Submitted by ResponsibleExcuse727 t3_10ac5kh in vermont

I can’t be the only one here. Does no one dim their high beams anymore? Why do some trucks have low beams higher than anyone else’s high beams? Are they aftermarket HID kits? Shouldn’t be legal

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hotseltzer t1_j43dxt6 wrote

I think it's more likely that it's not actually high beams and instead just very bright LED bulbs.

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ReasonableLiving5958 t1_j43e1lz wrote

I drive a semi truck 12 hours a day. 99% of people lower their high beams.

A lot of the people who complain about people not turning off their high beams just genuinely don't realize that most of the time the other drivers high beams are OFF. They are just more sensitive to the light or do not realize that some headlights are brighter or appear to be high beams but are not.

PS. Stop flashing your high beams at people that you think have their high beams on. As a semi truck driver that has brighter than normal headlights for safety guideline reasons, people do this a lot and it's incredibly distracting and dangerous. It's more distracting and dangerous than people who just leave their high beams on.

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vtddy t1_j43e2qt wrote

I know a lot of new vehicles have automatic headlight dimming and I don't think they are set correctly. I've said the same thing. I swear I flash my lights more than I ever have

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DeliriousBlues t1_j43fy15 wrote

A lot of new cars need their headlights adjusted. I know both of ours did.

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vtddy t1_j43g1es wrote

Your lights aren't any brighter than normal headlights. I drive a truck also. There are no safety guidelines that allow you to have brighter lights. There aren't any guidelines for anyone. It's a free for all. If they sell it you can buy it and install it. Only time they can do anything is if the lights you installed aren't DOT compliant.

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jennadesignsthings t1_j43g67n wrote

Just got a new car and have been flashed a few times, but it’s just because they’re brand new.

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Fantastic_Painter_15 t1_j43g6fk wrote

They’re not highbeams 95% of the time. Headlights are just way brighter than they used to be. And it’s also possible if not likely that your eyes are becoming more sensitive to bright light over time (speaking from experience on that)

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Eagle_Arm t1_j43gewc wrote

This right here. I don't flash people about high-beams, but for the longest time, I thought ever person following me was shooting their high-beams at me.

Turns out, my eyes were just sensitive to it.

I wasn't mad at them, but it's a thing that I needed to fix, it wasn't other people, it was me.

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ResponsibleExcuse727 OP t1_j43gxv5 wrote

Wish we drove similar routes. Can confirm on an hour drive I was high beamed 6 times when I only encountered probably 20 cars. They are not low beams because they need to be reminded to turn them off and they do as they are 20ft away. I believe it’s a misunderstanding of when to turn them off. I do know what you’re saying and I know the newer cars are much brighter, probably brighter than my highs. I also drive a newer car at times. Thank you for what you do I don’t understand how you guys put up with drivers

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oculuspr1me t1_j43hcwd wrote

I'm renting an SUV at the moment while my small AWD car is being fixed, and twice in the last 3 days I found myself with my beams on high when passing someone. Felt like an asshole. Sorry if I was "that guy"!

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Buujabuu t1_j43het1 wrote

  1. VT has no high beam laws

  2. A lot of trucks / large SUVs in VT. Their height is higher, their low beams are at your eye level

  3. Some dipshits install front lift kits and don’t re-angle their low beams resulting in upward angled lows. This is the most uncommon scenario but happens

  4. Dont ever flash your highs like that unless it’s an emergency. You could get someone seriously hurt

2

odkevin t1_j43jug2 wrote

I'm just glad people finally started turning off those damn light bars

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raz0rsnak3 t1_j43k0iz wrote

Just got a '23 Tundra. LED lights and auto high/low beams are probably the culprit and I'm guilty of that

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mannershmanners t1_j43kov9 wrote

After daylight savings time I had to change my route home from work (South Burlington to Vergennes) because of this. I was taking backroads to avoid all the stoplights on 7 but being blinded over and over by people on the dark roads was stressing me out.

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smokeythemechanic t1_j43l5i2 wrote

There has been a ton of people recently not in newer cars just driving around even during the day with their high beams on, however mine are vastly brighter, and I will not hesitate to flash at someone, if they are doing it.

