Driving courtesy, high beams

[davjohns 1]

So, I'm in Europe. My four door Jeep with 6in lift, rack and fog lights kind of stands out. I can live with that. The four wheel drive is very nice when the snow / ice comes around. I'm happy. I can deal with the bad drivers and tiny parking spots.

Here's the issue: my lights are a good bit further off the ground than the average Euro car. So, these guys regularly think I have my high beams on when approaching on a dark road. They flash their lights at me. No problem. I flash mine back. To me, this makes it clear that my lights are not on high beam. How could they be on high beam if I have a higher beam? All too often, this results in them turning on their high beams and leaving them on. Sometimes, they start out with that and skip flashing their high beams.

What is the proper response? Sometimes, I just ignore them after they turn their brights on. Sometimes, I turn mine on to make my point. If I'm having a bad day, I might hit the fog lights as well. They started it.

It's getting annoying. I also notice they do it when I'm on my motorcycle. I suspect my US spec lights are brighter than theirs or might have a wider fan, so they extend into oncoming traffic more than Euro spec. But I've looked at other cars and asked the Europeans I work with. That doesn't appear to be the issue.

Ideas?

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[piisfish 135]

maybe they just don't like you

or have your lights adjusted (or adjust them yourself if possible) to a lower/shorter target.

if people flash me, I flash back. If they leave their high beams, same here, and just like you I will give them all I got

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[muff528 3]

Quote

.....

What is the proper response? Sometimes, I just ignore them after they turn their brights on. Sometimes, I turn mine on to make my point. If I'm having a bad day, I might hit the fog lights as well. They started it......

If they leave their high beams on you are blinded. If you turn yours on to make a point, they are blinded. If this is on a dark 2-lane highway, you now have two cars approaching each other at ~120 mph separated only by a 4" painted line, with both drivers blinded. I'll flash them once and then just hope they can see well enough to miss me.

[davjohns 1]

Fair point. But I'm in a big ol' Jeep with big steel aftermarket bumpers. They are in a Fiat with four hamsters under the hood. lol

So, you are recommending that I get past them, then fire the rear mounted shotgun to blow out their rear window?

Oh, yeah. They also tend to tailgate. Sometimes I consider mounting flood lights pointed rearward for this problem, but they don't actually pose a risk unless something happens in front of me, so I let it go.

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[mr2mk1g 10]

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What is the proper response?

Take your car to a garage and have the light pattern adjusted. They're clearly causing problems for other motorists and potentially represent a safety issue which may end up involving you in an RTA.

I get this a lot the other way round - my car is extremely low (110mm front / 120mm rear) and I sit inside the chassis rather than on top of it so basically everyone dazzles me, esp via the rear view mirror. That's my problem though - I'm the one with the stupid car. If I were driving round blinding everyone though I'd get my car 'fixed' so that I didn't.

[davjohns 1]

I have to have the vehicle inspected as part of registration. I was going to talk to them about whether the headlights needed adjusting. The interesting part is that the same thing happens on my motorcycle where height should not be an issue. So, I'm not sure I'm blinding anyone so much as they aren't use to US standards adjustments.

Oh, yeah. It also pisses them off that I drive a Jeep and a sportbike. They drive skateboards and scooters. I have to wonder if that's part of it.

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[theonlyski 3]

Quote

I have to have the vehicle inspected as part of registration. I was going to talk to them about whether the headlights needed adjusting. The interesting part is that the same thing happens on my motorcycle where height should not be an issue. So, I'm not sure I'm blinding anyone so much as they aren't use to US standards adjustments.

Oh, yeah. It also pisses them off that I drive a Jeep and a sportbike. They drive skateboards and scooters. I have to wonder if that's part of it.

One thing I've noticed with bikes is that under acceleration, they tilt back just enough to put the headlight right into my rear view mirror. I drive a pretty stock Z71 1500 so it's not like I'm sitting 'low'.

Might be worth checking into Euro lift laws. I know of at least a few states that have very specific requirements as to maximum height of the head lights and whatnot. IIRC Euro dept of transportation are REALLY picky about their vehicles, and MANY US vehicles wouldn't be legal to drive there.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[mr2mk1g 10]

Quick google turned up this - seems there might be a significant difference between the way your lights are aimed and how everyone eles's are.

http://www.motivemag.com/pub/feature/tech/Motive_Tech_The_Difference_Between_US_and_European_Lights.shtml

edit: wikipedia also has a short section on it with a graphic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headlamp#Low_beam

[davjohns 1]

Ah. That seems to explain it. Thanks.

If I read it correctly, there is little I can do. I'll keep reading, though.

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[Squeak 17]

Quote

.

What is the proper response? Sometimes, I just ignore them after they turn their brights on. Sometimes, I turn mine on to make my point. If I'm having a bad day, I might hit the fog lights as well. They started it.

Ideas?

REALLY...
ok here's my idea.
GROW UP

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[davelepka 4]

Quote

I'm not sure I'm blinding anyone so much as they aren't use to US standards adjustments.

No, you're blinding them, just like you would be doing with the same vehicle in the US.

The headlights are aimed from the factory so the point down toward the road in front of the car. This allows you to see the road, and oncoming drivers are not looking directly into your lights.

