How do I deal with bright lights?

[Size9zombie]

I miss the '90s too, bad. Factory LED lights are very common place nowadays, and I agree they are too dang bright. I worked at a Jeep specialty shop before moving to Acura, and aiming the headlights was included in the labor price when installing lift kits, but this is the exception not the norm unfortunately. When I get blinded by a lifted vehicle I get mad towards the tech who half assed their job. I have 25 inch single row LED light bars wired directly into my high beams on both of the CDs and the CB and a 42 inch dual row bar on my Yukon. I live in a very rural area and it is great to be able to see out that far off the side of the road (big problem with deer out here), so if someone high beams me, that's what they get back. Even when I'm on my Yukon I get blinded especially by the jackwagons that did the Carolina Squat to their trucks, and it sucks. When they are behind me I just outrun em if possible, or move my mirrors like Grumpy said. Sucks there is nothing we can do about 'em.

[Size9zombie]

Most of the time when I am approaching a vehicle with my high beams and I turn mine off before they get around the corner, they turn theirs off too. I guess because they saw me turn mine off or people around here are just more courteous?

[Raf99]

Well being that I do most of my driving at night with Freedom. I just use the flip switch thing on my rear view and if it’s in my side mirrors, I try to aim it back in their cab. As for in my face at a light I’ll give them a quick flash and if nothing changes I just deal with it as I know it won’t last forever.

But that is one of the drawbacks to lowered car, you have to deal with being in the cut off zone.

In my truck, even though they are halogen bulbs if I notice I’m blinding someone I’ll tilt them down. Which most trucks are equipped with headlight tilting options for when your towing. But not everyone is as nice as me.

Tinting will help some, but then it hinders your vision, my truck is tinted and at night it can be hard to see out. I have 15% all around that just below the legal limit but not limo tint.

How do you figure "it won't last" ? All I see is manufactures ramping it up with LED lights. It doesn't matter the height or how many lights etc. Here's the new 2022 Ford truck...

[Grumpys93]

I meant it won’t last long sitting at a red light and being blinded.

[Raf99]

Story time. Walking to check the mail at night and buddy who got the jeep came down the road and over the hill and blinded us, we held up hands to block the light etc. The next day he seen us walking again during the day and came to talk to us and apologize for the bright light.
Now I do know the guy, have talked to him before. He's a cool guy, has a old trans am, older than I am and has a moustache (I don't encourage stereotyping but .. ya... ,he's cool guy, calm , relaxing.). So he came out to apologize for blinding us when we were walking.
Explained that it's really his daughters jeep they bought for her (again... trying not to stereotype, but she suits the jeep) and it was nice of him to come out and apologize. He talked up the lights on the jeep, saying how amazing they were and he can see so far down the road now. But then he asked if he can put LED lights in his daily driven Saturn. Like... 1994 car Saturn. Told me how everyone is doing it and he wants bright lights. I looked at him like... whaa? He also noted how people need to pay an extra $1000 for the HID option on the jeeps. That blew my mind... , people are paying extra $ to blind others....

Then I kind of lost it on him..... I started my sentence with " I have all kinds of respect for you but........" then went on to tell him I high beam jeeps with these lights and how it's crossing the line. Any raised truck should not have LEDs and cars shouldn't either. Unless they can start having no hills, no uneven divided highways, and ensure the cutoff point is below the lowest car on the road. blah blah....how much I hate them etc. Told him I'd be high beaming his daughter each time i see her etc etc. blah blah, He asked the wife's though and she said "they're too bright and I can't see". His smile at this point went to ..... nothing. I ended saying I had mad respect for him and think he's a good guy but assumed he would know better. (He's a smart engineer kind of guy).

But made me realize there's a world of idiots out there who simply don't understand any of my frustration. Don't care. Selfish. They do not think about others. Never enters there mind. They want bright lights, they get bright lights.
They want loud bike that wakes people up, they get loud bike. . I had a friend think like this and I asked him "what if your blinding your own mother or friend/family?". His response "oh... i never run into them".