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11BMasshole t1_j43l5gi wrote

My regular headlights on my Volvo are insanely bright. The High beams are ridiculously bright. They are LED’s and imho they are too bright. I shut off the auto High/Low beam because it would switch to the Highs and not shut off and blind people. They are great driving on a dark back road. But high traffic areas I’m sure they annoy people.

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LeadfootYT t1_j43l67d wrote

High and low in headlights refers to aim more than light output. Modern trucks, SUVs, and large crossovers ride significantly higher than older cars, to the point where their low beams do look like high beams—unless you’re also in an equally-huge vehicle.

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JerimothHill t1_j43lnd2 wrote

We bought a new Civic and ID4 this year. Each has LED headlights with auto high beam dimming. I don’t recall being brighted by anyone. I think it’s mostly pickups and/or people with upgraded aftermarket lights.

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kdub413 t1_j43m8th wrote

I have a 2022 4Runner with factory lights. I get flashed regularly because they are so bright. I lowered/adjusted them, it helped a little but still get flashed.

IMO there needs to be regulations put in place. New car lights are just super bright.

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just_hear_4_the_tip t1_j43mgbq wrote

I recently had this happen with a cop. Was driving my partner's car, which I rarely use... the brights come on/off automatically, but I've never had to manually turn them off. Of course, this particular time, the cop had enough time to flash their brights TWICE before mine went off. I'm just glad I didn't accidentally turn the lights off completely.

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grnmtnboy0 t1_j43mvfw wrote

There ought to be a change to the new LEDs where the high beams are as bright as you want but the lows take on a yellow tint so you don't get the glare

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SomeConstructionGuy t1_j43o0ca wrote

If I fill my in bed fuel tank and/or have heavy shit in the back of my truck I get flashed all the time. Tried adjusting my headlights down but then it was very hard to see on the highway at night when it’s empty. Almost need to get leveling airbags to make it safe for everyone.

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builtforcameron t1_j43ocqa wrote

Ive always been bothered by white headlights, its just unnecessarily bright unless you're actually driving places where its impossible to see. I also drive an older accord so pretty much every modern cars headlights point directly at my face. Even cars behind me make it hard to see sometimes with the reflection from the side mirrors absolutely blasting me

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tryflin09 t1_j43orv7 wrote

We have a 2020 outback and I didn’t know they could be adjusted. People always flash me and then I flash the beams to be like hey it could be worse. Time to look into this.

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Faerhun t1_j43ph5m wrote

I've wanted to make this exact post so many times. Low beams today are brighter than high beams used to ever be a while ago and still so much high beaming for no reason.

So many people install mini suns(Bright white LED) in their cars and don't realize that the bright white ones need to be aimed down further than your normal yellow lights. Mix that with people who can't see at night and refuse to concede they shouldn't be driving and just keep their high beams on all the time.

The ones on the highway piss me off a lot too, just because we're a little further to the side doesn't make it okay to just high beam everyone, including people you're behind.

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NobodySpecific t1_j43q9my wrote

Even factory LED headlights can be blinding if the road isn't flat. At some point, however, you'll reach a point where you hit the beam cutoff, so perhaps as you get closer to them, you simply hit the cutoff point such that they are no longer blinding?

Just playing devil's advocate, because I see way too many people either with high beams on when they shouldn't be on (some cars have different bulbs for high beams, so it is really easy to tell on some cars), or no headlights at all despite it being dark out. Funny enough I ran into both situations today, and they were both Honda Civics.

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Vermonter_Here t1_j43qtsj wrote

It's the ultra-bright, daylight-spectrum LED lights.

They shouldn't be legal. Every single driver with those LED lights that are as bright as ordinary high-beams should fail inspection and be required to upgrade to road-safe, mellow-spectrum lights.

I feel like it's gotten worse in the last two years. Not sure if that's because it suddenly became the default for new cars, or if it's due to the influx of people who have moved to Vermont during COVID.

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Kvltadelic t1_j43qvow wrote

Its not you. I work 2nd shift and drive an hour home on Route 7 every night and id say 40 to 50% of cars i have to flash at, its ridiculous.