The 'high' beams are just that, aimed higher to light up a bigger portion of the road in frony of you. Great for you, bad for oncoming drivers who are now looking directly into your lights.

When you change the height of your truck, like with a lift, you raise the aim of all the lights. So now your normal lights are aimed high enough to shine in other drivers eyes (or the rearview mirror of drivers in front of you).

Adjust your lights. It should have been part of installing the lift kit.

[davjohns 1]

Yeah, I knew someone would make it personal. Makes me hesitant to seek opinions around here.

That was meant to be a bit of humor, BTW. I thought it was obvious since I am actively seeking to resolve what is bothering these people I do not know.

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[JackC1 0]

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Ah. That seems to explain it. Thanks.

If I read it correctly, there is little I can do. I'll keep reading, though.

If you're getting your American car registered in Europe and will be requiring a vehicle inspection certificate, you'll probably need to do something about it.

If you're in Belgium you may have bigger problems as modified cars are subject to strict rules about what can and can't be done.

[Remster 24]

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Yeah, I knew someone would make it personal. Makes me hesitant to seek opinions around here.

That was meant to be a bit of humor, BTW. I thought it was obvious since I am actively seeking to resolve what is bothering these people I do not know.

Don't min Squeak. He has no online personality

Remster

[davjohns 1]

Squeak is a guy? I'm not trying to be funny or offensive. I really thought that was not the case.

If I read the article correctly, adjusting my lights can help. But the design of the lights is different. It appears the US standard allows more light to spill into oncoming traffice than Euro standards. I can reduce the problem, but might not be able to eliminate it.

I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet..

But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course.

[babz 0]

Failing all else, Duct tape ;)

On a more serious note, you can get a little sticker which fixes the same issue on UK cars when driving in EU (due to switch from driving on left to on the right). Might be worth looking into weather you can put one of these stickers on to do the same.

I drive a reasonable height car (Audi A3) and find myself constantly dazzled by drivers of 4x4/SUV - which are registered in the UK. Might be a case that the regs aren't fit for modern high power bulbs..

[dropdeded 0]

If its just a matter of adjusting them then please do just that. Myself, I drive a lot for work. Im often blinded by not just mis-adjusted headlights but those newer bright ass lights that are "safer" for the ones with them, regardless of blinding me and anyone driving the opposite direction. I even posted on dz dot bitching about it awhile back So if its just a matter of them not adjusted correctly please fix that.

------------------------------------------
The Dude Abides.
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[babz 0]

Agreed, over here its meant to be part of the year MOT Test to keep your car on the road.

I also thought you couldn't get them in upside down.. turns out you can (not me, oncoming cars..). Which angles them up at eye level.. now that one is bright..

[promise5 17]

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Fair point. But I'm in a big ol' Jeep with big steel aftermarket bumpers. They are in a Fiat with four hamsters under the hood. lol

So, you are recommending that I get past them, then fire the rear mounted shotgun to blow out their rear window?

Oh, yeah. They also tend to tailgate. Sometimes I consider mounting flood lights pointed rearward for this problem, but they don't actually pose a risk unless something happens in front of me, so I let it go.

Rear mounted shotgun?? oooohh I need one of those!!!!

No matter how slowly you say oranges it never sounds like gullible.
Believe me I tried.

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

Usually I'll check to make sure they're not on, which usually results in me flashing them for between a quarter and half a second. I almost never drive with them on though, except up in the mountains if there's no one around. You have to be very careful to turn them down when approaching curves up there -- last thing you want to do is be blinded by a face full of bright beams in the middle of a hairpin curve. It's usually just as easy to spot deer, elk and other critters if you watch carefully for eyeshine anyway. I almost always spot them that way before I actually see them.

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[Nataly 38]

If everyone is flashing you, chances are you are the problem. Not only are big cars frowned upon in Europe, they are expensive, impractical and in most cases they are completely unnecessary. Get it fixed (the angle/brightness), get a smaller car, or use public transportation...

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[BillyVance 34]

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Ah. That seems to explain it. Thanks.

If I read it correctly, there is little I can do. I'll keep reading, though.

Dude, I even had to get the headlights on my '93 Ford Mustang hatchback adjusted down because I kept getting high beams flashed at me. It was easy to do on that car.

My Toyota Tundra is a different story. One day I hit a rolling tire on the highway and caved in the bumper on the left side. 3 weeks later and $7500 in insurance payouts on the repairs, the headlights don't line up right. I haven't figured out how to adjust the lights.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[JohnMitchell 14]

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or use public transportation...

And if you're lucky you might get to sit next to Nataly on l'auotbus.

[RMK 3]

All European cars have a “dip” switch for the headlights; on low beam, you can adjust the beam up/down for city vs. motorway driving. They’re possibly assuming you won’t “dip” your lights, not just that they think you on high beams.

"Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

[Remster 24]

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All European cars have a “dip” switch for the headlights; on low beam, you can adjust the beam up/down for city vs. motorway driving. They’re possibly assuming you won’t “dip” your lights, not just that they think you on high beams.

Since when? The cars I had in the UK in the early 2000s didn't.

Remster