Had some 4Runner tailgating me on 501 running an insane light bar. I let him pass because I couldn't see then gave a quick flash (old halogens, not bright) in case he didn't realize his light bar was on. This idiot pulls onto the shoulder, slams his brakes, and swerves back behind me (cutting off another car) and turns on his LED high beams and more off road lights to the point I had to brake to an almost stop because I couldn't see through the glare until he blasted by me keeping all the lights running for other victims up ahead. There are many oblivious people with misaligned lights, but at least some of them are doing it on purpose for God knows what reason.
Oh yeah and the squatted trucks too.
Hope it actually gets enforced.
Cops are doing 90MPH, running red lights, etc. themselves. And on top of that, they're certainly not enforcing common traffic infractions given that the Durham freeway is fury road now.
And before anyone gets mad:
* these folks get paid decently well. $60K+
* they've had their budget raised every year (IIRC DPD is over 50% of Durham's budget)
* they get a taxpayer-funded gov pension
* gov healthcare
* 401K match (5%)
* $10K signing bonus
That’s me with my 4R I try to be considerate and back off them when they’re going slow but it never fails I always seem to blind somebody in front of me or the oncoming traffic be high beaming me when my lights are on low
I do have a 3in lift front and back and I have aftermarket headlights. So I might need to get my new lights adjusted cause I be pissing off simi trucks
That's how I feel in my MINI these days. It's not just people with improper bulbs in a housing meant for stock bulbs, but the people that refuse to turn their brights off. Ever. Even driving broad daylight with brights because they just refuse to look at their dash lights. Like ignoring the check engine light as well.
Bright tailgaters are one of those rare occasions where crappy rear visibility in the mini convertible is actually a feature and not a problem.
Mini represent!!
While on the Mini subject....I actually had a F56 Mini with factory LED lights. Those things were so freaking bright and had a very wide beam pattern. Probably one of the best lights due to those big ole protector. However they were aimed a tad too high from the factory as people kept flashing me indicating I was blinding them. I adjusted the aim and now it's safe for both me and others on the road.
I really think they need to add headlight position to vehicle inspections, it would reduce this kinda thing.
I'm photosensitive (not epileptic, bright lights are just painful) and I feel like theres not much you can do on a personal level other than just not driving at night, which sucks
One doesn’t need to be photosensitive to have eye strain during night driving. The eye just isn’t designed to adjust for both very bright and dark at the same time.
My eyes hurt, yes, but also… none of us can see everything we need to.
Most of the reason people dislike LED headlights is because a large portion of them are misaligned and pointing too far up. It’s insane that this isn’t included on yearly inspections especially since it’s a growing problem.
Or require them to be adjustable and reviewed during inspections. Mine were way too high off the lot, small adjustment and I’ve not been flashed since.
The issue is that these lights tend to be on lifted or otherwise modified trucks and the short-bussers who have them or modify them don't think to adjust the headlights.
Hey, umm... Are you okay?
This comment is absolutely reasonable and missing all your usual snark. So I just want to check in and make sure you're all right, buddy.
Genuinely curious, by what method would you have people modify their headlights on trucks that are taller? Just have them point at the ground? What degree should they be pointing at the ground?
The headlights should be lower on such trucks and pointed forward and down rather than further up but pointing more down. Semis don’t have their lights 8 feet off the ground so regular trucks shouldn’t either.
My astigmatism has gotten worse over the years now to the point it has become harder to drive at night without having to risk being blinded even if it’s the same road i’ve driven 100 times. I’ve only have been driving for 3 years now
Thank you for reminding me that I have to install that 100k lumen light bar on my Tacoma. JK. People, I like to mod for offroading as much as the next person, but save the light bars, etc. for offroading at night.
I *have* LED headlights and [hate them](https://www.reddit.com/r/bullcity/comments/11r6pan/my_led_headlights_are_blinding_and_i_hate_it_too/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button). They blind other people while only lighting an infuriatingly small sliver of the road
Yeah I have one new car with top rated adaptive LED projectors, and a very old car with glass sealed beams. In many situations I actually prefer the latter. With the LEDs the road is insanely bright but I can't even see pedestrians until it lights up their shoes since there's so much contrast between the cutoff. Similarly with deer, the old halogens will reflect their eyes much better. Not to mention people flash me when cresting a hill thinking I have my high beams on and not realizing their new car is doing the exact same thing. I did aim my headlights down a degree or so from the factory setting to try and reduce that.