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suzi-r t1_j43rvr6 wrote

Only one solution, folks: Get home before sundown!

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thedvlandgod t1_j43stye wrote

If you were on 125 earlier, it’s because my low beams decided to not work. That’s completely on me.

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Jeb_802 t1_j43t8g2 wrote

I have led headlights and I am constantly getting flashed, even though they’re angled correctly. Now when people feel the need to be jerk and turn their highs on thinking IM being a jerk, I just give them the led high beams and 6” KC hilites I have mounted to hopefully teach them a lesson once they’re able to see again.

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Suspicious-Eagle-179 t1_j43u3pb wrote

It’s just the new led headlights. Quit crying and just accept it lol

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12_Angry_Wombats t1_j43ukdk wrote

“General Motors is recalling more than 740,000 small SUVs in the U.S. because the headlight beams can be too bright and cause glare for oncoming drivers,” - March 2022

Its a manufacturing issues with vehicles being outfitted with super bright headlights. I drive a 2018 pickup, no after market parts at all on it, and I get flashed all the time at night because people think I have my high beams on, when in reality my headlights just sit higher up than your typical car.

You're not going crazy, brighter headlights are a known problem, and companies like GMC are already taking steps to fix it.

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LovingChristmas52 t1_j43ur6e wrote

I cannot for the life of me figure out how these bright lights can possibly be legal! I’m blinded by them all of the time, especially if it’s raining. They are making cars with the auto-brights now which go from low to high whenever the car goes over any sort of bump at all, which is about every 5 feet in VT! Great for the person driving the bright light car - too bad everyone oncoming is blinded and could go careening off the road!!

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Nanotude t1_j43uuyg wrote

One thing about trucks is that the lights are literally higher than car headlights, which makes the angle different and tends to be more in your face or more directly in your mirror than car headlights.

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mjc7373 t1_j43vujy wrote

It's a creeping issue. 15-20 years ago driving in VT I'd encounter maybe 2-3 people a year who accidentally left their hi-beams on. Now it's more like a few times a month. Kinda hard to believe it's all accidental, more likely laziness and inconsideration similar to not using blinkers.

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Zap_Franka t1_j43w2vp wrote

You're right about brighter, but plenty of people drive with their HB on and you know this because they dim at the last second or it's very clear from the headlight pattern which mode they are using on familiar headlight configurations...

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Droofus t1_j43x3zb wrote

The size creep in modern vehicles makes driving more miserable every day. The frigging compensator-class trucks and SUVs and their high low beams is just one example of that.

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kosmonautinVT t1_j43xmqm wrote

I think it's just that new cars with these headlights make up a higher and higher percentage of cars on the road each year.

They can be bad enough in clear conditions. Add some rain or snow and it's a white knuckle experience all the time now

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whatsupbudbud t1_j440m2o wrote

My new Tacoma has automatic high beams. It's awesome. Basically you just turn them on and the sensor detects any light source within their rangep and automatically turns them off and turns them back on as soon as that source goes away.

I have terrible night vision and hate driving at night. It makes me super self conscious about having my high beams on because I know how much I hate it in the other side.

Auto high beams are a godsend and I can't imagine not having them now.

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McGrupp1979 t1_j441mt6 wrote

It drives me insane how many people drive on the interstate with their bright lights on. It is like you said. Some people have automatic lights and don’t bother adjusting themselves which is annoying. Others can’t see well and think of you are a few car lengths in front of them l it’s on.

Some people just don’t care.

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XJlimitedx99 t1_j442rh6 wrote

Far too many people put LED bulbs into housings that were not designed for them, which scatters light in all directions rather than focusing it down towards the ground. Its both illegal and stupid, but there is no enforcement on either of those two things.

I high beam everyone right back. It is a bit of a fuck you, but at the same time its communicating "hey, your lights are blinding me. Please fix that." I recently bought a new (used) vehicle, and for the first few weeks I was getting high beamed frequently. I adjusted the lights (which were aimed quite high) and haven't been high beamed since.

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Environmental-Job515 t1_j4461nd wrote

My Tundra has a dial adjustment on the dash so if I am carrying a heavy load and the cab is pointed slightly upward, I can adjust the lights downward. Good idea.