So buddy is going to get LEDs for his Saturn now. and fails to see why I would be against such a thing. "I just need to get the ones with the fans on the back, why is that?"

Today I seen Ford truck with the 4 x headlights that a guy converted to all LEDs. I can see where we will be in the next 5 years and not sure I agree. Guess I'm getting old (in my 40s) or simply don't want super bright lights in my eyes. It makes me want to get out of the car scene / use to enjoy night drives. Now I don't attempt it, not worth the frustration which is the same as when I use to see people driving with their high beams on (on purpose). Always get a raised truck too haha And I'm in remote Canada, I imagine this scene has already started in the US 20 X

[Size9zombie]

Yea, in the Southeastern US where I'm at they are everywhere, LOTS of lifted trucks and Jeeps out here, middle of BFE and damn near all of them have been retro fitted with led headlights, fog lights, running lights, light bars, etc. And a lot of these guys are running 6+ inches of lift with 32+ inch tires. It sucks at night. Even when I'm driving my Yukon around at night I get blinded.

The people that drive around with their high beams on and refuse to turn them off or don't realize they have them on till you flash them probably aggravate me just as much.

[AccordWarrior]

I get so much pushback when I try and interject the concept that LED headlight bulbs in housings not designed for LED do not improve your visibilty.

For those so inclined, check this thread out:
TacomaWorld LED Headlight Thread

The member who maintains the thread just bought a new Wrangler and actually removed the OEM LEDs from it in a quest to make things better.

I have factory LED assemblies in my Tacoma that scored the highest levels on the IIHS ratings compared to the OEM halogen that ranked among the lowest. I haven't checked my aim outside of factory, but so far so good. But that being said, after delving deep into the thread above I refuse to ever run anything but halogen in a halogen assembly and have gotten into more arguemnts with people on the Corvette forum about it.

That being said, I have huge issues with people running LED light bars during normal driving. There's a Silverado on my morning commute that runs a 20" bar always on and luckily it's still light out in the morning. I figure if I encounter him as things get dark I'll give him a courtesy flash before I hit him with the light show I've got (OEM LED, 30" KC LED bar, (4) 6" KC HID spots).

[Raf99]

So here in Eastern Canada LED lights have ramped up to more manufactures hopping on the bandwagon. Hyundai, Subaru, etc. Some have their lights dialed in and non-harmful like Audi, others just give no F's like jeep. There's no "auto levelling" mechanism here in Canada so everyone gets to see below the 'cutoff', nice! :P But the roads in the city are almost a constant stream of these vehicles now. One can't simply look away or focus on the shoulder of the road when passing several vehicles. I've resorted to using yellow glasses.

Apparently almost the most signed petition on change.org
https://www.change.org/p/u-s-dot-ban...and-save-lives

[CyborgGT]

I've found a glaring new enemy in Tesla.

[Raf99]

Ya, how's everyone liking this now? I still hate Jeeps and high trucks with a passion. I still high beam them last moment as some of them are just crazy too bright! If they are behind me, well enjoy doing 10 below the speed limit. I still write the department of safety for motor vehicles complaining about the height of new trucks; how they allow headlights to be up near the hood which defeats the purpose of the cutoff shield for the average size car. I asked the local news agency to write articles on how we have city own garbage trucks (from 1995) converted to LED lights when technically it's illegal. Seems no-one gives a shit. I made a 10" triangle piece of cardboard wrapped in painters tape and when these a-holes come towards me I'll hold it up to block the light. Luckily the car has power folding mirrors so that helps when they are behind me. I also tinted my rear view mirror.

IMO.... this just ruined the whole auto / night driving experience. If i won the lotto I would sue the transportation safety department for making night driving so unsafe. This is obviously a cash grab and a way to sell to the selfish.

[CyborgGT]

Oh, I'm putting front- and rear-facing light bars on the wagon's roof rack, haha. Front will be yellow because it'll also be hugely practical for driving in the mountains at night... and then a white one to face behind me.