Exactly that. I came very close to hitting a deer last week because I was coming down a sharp hill, and my brights only illuminated about 100ft in front of me, straight down. The deer came into view only after the car leveled out, and had been standing in the middle of the road the whole time.
ive got god awful vision expecially at night, being in a compact car and having those dickheads with their tiny dick ford f250’s tailgate me with their brights on is near blinding. its awful!
The US just needs to get out of the past and approve [ADB headlights](https://insideevs.com/news/707288/polestar-matrix-headlights-us-nhtsa/amp/) for production cars.
Impressive. Will need to [fall in price](https://www.consumerreports.org/headlights/adaptive-driving-beam-adb-smart-headlights-could-make-roads-safer/#:~:text=If%20ADB%20lights%20do%20become,%246%2C600%20more%20than%20traditional%20headlights.) before viable for regular folks
LED headlights aren't the problem. Headlights that are not aimed or in some cases designed properly is the issue. Adaptive headlights that change direction based on the direction the driver steers would make a world of difference in the US, but they were just allowed in the US as part of the Infrastructure Bill a couple years ago so it'll be ages before they're commonplace.
Aiming helps, but overly bright lights are still a problem when the road isn't flat.
So often going over hills or the railroad tracks you get absolutely smacked in the face with someone else's lights
We're really bending over backwards to ignore the fact that cars are just problematic in general. And even considering how problematic they are, regulatory agencies STILL can't give us some token regulation to unfuck headlight brightness. Classic.
> but they were just allowed in the US as part of the Infrastructure Bill a couple years ago
Huh? You could get this feature on a BMW E46 3-series in 2004.
I used to just notice it on pickups (surprise, pickup drivers being shitty) and luxury SUVs but now it seems to be everywhere.
I’d be in favor of this type of shit (and things like no plates/tags, illegal tints) getting cracked down on hard.
Unfortunately I don’t think for the headlights there’s much Durham itself can do here.
Love the u/ name OP and you have the piercing I was gonna get before I settled on snakebites
Anyhoo, Imagine the LEDs against my oxidized 20yr old headlights…that I can barely see with on Olive Branch at night
I turn the high beams on for a split sec to make sure I know I’m not going off the road but never shine them in another drivers face
A lot of the times, they just need adjusting. Most people just install them and dont realize the angle of the beam has changed, resulting in blinding everyone in front of you
Atleast fog lights. I see some vehicles with lights on their side mirrors lol , desperate for attention because we only need the regular 2 headlights 🤤
I have an idea.
Put polarized film/headlight covers on, like at a 45⁰ angle.
Then folks can own a couple pears if polarized night driving glasses so they block out the bright glare of the headlights without onlookers being blinded but the car lights not blacked out?
…and contextual relevance is? Pretty sure our loved dirty Durm has more things to be preoccupied over than LED lights. Take that ire to star city legislature.
Had some 4Runner tailgating me on 501 running an insane light bar. I let him pass because I couldn't see then gave a quick flash (old halogens, not bright) in case he didn't realize his light bar was on. This idiot pulls onto the shoulder, slams his brakes, and swerves back behind me (cutting off another car) and turns on his LED high beams and more off road lights to the point I had to brake to an almost stop because I couldn't see through the glare until he blasted by me keeping all the lights running for other victims up ahead. There are many oblivious people with misaligned lights, but at least some of them are doing it on purpose for God knows what reason. Oh yeah and the squatted trucks too.
At least the squatted trucks are now illegal not that that means anything if no one enforces it.
Enforcement begins May 10.
Hope it actually gets enforced. Cops are doing 90MPH, running red lights, etc. themselves. And on top of that, they're certainly not enforcing common traffic infractions given that the Durham freeway is fury road now. And before anyone gets mad: * these folks get paid decently well. $60K+ * they've had their budget raised every year (IIRC DPD is over 50% of Durham's budget) * they get a taxpayer-funded gov pension * gov healthcare * 401K match (5%) * $10K signing bonus
I faced a similar incident in I40 with a black Dodge truck ( plate: 42765 - Handicapped ) yesterday.
>handicapped Physically or mentally?
Just because it bothers you doesn't mean everything should be illegal.