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IndigoHG t1_j446u88 wrote

Meanwhile my 2018 Forester low beams are so dim I sometimes can't tell if they're actually on until I see them reflected on something. I spent money on fog lights because I need them at this time of year. High beams are great, though!

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Finnn_the_human t1_j448r0v wrote

I'm not sure there's a problem with high beams on the Interstate if there aren't cars around you for a couple hundred yards...

Don't understand the downvotes. I'm speaking the truth. You can't react quick enough at speeds over 60mph with only low beams on, it's literally physically impossible.

However, I rarely use high beams up in Vermont because the traffic is so much more than I remember growing up. It's on/off/on/off every 5 seconds.

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nixxon t1_j44ar50 wrote

Back when I was driving around the country like an idiot, truck stops sold "night driving glasses" that were tinted yellow. Aside from looking a certain type of cool, the yellow tint really did make headlights easier on the eyes.

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RainTreeParadox t1_j44d99q wrote

It is really uncomfortable. I had to pull over the other night because I was getting such a intense headache from the blinding lights, then darkness, then being blinded in close succession that I was sick to my stomach. It is definitely stressful.

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GreenBeginning3753 t1_j44dui4 wrote

Those lights are the worst. LED lights need to go back to the depths of hell they crawled out of

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Ulimaatissaq t1_j44f6wd wrote

Yesterday I had someone behind me on 91 with their highbeams on and I had to slow down to 55 to force them to pass me, then when I flashed them they turned it off finally.

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thatsthatdude2u t1_j44h8la wrote

Big issue with the Forester too I can't see shit unless my brights are on. Big fail on the part of Subaru 2017.

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MultiGeometry t1_j44kld4 wrote

Also note how many trucks have tinted front windows, which shouldn’t pass inspection unless you meet certain medical exemptions. I’ve concluded that the majority of truck drivers have strange eyesight issues, or that they all have handshake agreements with mechanics to pass their vehicles, regardless of after market modifications.

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zombienutz1 t1_j44kv3o wrote

I have older cars so upgrading headlights is limited. Instead, I threw a couple $20 off-road lights on the front to light highbeamers up as they approach.

−1

thetoneranger t1_j44l1hm wrote

I think we’re all just older and our eyes don’t handle the light well anymore.

−1

Hell_Camino t1_j44lkti wrote

I haven’t experienced this issue at all I find that drivers are great about being courteous with their high beams.

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Russian_Rocket23 t1_j44lyts wrote

My 4 year old car auto dims highbeams as other cars approach. Not sure why this isn't a standard feature. It's incredibly convenient and it has never failed to dim a single time (I'm always worried that it will fail to dim....and the approaching car will be a cop).

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casewood123 t1_j44lzbe wrote

My Tacoma has auto dim headlights that don’t dim half the time.

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stokeledge2 t1_j44nkyg wrote

Not only do the bright white ones need to aimed down but they need to be in an LED specific housing that reflects the light beams in a different way. A lot of people throw LEDS into their halogen headlights and end up with lights that are both worse for them and oncoming drivers.

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succession1234 t1_j44q4e0 wrote

The headlights on vehicles are Way to bright. Makes me crazy

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raptor3x t1_j44zm2g wrote

Housings designed for halogens with a refractor design can still be ok with LED bulbs, especially if they're retrofit with the new ultrathin type LED bulbs so they can produce a sharp cutoff. Reflector housings should never be used with LED, or HID, bulbs though. That combination is the absolute worst.

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redfieldp t1_j450rrl wrote

Jesus H. Christ do I agree. Trying to drive home in this mess tonight and every other car had super bright LEDs not even remotely focused on the road.

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McGrupp1979 t1_j451501 wrote

My personal policy is if I can see someone else’s lights then I’m switching to low beams. I rarely find myself in a situation like you describe, a straight stretch of road with a couple hundred yards between the vehicle in front of me.

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vanwilso t1_j453ajo wrote

Lifting or leveling the front end with spacers causes the headlight angle to be much higher than intended. Jeeps are the worst.

