New l405 headlights

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Well, yes - I have very good night vision and I find people with torches, outside lighting etc. reduces the amount I can see 'in the shadows' - but vehicle lighting is for illuminating the road ahead so as to identify any potential hazards at a speed considerably faster than walking pace, so reducing the lighting to allow you to 'take more in' of the surrounding area is likely to increase the number of unseen, barely seen or 'not seen in time' road and roadside hazards. This is why beam patterns are what they are, there is light projected further forward on the kerbside of the vehicle, because that is where most of the hazards are likely to be or come from, so seeing (by illumination) it earlier gives the driver more time to assess, adjust and avoid.
Of course, with next-gen ADAS, you won't need much light as the cameras will be 'all seeing' and do the assessment, adjustment and help with the avoidance. Some LED systems will be capable of increasing the 'searchlight' power on, and only on, the hazard area(s) identified to allow the driver some input into the decision-making process.

I can see that concept being a very conflicting one for those who decry technology and insist there is little wrong with 70's-80's era Tungsten-Halogen lighting levels of output and woolly beam patterns.
 
Graculus said:
Well, yes - I have very good night vision and I find people with torches, outside lighting etc. reduces the amount I can see 'in the shadows' - but vehicle lighting is for illuminating the road ahead so as to identify any potential hazards at a speed considerably faster than walking pace, so reducing the lighting to allow you to 'take more in' of the surrounding area is likely to increase the number of unseen, barely seen or 'not seen in time' road and roadside hazards. This is why beam patterns are what they are, there is light projected further forward on the kerbside of the vehicle, because that is where most of the hazards are likely to be or come from, so seeing (by illumination) it earlier gives the driver more time to assess, adjust and avoid.
Of course, with next-gen ADAS, you won't need much light as the cameras will be 'all seeing' and do the assessment, adjustment and help with the avoidance. Some LED systems will be capable of increasing the 'searchlight' power on, and only on, the hazard area(s) identified to allow the driver some input into the decision-making process.

I can see that concept being a very conflicting one for those who decry technology and insist there is little wrong with 70's-80's era Tungsten-Halogen lighting levels of output and woolly beam patterns.
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Camera(s) will be fine until obscured by mud etc or until the electronics goes AWOL. Again it's feck the oncoming driver, it matters not if he/she is blinded.
 
kermit_rr said:
They are great on perfectly flat roads. As soon as there's any undulation/gradient then the cutoff point from the incoming vehicle rises above your eyes level and you're blinded as you look directly into the arc of the HID
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You comment reminds me of some occupational training I did a fair few years ago, the context isn't important.
Humans have a moth-like attraction to look into the source of light - especially moving light, be it an eclipse, checking the torch is working, oncoming traffic, etc. etc. we were taught that to preserve night vision, you look around or to the side the light source, not directly at it. This is something that takes a while to become 'muscle memory', but it is something that I feel makes the difference between those claiming they are 'blinded' by oncoming night-time traffic and those that are not.
There is no reason for you to look into the lights of oncoming traffic, most of us do though (the course had 60 participants, IIRC 48 realised that is what they were doing) I think if most people suffering from oncoming light could train themselves to concentrate on what is in front of them, rather than what is passing them on the opposite carriageway, they'd have a better time driving at night.
It was lightheartedly called 'busybody syndrome' - not an official name or diagnosis, but it does encapsulate the action.
 