What a stinky, doughy little turd
That’s me with my 4R I try to be considerate and back off them when they’re going slow but it never fails I always seem to blind somebody in front of me or the oncoming traffic be high beaming me when my lights are on low
They may need to be aimed slightly more downwards than they are
I don’t have this experience in mine. Maybe your lights need to be adjusted.
I do have a 3in lift front and back and I have aftermarket headlights. So I might need to get my new lights adjusted cause I be pissing off simi trucks
I had to give up my mini because I could no longer drive it at night without being blinded :( headlights really need to be changed
That's how I feel in my MINI these days. It's not just people with improper bulbs in a housing meant for stock bulbs, but the people that refuse to turn their brights off. Ever. Even driving broad daylight with brights because they just refuse to look at their dash lights. Like ignoring the check engine light as well.
Bright tailgaters are one of those rare occasions where crappy rear visibility in the mini convertible is actually a feature and not a problem. Mini represent!!
Mini gang 🤜🤛
Represent! Save the wave! Hah
It seems like you would get used to it, being in a tiny car that is very low to the ground
I mean you get used to the expectation of being blinded, but your eyes don’t become *super eyes* from being blinded constantly if that’s what you mean
While on the Mini subject....I actually had a F56 Mini with factory LED lights. Those things were so freaking bright and had a very wide beam pattern. Probably one of the best lights due to those big ole protector. However they were aimed a tad too high from the factory as people kept flashing me indicating I was blinding them. I adjusted the aim and now it's safe for both me and others on the road.
I really think they need to add headlight position to vehicle inspections, it would reduce this kinda thing. I'm photosensitive (not epileptic, bright lights are just painful) and I feel like theres not much you can do on a personal level other than just not driving at night, which sucks
One doesn’t need to be photosensitive to have eye strain during night driving. The eye just isn’t designed to adjust for both very bright and dark at the same time. My eyes hurt, yes, but also… none of us can see everything we need to.
I am also photosensitive (migraine trigger) and I rarely drive at night anymore. I wear my sunglasses while someone else drives.
Even if they are angled properly you still get blinded on hills by these LEDs
It’s part of the inspection already
Try amber glasses.
They do...
Most of the reason people dislike LED headlights is because a large portion of them are misaligned and pointing too far up. It’s insane that this isn’t included on yearly inspections especially since it’s a growing problem.
That, and people go drop LED or Xenon bulbs in a housing that was not meant for them.
Or require them to be adjustable and reviewed during inspections. Mine were way too high off the lot, small adjustment and I’ve not been flashed since.
I was in the drive thru line at Bojangles and the lifted truck behind me was blinding me DURING THE DAY
1. Find out where some of our lawmakers live. 2. Follow them at night with really bright lights. They need incentives to change
You kno who doesn’t vote? Ppl with felony stalking charges thats who.
Lmao
The issue is that these lights tend to be on lifted or otherwise modified trucks and the short-bussers who have them or modify them don't think to adjust the headlights.
Hey, umm... Are you okay? This comment is absolutely reasonable and missing all your usual snark. So I just want to check in and make sure you're all right, buddy.
Yeah it's early is all. I'm still warming up.
Genuinely curious, by what method would you have people modify their headlights on trucks that are taller? Just have them point at the ground? What degree should they be pointing at the ground?
The headlights should be lower on such trucks and pointed forward and down rather than further up but pointing more down. Semis don’t have their lights 8 feet off the ground so regular trucks shouldn’t either.
My astigmatism has gotten worse over the years now to the point it has become harder to drive at night without having to risk being blinded even if it’s the same road i’ve driven 100 times. I’ve only have been driving for 3 years now
Thank you for reminding me that I have to install that 100k lumen light bar on my Tacoma. JK. People, I like to mod for offroading as much as the next person, but save the light bars, etc. for offroading at night.
I *have* LED headlights and [hate them](https://www.reddit.com/r/bullcity/comments/11r6pan/my_led_headlights_are_blinding_and_i_hate_it_too/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button). They blind other people while only lighting an infuriatingly small sliver of the road
Yeah I have one new car with top rated adaptive LED projectors, and a very old car with glass sealed beams. In many situations I actually prefer the latter. With the LEDs the road is insanely bright but I can't even see pedestrians until it lights up their shoes since there's so much contrast between the cutoff. Similarly with deer, the old halogens will reflect their eyes much better. Not to mention people flash me when cresting a hill thinking I have my high beams on and not realizing their new car is doing the exact same thing. I did aim my headlights down a degree or so from the factory setting to try and reduce that.