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td241 t1_j45elam wrote

There’s an epidemic of people leaving their high beams on these past couple years for sure.

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Traducement t1_j45f2ng wrote

I cannot tell y’all how many times I’ve been aggressively blinded last second when someone passes by because they think I left my high beams on. Most new cars are now sold with bright ass LEDs. I promise I’m not trying to blind anyone, I’m just trying to see on these dark Vermont roads.

The good thing is, once US regulators get their act together, Matrix lighting will be a life saver

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twowheels t1_j45j4v0 wrote

It’s a combination of obsolete safety standards that require a stupid beam pattern and ever brighter lights. Cars sold in Europe have far better lights for both driver and oncoming drivers, but when sold in the US they have to put in entirely different reflectors.

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JohnPooley t1_j45kpf1 wrote

Don’t post this on MtnRoo you’ll have an army of dealer techs mansplaining that that’s how it’s supposed to be. Obviously they don’t really care about that step of the state inspection or that there is an adjustment screw.

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CancelCultAntifaLol t1_j45s3t8 wrote

It’s the same mentality as the people who drive massive vehicles because they’ll be safer in an accident.

They don’t think “yeah, I’ll be safe, even though I’ll probably murder anyone driving a Sedan”.

All they care about is their own comfort and being able to see more, and fuck anyone else.

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Harmacc t1_j45ufs5 wrote

I also drive a big truck for a living and I’ll always flash at those super bring UFO custom light trucks. It’s bullshit. And the aftermarket headlights in a plow truck almost had me off the road yesterday.

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Twigglesnix t1_j45wn6c wrote

Have you folks seen that new Audi tech where the headlights detect oncoming traffic and shut down the lights that shine in the other driver's eyes? Very cool.

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Dsmith_87 t1_j45xxw8 wrote

I know my ram led headlights (factory) I get high beamed all the time when I have my lows on. Most cars and trucks with low beams the fog lights will be on as well if they have fog lights so that’s one way to tell. I’m sure all the ones I that see the sun when I high beam them back get the picture

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raz0rsnak3 t1_j461s67 wrote

Brand new truck, not getting them adjusted (they are LED), and not turning off Auto (what's the point in having it?)

If you're getting run off the road because of high beams then you really shouldn't be driving.

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XJlimitedx99 t1_j46580f wrote

I'm not 100% sure what the conditional "not approved by the commissioner" statement means here, but I would think putting LED lights into halogen housings would fall under this point:

"Any additional auxiliary or after-market light(s) not designed to enhance safety and have not been approved by the Commissioner, are placed on or in the vehicle, whether flashing or burning"

I work as an engineer at an automotive lighting company. I will die on this hill stating LED lights in halogen reflector housings are blinding for other drivers and are less effective for lighting the road ahead of you. LED's typically produce more lumens (e.g. they're brighter at the source) but when not aimed correctly they produce less lux (light measured at a specific area) where its needed. The human brain is easy to fool, and LED's fool the brain into thinking the lighting is better because the entire field of view is brighter, but usable lighting is actually worse because the "hot spot" aimed down the road in front of the vehicle is not as bright.

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XJlimitedx99 t1_j465mzr wrote

IIRC only one specific model had a recall. There was a flaw in the housing design.

I don't know what model truck you drive, but I recently picked up a 2019 F-150 and had to aim the lights down because I was getting flashed. Aiming the lights on this truck is very easy. Only requires a screw driver. Hardest part was finding a flat spot to park with a wall.

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Reasonable_Bend_1472 t1_j4667ds wrote

The sharp cutoff is one of the worst aspects of the LEDs... Well so are brightness and blue-white blindingness... They are just all-round terrible!

But the sharp cut-off provides a flashing effect whenever a car hits a bump, and if there is enough chromatic aberration in the lense the cut-off includes red and blue bands, so they even flash like emergency vehicles.

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FinalSagan t1_j46bac5 wrote

So you still leave the auto function on even though you’re flashing people? I had an ex with the auto high beams in their car and she thought it was funny that it’d randomly blind people and didn’t give a shit.

