> Modern lights are brighter than 10 years ago, most new SUVs and trucks set on low beam project as far as a high beam was a few years back, and some high beams are now downright blinding.

They're brighter, but the beam pattern is also vastly better controlled. On a reasonably flat road if I'm driving against oncoming traffic I'd absolutely prefer to have a modern LED headlight coming at me than a traditional halogen in a reflector housing. Where this doesn't work out so well though is on roads with a lot of undulation (i.e. most of Vermont) where even with a well controlled beam pattern you're going to be periodically shining headlights directly into the cabin of oncoming traffic or cars you're following.

The real problem though is people who put HID/LED bulbs into reflector housings; now you get the worst of all scenarios: headlights output much more light, the beam pattern is completely unfocused because reflector housing cannot handle HID or LED lights properly, and to make matters worse while the ground right in front of the modified vehicle often appears brighter how far down the road people can actually see is decreased so they're more likely to run their high beams more often anyway.

On this note, self darkening rear view and side view mirrors are one of the best add-ons I've experienced yet for a car.