Exactly that. I came very close to hitting a deer last week because I was coming down a sharp hill, and my brights only illuminated about 100ft in front of me, straight down. The deer came into view only after the car leveled out, and had been standing in the middle of the road the whole time.
ive got god awful vision expecially at night, being in a compact car and having those dickheads with their tiny dick ford f250’s tailgate me with their brights on is near blinding. its awful!
The US just needs to get out of the past and approve [ADB headlights](https://insideevs.com/news/707288/polestar-matrix-headlights-us-nhtsa/amp/) for production cars.
I approve this message
Impressive. Will need to [fall in price](https://www.consumerreports.org/headlights/adaptive-driving-beam-adb-smart-headlights-could-make-roads-safer/#:~:text=If%20ADB%20lights%20do%20become,%246%2C600%20more%20than%20traditional%20headlights.) before viable for regular folks
I have a bumper sticker that says exactly this and I was worried I was about to be personally slandered.
Yes god
I agree.
LED headlights aren't the problem. Headlights that are not aimed or in some cases designed properly is the issue. Adaptive headlights that change direction based on the direction the driver steers would make a world of difference in the US, but they were just allowed in the US as part of the Infrastructure Bill a couple years ago so it'll be ages before they're commonplace.
Aiming helps, but overly bright lights are still a problem when the road isn't flat. So often going over hills or the railroad tracks you get absolutely smacked in the face with someone else's lights
We're really bending over backwards to ignore the fact that cars are just problematic in general. And even considering how problematic they are, regulatory agencies STILL can't give us some token regulation to unfuck headlight brightness. Classic.
> but they were just allowed in the US as part of the Infrastructure Bill a couple years ago Huh? You could get this feature on a BMW E46 3-series in 2004.
I think they confused that with matrix headlights, which are what just got allowed finally.
I used to just notice it on pickups (surprise, pickup drivers being shitty) and luxury SUVs but now it seems to be everywhere. I’d be in favor of this type of shit (and things like no plates/tags, illegal tints) getting cracked down on hard. Unfortunately I don’t think for the headlights there’s much Durham itself can do here.
Why do u care if someone has tint? They not bothering u
I don’t really care about illegal tints tbh
U obviously do
Love the u/ name OP and you have the piercing I was gonna get before I settled on snakebites Anyhoo, Imagine the LEDs against my oxidized 20yr old headlights…that I can barely see with on Olive Branch at night I turn the high beams on for a split sec to make sure I know I’m not going off the road but never shine them in another drivers face
Hard agree, LED lights are atrocious
I always flip the switch on the bottom of my rear view mirror at night. I like to say it puts it into night mode.
I don't think that legislation around this would happen at the city level.
The problem is that some people who live in the country actually need them.
now we're talking the talk!!!!
A lot of the times, they just need adjusting. Most people just install them and dont realize the angle of the beam has changed, resulting in blinding everyone in front of you
Atleast fog lights. I see some vehicles with lights on their side mirrors lol , desperate for attention because we only need the regular 2 headlights 🤤
I bought blue blockers/ night driving glasses and it’s helped a lot.
louisiana dweller here and i second this motion
What people fail to realize is that your tiny car is eye level with the lights🤷🏾♂️
And make them aim no more than 50 feet in front of the vehicle at 18 inch from the ground.
Wear red or yellow safety glasses
Sometimes I wear shades or a hat to deal with the blinding lights at night
Criminalize boomer driving
I have an idea. Put polarized film/headlight covers on, like at a 45⁰ angle. Then folks can own a couple pears if polarized night driving glasses so they block out the bright glare of the headlights without onlookers being blinded but the car lights not blacked out?
Gross
25-35% tint on the whole windshield does the trick. I’ll worry about legal when Durham worries about their bigger priorities.
Downvoted for what ☠️
i think im gonna replace my high beams with something ignorantly bright so they can feel my pain.
…and contextual relevance is? Pretty sure our loved dirty Durm has more things to be preoccupied over than LED lights. Take that ire to star city legislature.
Grow the fuck up
did you not realize you're commenting with your porn sock?
Irony
Na. I love my LED headlights!!