Graculus said:
You comment reminds me of some occupational training I did a fair few years ago, the context isn't important.
Humans have a moth-like attraction to look into the source of light - especially moving light, be it an eclipse, checking the torch is working, oncoming traffic, etc. etc. we were taught that to preserve night vision, you look around or to the side the light source, not directly at it. This is something that takes a while to become 'muscle memory', but it is something that I feel makes the difference between those claiming they are 'blinded' by oncoming night-time traffic and those that are not.
There is no reason for you to look into the lights of oncoming traffic, most of us do though (the course had 60 participants, IIRC 48 realised that is what they were doing) I think if most people suffering from oncoming light could train themselves to concentrate on what is in front of them, rather than what is passing them on the opposite carriageway, they'd have a better time driving at night.
It was lightheartedly called 'busybody syndrome' - not an official name or diagnosis, but it does encapsulate the action.
Click to expand...
Yes absolutely true. It's hard not to look at the light because it's the natural focal point. Even if it's only a brief moment, it's enough to temporarily blind you for several seconds.
What worse is when the incoming car (it's nearly always a car) puts their main beam on before they have passed you
 
backinblack said:
according to google cats eyes are 20m apart and a headlight should reach 100m so maybe you have a problem with you lights or your eyesight :)
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The distance between them depends on the road. I've driven a few different makes and found some are better than others. I have to assume they were pointed correctly or they wouldn't pass an mot.
The lights on the p38 were great, the ones on the L322 are pretty good.
So far my eyes are ok. I'm lucky i don't require glasses but i know it's only a matter of time
 
To me, what reinforces it as a behavioural trait rather than a technological concern is that drivers of the full range of vehicles from those with seats within millimetres of the tarmac all the way to 'white van man' (and yes, LR drivers) have complainants and 'what's the problem-ants'. So in the main, barring those with cheap 'upgrade' lamps and chinesium headlamp copies that are non-compliant, incorrectly fitted lamps, incorrectly aligned (usually following some sort of self-repaired impact damage), those driving *everywhere* on DRL's at all times of day and those that have no clue their lights really are on full beam all the time, I do think most of the problem is our inability to learn from times gone by and 'look away from the light' - including looking above and beyond the area your own headlamps illuminate.
 
Like many older drivers I hate today's brilliant headlights, to the point that I try sticking to well lit roads on the few occasions that a night journey is essential. My eyes are tested annually & meet DVLA requirements.

What I don't understand is why these lights need to be so bright, given that the national speed limit has remained the same for decades & in fact many areas have seen their lower limits reduced in the interests of safety. I can understand why a rally car driven at high speed on closed roads at night needs powerful lighting .. but normal cars on public roads? :(

It would be interesting to know how often 'driver temporary blinded by oncoming LED lights' is listed as a contributory factor in accidents.
 
norseman said:
Like many older drivers I hate today's brilliant headlights, to the point that I try sticking to well lit roads on the few occasions that a night journey is essential. My eyes are tested annually & meet DVLA requirements.

What I don't understand is why these lights need to be so bright, given that the national speed limit has remained the same for decades & in fact many areas have seen their lower limits reduced in the interests of safety. I can understand why a rally car driven at high speed on closed roads at night needs powerful lighting .. but normal cars on public roads? :(

It would be interesting to know how often 'driver temporary blinded by oncoming LED lights' is listed as a contributory factor in accidents.
Click to expand...
They are brighter because they can be and 'everyone knows' brighter is better.
There will be no stats because of the above and because if lights are oem then they cannot be bad (unless maladjusted/damaged) because that's the law
 
norseman said:
Like many older drivers I hate today's brilliant headlights, to the point that I try sticking to well lit roads on the few occasions that a night journey is essential. My eyes are tested annually & meet DVLA requirements.

What I don't understand is why these lights need to be so bright, given that the national speed limit has remained the same for decades & in fact many areas have seen their lower limits reduced in the interests of safety. I can understand why a rally car driven at high speed on closed roads at night needs powerful lighting .. but normal cars on public roads? :(

It would be interesting to know how often 'driver temporary blinded by oncoming LED lights' is listed as a contributory factor in accidents.
Click to expand...
I hate those with f-you bright lights. I can happily be driving along a dark road , full beam on, see someone coming, dip the beam and almost come to a standstill because the oncoming a-h has f-you lights, even after dipping them. Can't be fun for anyone behind me, as I drop from 50 plus, to almost a standstill.
Something needs done about manufacturers putting them in vehicles..
 
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