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cdrknives t1_j46f5i4 wrote

I'm guessing part of it was when manufacturers started switching from halogen to LED. The light spectrum on LED is 5000K (daylight) where halogen was around 3000K (warmer). The intensity of that bright light definitely makes it harder to stand when vehicles are driving by you.

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FinalSagan t1_j46hkz9 wrote

I didn’t assume anything, I asked a question and followed it up with an anecdote.

Whether you’re flashing people manually or your car is doing it, it’s still rude and unsafe.

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BK_the_chef t1_j46hnzo wrote

I have auto high beams, life changer for sure

1

AV-Guy1989 t1_j46iipv wrote

As someone with an astigmatism I can tell you that the struggle is real for sure. Add in some side ways snow/sleet and make the road lines dissappear with bad weather and then get blinded is a quick recipe for a bad time

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thestateisgreen t1_j46irfd wrote

I commute at night and it’s honestly infuriating. I would take a high beam any night over a light bar though. It makes my blood boil. There are a few trucks in the Addison county area using them as high beams. Then, on Wednesday night while commuting north on Silver st., about mile from Hinesburg, a truck drove the opposite direction then turned on a light bar that was on the BACK of his truck when he went by. These people are the scum of the earth.

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thestateisgreen t1_j46jags wrote

I’m only glad I’m not alone. I commute at night and have to take 116 north from Middlebury and I am constantly being blinded. Being tired because it’s my morning only makes it worst. And then lately a bunch of people have been installing these light bars on their vehicles and I sometimes have to pull over because of the intensity and let my eyes readjust.

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OneHelluvaUsername t1_j46jzlp wrote

Subaru is a company running solely on their reputation (from the 1990s).

My first car was a 2018 Impreza hatchback. 5 recalls in 4 years. 1 was for an entertainment system not available to my base model, 4 others were significant safety recalls (faulty rubber brake hoses, faulty ECM, a PCV made of such shit material it was liable to be sucked into the engine, killing it, and faulty headlights).

The headlight recall - recall #5 - was the last straw for me.

"No remedy yet available," the NHSTA recall read. Which Subaru fought.

Why? Because laziness. The headlight molds were meant to house LED bulbs. Cheap fuckers didn't consider popping a halogen in would diminish efficacy dramatically.

I commute 350 miles every week on an elevated access highway in Vermont and people couldn't see me. Terrifying.

Plus an undiagnosable driver's front brake problem and a confirmed powertrain failure code. Dumped it before I ran out of warranty.

Corporate said they'd rather wait for a wrongful death lawsuit than fix the damn car.

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edrny42 t1_j46tdth wrote

You're gonna LOVE Porsche's new headlights coming in 2023.

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Mission_Phrase_5133 t1_j46vyws wrote

I was ranting to myself in my car about this very thing the other night driving along on dark roads in Monkton and being repeatedly blinded coming around corners. What the heck, people?

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SniffHerSoles t1_j46w4hb wrote

Newer cars are designed to not care for privacy or convenience, most of the time people aren't even on high beams, this happens CONSTANTLY in Maryland where I'm from too, as soon as you cross state lines into Maryland, put your sunglasses on or you'll not be able to see. They don't make em like they used to! Everything has to be r**Ard proof and is built to break and be serviced at a dealer

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nomadicbohunk t1_j470f6m wrote

HID's and the wrong lenses... I'll share. Like 10 years ago, my car was a 20 year old pile. It's was great. My headlights were basically unusable at night. I got brighter bulbs a few times, and finally got the brightest HIDs I could source. They were adjusted right. I had to buy a safety torx driver to adjust them slightly in grad school after someone hit my car. I never got flashed. I knew the housings were yellow, but new ones cost too much and the ones at the salvage yard were yellowed too, but not as bad as mine. Anyway, I was visiting my parents and went to my mechanic buddy's house. We were talking and he saw my headlights. WTF duder? Those are the most oxidized shitty things I've ever seen. Let me fix that for you. At work I get $300 a set to do these on a semi. So he polished them up and clear coated them. I drove home right at dark. I no joke could see a stop sign light up over a mile away in one particularly downhill spot. The roads in that area are gridded by one mile so it's easy to tell distance. The reflections off the road signs I drove past were blinding me. I went to napa the next morning and got normal bulbs. It's a really low population area, so I never met anyone, but I was worried I was going to. It was absurd like an airplane light or the brightest offroad lights I'd ever seen. We had just bought my dad a $600 or something absurd brightest spotlight made for checking cattle and these were brighter.

