POLL: Should Xenon headlights be illegal?

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: glugglug

Originally posted by: spidey07
No way. I LOVE my HIDs on my new acura TL. So much safer.

But its getting old having people flash their lights at me. I'm all "you wanna see bright mofo! Here's my BRIGHTS - kablammm!"

News flash: your feeling of "safety" with them is a placebo at best. People are flashing their brights at you because they can't see sh!t with your lights on, and they can't see YOU any better because they can't even look your direction.

Safety because I can see so much better.

 

[Gagabiji]

Yes, they should be. I can't see a darn thing when a car with those is coming at me.

 

[geno]

Second, as another poster said, all factory installed HID's that I have seen are tuned so that the only way you can even notice that they are HIDs is that they are tinted a bit blue - they do NOT shine in your face

BULLSH!T! You know how many Audi's/Mercedes have absolutely blinding HIDs? Half the time I think it's a poorly installed riceboy setup coming towards me, and if I squint enough, I'm surprised to see it's not an aftermarket setup at all. Even factory HIDs are blinding

vast majority of hids have auto levellers and/or are pointed downwards (like the most headlights), so unless you're crawling on all 4s, theres no way those things could blind you.

Again, I say BS. Just because they're aimed downward doesn't mean they can't glare into oncoming traffic, they're not lasers, the light still disperses quite a bit. So I don't buy "they're aimed at the ground so there shouldn't be a problem" because I see many stock cars that have them that are absolutely annoying, blinding and distracting

 

[J0hnny]

I like HIDs and they work well when properly installed. However, HIDs on SUVs should be banned because no matter what I'm blinded by them in my little civic.

 

[Descartes]

I have them on my '03 350Z, and I haven't a single memory of someone flashing their brights at me. They are absolutely fantastic to have.

 

[iamwiz82]

Improper aiming of any light makes it blinding. My car is low to the ground and I never get blinded by lights, even if the person has their brights on. If your vision is that affected by lights, you need to have them looked at. About a year ago, my night vision went to hell and I had issues with other vehicle's lights. I ended up going to the doctor and was told I had an infection that was causing the hyper-sensitivity.

 

[Hammer]

no! stfu whiner. mine are factory installed and do not blind people at all. its idiot ricers that install aftermarket crap that blind people.

 

[mchammer187]

Originally posted by: Cooljt1
i dont have a problem with hids as much as i do with lifted suvs or trucks when they are behind me blinding me from all my mirrors.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

I had no idea there were so many whiny little bitches on Anandtech.

HIDs > You

- M4H

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
I had no idea there were so many whiny little bitches on Anandtech.

HIDs > You

- M4H

Actually I'm sure you had an idea of just how many there are.

 

[cloude27]

they dont really bother me when I see them on the road.

 

[JDub02]

i like them ... don't bother me at all.

related story .. i had a lifted Jeep and had some Hella driving lights mounted to the windshield. my lights weren't that bright (regular halogen), but every now and then I'd get a flash from oncoming traffic, so I'd just flip the switch for the Hellas ... BAM! instant stadium lighting. suckers.

 

[Sunner]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
I had no idea there were so many whiny little bitches on Anandtech.

HIDs > You

- M4H

You == teh n00b @ AT




I really shouldn't post in OT...WTF kinda words are "n00b" and "teh" anyway? :roll:

 

[Acanthus]

The problem with the people commenting on this is, you cant really tell properly installed HIDs from normal headlights unless you are specifically looking for the slight difference in color tone.

You only notice when some asshat in his boosted honda accord rolls up behind you with his aftermarket pos kit burning holes in your skull.

 

[dmw16]

On nice import cars that come that way from the factory, no.

On stupid ricers. YES!!!!

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: JDub02
i like them ... don't bother me at all.

related story .. i had a lifted Jeep and had some Hella driving lights mounted to the windshield. my lights weren't that bright (regular halogen), but every now and then I'd get a flash from oncoming traffic, so I'd just flip the switch for the Hellas ... BAM! instant stadium lighting. suckers.

so, you admit to blinding people on the road?

 

[lobadobadingdong]

the blue lights are less obtrusive on your eyes anyway. (I wish they'd make all of them the light blue tint, they are far less blinding to oncoming trafic, and since blue is the last color to fade in the dark, the driver of the vehicle can see even farther) the pure white lights are definately a bit too much.

edit: I still say that the state inspections (at least in the states that have them) should make it mandetory to have head lights aligned properly every year. Worlds of difference both for the driver, and the oncoming traffic.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Sunner

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
I had no idea there were so many whiny little bitches on Anandtech.

HIDs > You

- M4H

You == teh n00b @ AT




I really shouldn't post in OT...WTF kinda words are "n00b" and "teh" anyway? :roll:

You spelled yu0 wrong.

I always knew AT was mostly comprised of whiny little bitches ... I just thought the Riceboy Quotient would have been high enough to allow for a much wider spread between pro and con HID.

- M4H

 

[EGGO]

Originally posted by: dmw16
On nice import cars that come that way from the factory, no.

On stupid ricers. YES!!!!

Agreed.

I would ban fart pipes before Xenon (almost said Xeon for some odd reason). 2 of my next door neighbors have these things and it drives me nuts when they use their cars at night.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: EGGO

Originally posted by: dmw16
On nice import cars that come that way from the factory, no.

On stupid ricers. YES!!!!

Agreed.

I would ban fart pipes before Xenon (almost said Xeon for some odd reason). 2 of my next door neighbors have these things and it drives me nuts when they use their cars at night.

Bolt cutters for the win.

- M4H

 

[Sunner]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Originally posted by: Sunner

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
I had no idea there were so many whiny little bitches on Anandtech.

HIDs > You

- M4H

You == teh n00b @ AT




I really shouldn't post in OT...WTF kinda words are "n00b" and "teh" anyway? :roll:

You spelled yu0 wrong.

I always knew AT was mostly comprised of whiny little bitches ... I just thought the Riceboy Quotient would have been high enough to allow for a much wider spread between pro and con HID.

- M4H

Well, to quote a very wise man, namely myself
"OT was so much more enjoyable before this forum turned into Tech4Kidz"

 

[glugglug]

Possibly important factor I noticed in the USA Today article someone linked above:

Road signs play role

You can blame U.S. road-sign regulations for some of the HID glare. U.S. signs aren't universally lighted and don't all reflect light the same. Thus, headlights have to throw some light upward and outward, to make sure you can read overhead and roadside signs, according to federal regulations.

In Europe, home of most of the world's 2 million HID-lighted vehicles, glare seldom is mentioned. European road signs routinely and consistently are lighted, so headlights needn't beam up and, in fact, are required not to. That keeps the light out of other drivers' eyes.

In other words, HIDs sold in the U.S. are aimed up by design causing glare, because they have to in order to read unlit road signs, while European HIDs are aimed down.

 

[Chaotic42]

I'm on the fence. I hate those lights, but I also hate things being made illegal.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Viperoni

Originally posted by: theNEOone
um, they are illegal.

xenon (or HIDs, as many refer to them) that are properly installed (self levelling or manufacturer installed) work beautifully w/o blinding oncoming traffic and are sanctioned by the DOT. the problem (and here is where the illegal HIDs come in) is w/ people who put on aftermarket HID kits and set them so that they point too high.


=|

Also, 5hitty coated bulbs (Silverstars, PIAA's, etc) should be band from the roads too.

How do you get to 8811 posts without being able to spell the word banned correctly???

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: Sunner

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
I had no idea there were so many whiny little bitches on Anandtech.

HIDs > You

- M4H

I really shouldn't post in OT...

I concur.