posted by Nixon at 2024-02-16 10:26 AM | Reply

The real problem is that it would appear that many people have no idea that there's a low-beam setting.

Now in the case of my 2021 GMC Terrain, the low-beams are well behaved, with a very distinct cut-off, well below the height of most automobile front windshields. Also, my car has an automatic high/low beam control system, which works very well, at least as good as I would be able to manually control the high/low beams.

OCU

#14 | Posted by OCUser at 2024-02-16 11:36 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Yay! More increases to vehicle costs to try to fix something that is an individual problem. We keep adding things that are mandatory, causing prices to rise for everyone, and then wonder why low-income people can't catch a break. Who is John Galt?

#15 | Posted by humtake at 2024-02-16 11:38 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

Whenever I see a vehicle coming at me with those offending LEDs I kick on my high beams because I ASSUME they have their brights on. If they turn on their high beams I don't reduce mine. My Tacoma has halogens, which are good enough.
The blue LED is damaging to your eyes in the long run so it is a war out there.

#16 | Posted by shoeless at 2024-02-16 12:32 PM | Reply

www.health.harvard.edu

#17 | Posted by shoeless at 2024-02-16 12:34 PM | Reply

better link

health.clevelandclinic.org

#18 | Posted by shoeless at 2024-02-16 12:37 PM | Reply

You people are going to shut up and enjoy cars where a headlight runs $10k each.

For the dumb that's only part parody. That's what an adaptive headlamp on current Porsches can run.

#19 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2024-02-16 01:49 PM | Reply

This is why I drive with my eyes closed.

#20 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-02-16 07:15 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

I thought my eyes were just getting bad driving the dark two lanes home in the Forest at night... until I read about the more recent bright bulbs.

Ok, maybe it was both.

#21 | Posted by Corky at 2024-02-16 07:53 PM | Reply

#4. The nhtsa mandates headlight placement. Jacking up the truck messes with that and causes the problem

#22 | Posted by northguy3 at 2024-02-16 08:44 PM | Reply

#16 I tried that once. The offending car was a state trooper.
Had to rely on the old white guy card to avoid a ticket

#23 | Posted by northguy3 at 2024-02-16 08:46 PM | Reply

#15 John Galt was killed when somebody kicked his pintos back bumper and the car exploded.

#24 | Posted by northguy3 at 2024-02-16 08:48 PM | Reply

@#22 ... The nhtsa mandates headlight placement. Jacking up the truck messes with that and causes the problem ...

It's not just jacking up the trucks that is the problem.

SUVs, and even non-jacked-up pickups, have the headlights higher off the ground than cars. Yet I'd guess that those vehicles are NHTSA compliant.

Indeed, the NHTSA (or whatever agency is responsible for regulating headlight brightness) seems to be taking a day off instead of getting adaptive LED headlights to be the norm here in the US.

The NHTSA seems to have approved adaptive headlights, but how soon will they arrive on the roads?

From #6

Adaptive LED Headlights Finally Get NHTSA Approval In The US (February 2022)
www.motor1.com

"Approval" is different than "required" though.

So, how many more drivers needs to be blinded, with the possible resultant accidents, before adaptive headlights are required?

#25 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-02-17 06:21 PM | Reply