1

raptor3x t1_j478odb wrote

Yeah, HIDs in a reflector housing are a complete disaster. At least with the average LED bulb the beam pattern sort of matches what you would get from a halogen bulb (there are some that are really close now but they're super expensive). With HIDs the beam pattern is completely different and so the headlight often ends up throwing more light up, to the sides, and immediately in front of the car than down the road where you actually want it. What ends up happening is not only do you blind everybody but everything else is so bright, and so little light actually makes it down the road, that you're visibility can actually end up being noticeably worse since your night vision is impaired by how bright everything is immediately around you.

1

speedjunkie t1_j47bn8g wrote

Everyone is talking about how bright the lights are and how high the beam is aimed, but I'm not seeing anyone talk about knowing WHERE to look on the road as the driver to avoid being blinded.

I completely agree that the lights are brighter now and high beam dimming is always an issue, but when it comes to driving at night I have found that as long as I am looking at the shoulder line painted on the road or just the outside edge of the road that is sufficient to keep my eyesight from being totally overwhelmed by light. I think people are seeing a bright light coming at them and they look DIRECTLY INTO IT straight down the road. If you instead focus your attention to the dark edge of the road as far ahead of you as your headlights illuminates, I promise you will continue to drive straight and not off the road, and you will hopefully notice that you can still see what's coming after the car has passed.

It takes just a little faith that the other driver isn't going to drive into your oncoming lane for you to realize that you don't NEED to look at the car coming towards you to be able to safely see where you are driving. Look down and to the right at the white shoulder line or the edge of the road, and you will get by them safer.

0

12_Angry_Wombats t1_j47fkpk wrote

Yup, it was one model.

Sierra 1500 with 18" winter tires. I actually sit lower than what the truck was intended (I got it used with 22" low pros). I'll look into the headlight adjustment some more, as you're not the only one who brought it up. Thanks

2

nomadicbohunk t1_j47grqj wrote

That's hilarious. Well, they do help if your car has almost opaque lenses. They've got that market cornered.

That does make sense with the lights blinding me on the highway signs. I vividly remember that one half hour drive.

1

Catatonic27 t1_j47imxg wrote

>similar to not using blinkers

Yes, anecdotally I've noticed the blinker issue happening a lot more as well. NO ONE signals out of roundabouts like they should, the usual failure to signal, and I've also seen a lot of false positives where people have a signal on but end up going straight. Like, what the hell is that? It's stressing me out.

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Catatonic27 t1_j47jbsc wrote

I wear those anti-glare computer glasses for work and mine have a slight amber tint on them meant to help with screen headaches but I wear then when I'm driving at night now too because they help so much with bright lights.

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XJlimitedx99 t1_j47n3bt wrote

If you have a leveling kit, there's a very high chance the headlight aim is to blame. Many people install kits to level the rake on their truck and don't compensate the headlights.

My owner's manual had a section on headlight aiming. Perhaps yours does as well?

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henry_hayes t1_j47va7u wrote

I think you native Vermonters are low-riding or something because it's the only place I get flashed and it happens A Lot. The last time I came back from a trip I actually had my dealer check the heights because so many of you gave me the ole-high beam flash. Younger me would have shown you what my actual high beams could do but I'm scared you'll drive off the road. Vermont is fucking awesome though and I really hope I can retire there someday (with extra downward-facing headlights).

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selecta79 t1_j481typ wrote

If we have to deal with annual inspections, at least they could check this

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hotpieismyking t1_j488q4b wrote

my wifes car, 2022 Audi Q3 (yea I know, I'm one of those douche bags, haha!) has automatic headlights , and they are pretty crap. I turn them off when ever I drive her car.

that being said, I can easily see a lot of people would obviously keep on using their auto high beams, but like I said, they are crap, and only turn off 75% of the time, the other 25%, the next car is fucked. They also turn off all the time just from the reflection of their own bright ass lights in a reflective sign...so annoying. I prefer my old truck with no safety sensors, bells, or whistles.

