Asleep at the Wheel in the Headlight Brightness Wars

[usonian]

Yes, they are blindingly bright.

https://www.theringer.com/2024/12/03/tech/headlight-brightness-cars-accidents

The article is enormous and I don't know where to start with a quote, so I'll just post this and leave the details to the author.



The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s data shows that headlight brightness has roughly doubled since 2015.

[dchill]

1. "Yes, they are blindingly bright..."

A fact that's been staring me in the face for years. But only at night. I feel like I've been forced to watch someone welding.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. The reason I can no longer drive in town after dark.

[jimfields33]

15. I hate them.

Who stupid idea was it to use these killer lights?

[Diamond_Dog]

3. Yes! Especially if the oncoming vehicle is big like a pickup truck or big SUV

The lights shine right in my eyes since I drive a small car.

[Journeyman]

4. It used to be, headlights had to be adjusted so the driver's-side pointed down and in . . .

not a lot, but enough to avoid blinding oncoming drivers. The passenger-side headlight pointed straight ahead, to illuminate the road, but that doesn't impact other drivers as much as the left-side headlight.

I just don't understand why drivers want to be able to clearly see the people they've blinded, drivers who now may or may not stay on their side of the road.

[House of Roberts]

5. I thought this was going to be a music video.

[biophile]

6. I heartily dislike light pollution in any form!

From the bright headlights - to the ubiquitous unfocused “security” lights that people put all over their buildings that shine for miles - to neon business signs that really don’t need to be on at 3 am for a daytime business. I love to look at the stars and night sky. These things are destroying nature.

[FirstLight]

7. Dude I cannot drive at night on winding mountain roads at all done

I have bad enough night blindness and astigmatism as it is. So driving at night is a challenge that I don't take as often as I used to in my youth LOL. Highway 50 over echo summit is windy as fuck. So when those lights come around the corner and hit you . ...you could go right off the cliff!
In fact my fear of that happening, even as well as I know the road, keeps me from driving it whenever possible.
If I have an appointment and there's a chance that I might end up having to drive up at night I will gladly pay for a hotel room rather than try to blind myself... or end up in the canyon,thank you very much!

[usonian]

9. Foothills. Twisty 2 lane "major thoroughfare" Hwy 49

Hell on wheels.

I drove ONCE on Highway 49 through Bagby with a pickup truck. I call it the "Thelma and Louise Highway" BY DAY.

Stay safe. However you can.

[Wonder Why]

8. Doesn't bother me. I just close my eyes and gun the motor.

[usonian]

10. I think I saw you the other night.

[Wonder Why]

11. Only if you saw the car with the million candlepower searchlight on the front bumper. It blocks my view

of the road but who cares? Those other people are so blinded by the thought of an alien spaceship coming straight at them that they run into the ditch before I go by.

[usonian]

16. This?

I thought that many old cars had them. Perhaps police cars. I dunno.

[mopinko]

17. pizza guys used to have them.

[SWBTATTReg]

12. I think some people get these sorts of super bright headlights just to spite people that piss them off for some

minor reason in their minds. Oh! The guy in front of me slowed down too much, or some nonsense like this. You got to be on the defensive everywhere, including on the road where you hope you don't run into a road rage incident that someone thinks you did something.

[usonian]

13. Some people crave the brightness to make up for their lack of

Uhhhh, brightness?

[SWBTATTReg]

14. Yes, that too...