57 replies to this topic

[Ethel]

More is more & too much is just right, as everyone knows.

 

Headlight levelling still seems to be a thing. There's a regulation requiring automatic adjustment for projectors, which is useless when the road's level, but higher than who you're dazzling. There's a new leccy VW in clan Ethel, you can adjust its dip beam if you scroll through a few levels of settings menu on the touchscreen 

[sonscar]

Tonight I will be part of the problem,I have just fitted E marked LED lamp units to my MGBGT and am going to drive it to Leicester.Hopefully I will no longer be a dark shadow in the beam of the lights behind me.This has been a long time coming and has involved much thought.Steve..

[Rubbershorts]

Tonight I will be part of the problem,I have just fitted E marked LED lamp units to my MGBGT and am going to drive it to Leicester.Hopefully I will no longer be a dark shadow in the beam of the lights behind me.This has been a long time coming and has involved much thought.Steve..

I've considered similar for the Mini Steve. Not a decision I am taking lightly, but sick of being drowned out and not being able to see. Any info on what you purchased? Daz.

[Quinlan minor]

There's a new leccy VW in clan Ethel, you can adjust its dip beam if you scroll through a few levels of settings menu on the touchscreen

Bear in mind that the average bunny out there can’t even turn their rear fog lights off. Do you really think that they are going to scroll through a few levels of settings?

[Ethel]

No, no I don't. 

 

I do think it's well within the abilities of car manufacturers to program headlights to only be as bright as the speed requires though. Even the sealed beams that were original eqpt on Minis & many cars before the 80s were more than adequate for doing 30 under street lights. Dip beam is supposed reach 40 - 60 metres, how much light do you really need to see that far?

[mab01uk]

Driving on a motorway recently in thick fog and probably 90% of cars were running only their LED DRLs (Daytime Running Lights) therefore not showing any rear lights at all on most modern cars. Why don't DRLs include the rear lights as well ? Clearly most drivers don't seem to understand there are no rear lights with their front DRL's and dash lit up.....so why did EU laws and car manufacturers omit just having rear lights on with DRL's by default and in so doing create this new danger in poor visibility conditions?

Edited by mab01uk, 12 January 2025 - 11:13 PM.

[Ethel]

Don't the canbus tinkering apps call those Scandinavian DLRs?

 

From what I can gather the Swedes started off with a dim/dip setup like we're familiar with on Minis. It's  just down to choice now  lights are individually switched by software.

[PoolGuy]

As Mab hints at, I think it would help if the dash wasn’t illuminated unless the lights are on. ‘Automatic’ lights are another issue, although some come on when it’s raining, I’m not aware of any that come on in fog?

[sonscar]

Where you are going wrong is that you are thinking like a driver,as opposes to someone who drives cars.Marketing drives these improvements not need or usefulness or safety?just my cynical thoughts,Steve.

PS my new LED lights are brighter but I am unsure that they are better

 

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[Bobbins]

Driving on a motorway recently in thick fog and probably 90% of cars were running only their LED DRLs (Daytime Running Lights) therefore not showing any rear lights at all on most modern cars. Why don't DRLs include the rear lights as well ? Clearly most drivers don't seem to understand there are no rear lights with their front DRL's and dash lit up.....so why did EU laws and car manufacturers omit just having rear lights on with DRL's by default and in so doing create this new danger in poor visibility conditions?

 

My view on this is that many drivers don't have any understanding about which lights are on and therefore which lights need to be turned on, it's possibly the result of so many actions becoming automatic with no driver input, headlights being a common one. My daily commute is around 45 minutes with 80% being on motorway, it's farcical to see cars side by side in fog, one with no lights, the other with the fog lights on. Clearly some drivers are aware, some drivers are not. And don't get me started on mobile phones and texting ....

[roblightbody]

I have to drive a dark, twisty back road to get to and from my work.  Over the winter months it can be horrific.  I often find myself completely blinded for a few moments, and I follow the recommendation to look at the left kerb until they pass.  Its much, much worse than it used to be, LEDs are to blame.  Some modern cars seem to be worse than others - some modern MINIs seem to be especially bad.

 

The other modern issue is people with auto-hold brakes not engaging the parking brake when stopped at traffic lights at night (as recommended in the highway code).  So you find yourself staring into a wall of high intensity red LEDs.  Once you get into the habit of flicking the parking brake switch when stopped, it becomes second nature, but I think most modern drivers don't even know how to do this...

[Rubbershorts]

I followed someone for 10 minutes in the pitch black yesterday morning and they had only their front LED strip lights on. I was directly behind them and flashed on 6 separate occasions to warn them. We parted company as they went left at a junction and I went right, onto the main road. Astonishing lack of what the hell is required to be safe on the road.

[mab01uk]

I followed someone for 10 minutes in the pitch black yesterday morning and they had only their front LED strip lights on. I was directly behind them and flashed on 6 separate occasions to warn them. We parted company as they went left at a junction and I went right, onto the main road. Astonishing lack of what the hell is required to be safe on the road.

 

I have been in the same situation many times but so many drivers don't understand how most DRL's function. In the old days you flashed a driver with no lights on and mostly they immediately realised the problem, they looked down saw their dash was unlit in darkness and they quickly switched the lights on. Now they look down the dash is lit up by LED all the time, the front of the car has DRL lights shining so they don't get they have no rear lights on....and the EU introduce all these new laws to make motoring safer ! If we must have DRL's why not have them front and back like all the old Volvos with daytime lights used to have.

Edited by mab01uk, 18 January 2025 - 09:19 PM.