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McGrupp1979 t1_j48en2k wrote

Are you seriously suggesting the “proper” thing to do when driving 60 mph or above is have your lights set to a 5 second intervals rotation from high beam to low beam because the human body’s vision cannot react at that speed with low beams?

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Finnn_the_human t1_j49ldc2 wrote

Wtf lmao no...I'm talking about the amount of cars you need to turn them off for. It was an exaggeration

Also, in talking about northern Vermont. It Syed to be way less populated. But just the other day, the roads were ice, and some idiot blew by me in the interstate to go flying off the road just ahead of me. Literally pulled over and had to tell them when they got out to not be driving that fast in those conditions...they were chill, just said "thank you brother" and left lol. But there's a ton of people up there now and they don't have any idea how to drive in Vermont...

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OneHelluvaUsername t1_j49qy23 wrote

Won't argue you there.

One day during my 1st mud season, I chose the "better" way out of the driveway and, about 1/4 mile down the road, while navigating the churn - with all of 5" of ground clearance to start with - I came upon some neighbors who'd set up a couple beach chairs, a table and beers beers...who were clearly taking bets on who would (or wouldn't) make it up/down.

Still remember the guy who lost the bet. I waved.

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RetiscentSun t1_j4axw0z wrote

AFAIK signaling out of a roundabout is not legally required right? I just tried to look it up and what I found says it’s not a requirement but that you are supposed to signal all changes in directions so now I’m not as sure as I was before I started this comment lol

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Catatonic27 t1_j4azi4n wrote

I don't think it's required, but it ought to be in my opinion. Often I'll be at the circle yielding to someone already in the intersection only for them to take the exit right before me with no signal and it feels extremely rude. I always signal out of a rotary, and people seem to appreciate it because it saves then a little bit of time or keeps them from having to stop

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Ej1992 t1_j4b0zao wrote

Eh most aren't high beams , just brighter.

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RetiscentSun t1_j4b21vl wrote

> A motor vehicle, except a motorcycle and motor-driven cycle, in use or at rest on a highway, unless otherwise provided, during the period from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, shall also be equipped with at least two lighted head lamps of substantially the same intensity and with reflectors and lenses of a design approved by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and with a lighted tail or rear lamp of a design so approved.

Not sure if that means the intensity has to be approved by the commissioner or just the reflectors and lenses? Im just trying to figure out what the case is now so that when I go to my rep I have as full a picture as possible.

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stanky-hanky-panky t1_j4beitp wrote

I’m a chronic migraineur and avoid driving at night because they trigger attacks and also just totally fuck with my neurological system. It’s hard to explain what it’s like unless you live it. I rue the day that LED became standard- in my opinion they also aren’t much of an improvement when driving because the harsh line of delineation of the area that light covers makes it really hard for me to make things out compared to the more soft focus of halogen lights.

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stanky-hanky-panky t1_j4bflt7 wrote

I think one thing that makes it worse/ more noticeable here is the topography of the roads. When you’re encountering an oncoming car that goes into a dip and then crests on the peak of the hill you’re on, it’s a real shock to the system with these new bright-ass LEDs. Same with sharp turns! Might also make people less likely to actually turn off their high beams because they aren’t being cognizant of when they’ll actually be in close proximity to another car (renders the auto feature practically useless).

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12_Angry_Wombats t1_j4d26bg wrote

I honestly didn't know it was a thing I could do until now. Just moved to the area from out of state, and hadn't really found a good mechanic yet. Now I know I can get some kits and do it myself, I have a project to tackle when it warms up a bit.

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Go_Cart_Mozart t1_j4hnk9o wrote

That's the way the new car came. As others have said, this a problem with new cars.

And I don't have the spare 100 or so bucks lying around to get them adjusted, I apologize.

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Last_Bluebird_4004 t1_j4r6bex wrote

FYI the safety glasses came about in a crisis. I happened to have them in the car on a long night-time drive in the rain. The air from the defroster was drying my eyes, making it tough to keep them open. The effect of the yellow ( polarized) lenses was a happy coincidence.

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