Headlight Petition

[Kearton]

Originally Posted by torque2me

You (Stewart Ingram) are correct on the 55W for full beam, but it was formalised as 55w/37.5w (i.e. 37.5w for dipped). Also when we were an independent nation with BS requirements we had a minimum/maximum height for lights. One of the reasons for dazzle today is that SUV's in the majority have lights higher but their projection seems not to have had the angle depressed to compensate for that extra height. Mk.1 Range Rover never gave dazzle issues due to it adhering to UK standards when launched. LED lighting is also giving similar oncoming dazzle results as the the beam is much, much narrower.

(SNIP)
Kev

Hi Kev,
when was the 55w/37.5w rule set? My recollection is that the values were 60m/55w.

The change that I did notice was sometime in the 90s when the dipped beam was given an almost flat profile, and lights were angled downwards slightly, rather than horizontal. I first noticed this on my 1996 Rover 400.

Whilst I don't like dazzle and have sympathy with the demand, I do want to be able to see the kerbside at the optimum distance for a given speed, for my safety as well as that of others.

Possibly it is from my years as a motorcyclist, but the distance I want to be able to see at the edge of the road seems to be close to double that which the current dipped lights actually illuminate. (It was more critical on a bike, & the current profile lights don't pick up low-hanging branches well.)

Regarding LED headlights (I think LED replacements for Halogen bulbs are still illegal.):
I have seen several modern cars with a good solution (A friend has a Volvo with this). They have multiple LED front light bulbs each side, each covering a narrow angle within the spread. These can be switched on & off independently and quickly (by a controller, not the driver).
As well as the usual 'Main' & 'Dip' settings, they have one which is like full-beam but, if a vehicle is detected coming the other way or at a side junction, the controller detects them and switches off those bulbs that are shining in their direction to prevent dazzle. Once past the other vehicle, they are switched back on.
I assume that if the car comes up behind another vehicle, the bulbs that would shine directly into their mirrors would be switched off.
I believe it reacts similarly to cycle lights, but I'm not sure what happens for cyclists with no lights, pedestrians, or animals. (I will ask.)