has anyone noticed how bright headlights are

[Kestryl]

We need brightness regulations. Sure, your super bright headlights may make you specifically safer, but it makes it collectively less safe for all if you're blinding other drivers. Not to mention, you might be the brightest now, but it may very well change at lights get brighter and brighter.

(Controversial opinion: I have similar feelings about the shift from sedans to SUVs to trucks. While the driver/passengers of the big truck may be safer in a sedan on truck collision, those in smaller cars are more likely to be harmed. Most people I know with trucks do not use them as a truck, just a status symbol.)

 

[Lumpy1106]

I remember the auto-dimmer that Caddies used to have. Really need something like that again.

My Honda CR-v does that. Guessing a lot of higher priced vehicles do too.

 

[tony67]

(Controversial opinion: I have similar feelings about the shift from sedans to SUVs to trucks. While the driver/passengers of the big truck may be safer in a sedan on truck collision, those in smaller cars are more likely to be harmed. Most people I know with trucks do not use them as a truck, just a status symbol.)

Well, a lot of us don't want those big trucks, but there are not a lot of choices if you need a truck.

Would be very happy to be able to buy a 2 door compact pickup truck, but because of various regulations you cant get those 2 seat compact trucks anymore. As I under stand it it has to do with MPG for the fleet\number of people the vehicle seats and however they calculate it. The larger 4 seat pickup trucks work better in that calculation.

Many of us would also be happy to buy some of these very compact pickup trucks from Japan or Korea, but they are not imported into this country - and if you a do bring in the older ones...good luck registering them .. they have made that tougher and tougher. These vehicles are perfect for doing odd jobs around town and very efficient, but they have decided we cant have them and they are not safe.

 

[kdonnel]

We need brightness regulations.

We do, any car on the road is compliant unless the owner has replaced the headlights with something after market.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Well, a lot of us don't want those big trucks, but there are not a lot of choices if you need a truck.

Would be very happy to be able to buy a 2 door compact pickup truck, but because of various regulations you cant get those 2 seat compact trucks anymore. As I under stand it it has to do with MPG for the fleet\number of people the vehicle seats and however they calculate it. The larger 4 seat pickup trucks work better in that calculation.

Many of us would also be happy to buy some of these very compact pickup trucks from Japan or Korea, but they are not imported into this country - and if you a do bring in the older ones...good luck registering them .. they have made that tougher and tougher. These vehicles are perfect for doing odd jobs around town and very efficient, but they have decided we cant have them and they are not safe.

Yes, you don't see many Ranger's, Colorado's, Tacoma's or Frontier's,. The folks who like styling prefer the jumbo F-150's, Silverado's, Tundra's or Titan's. Big and jumbo is still in. The big SUV's and trucks are money machines for the manufacturers.

 

[tony67]

Yes, you don't see many Ranger's, Colorado's, Tacoma's or Frontier's,.

And if you do see them they are pricey - 10k for something with 180k miles on it I should have fixed my Ranger.

Some of those new 4 seaters - you cant fit anything in the bed - yeah with the door down and some sort of cheesy extension it will fit a 4x8 sheet of plywood I guess, but no thanks - and they are overpriced IMO.

 

[summerlyangel]

I just got a new CRV and holy smokes are those lights bright! It's fantastic from my viewpoint as a driver. They are auto dimming, too, which is very nice. I mostly drive in the city or other heavy traffic roads, so they are rarely flipped to bright, but when they do, it's awesome!

That being said, I have been on the other side of the very bright lights and especially if it's a taller truck/suv, it really does "blind" you.

I'm not sure what the answer is.

 

[kdonnel]

I'm not sure what the answer is.

Matrix headlights.

The EU has had them for years.

The US made the rules too stringent to implement.

As a result we have to live with being blinded.

 

[Kestryl]

Well, a lot of us don't want those big trucks, but there are not a lot of choices if you need a truck.

Would be very happy to be able to buy a 2 door compact pickup truck, but because of various regulations you cant get those 2 seat compact trucks anymore. As I under stand it it has to do with MPG for the fleet\number of people the vehicle seats and however they calculate it. The larger 4 seat pickup trucks work better in that calculation.

Many of us would also be happy to buy some of these very compact pickup trucks from Japan or Korea, but they are not imported into this country - and if you a do bring in the older ones...good luck registering them .. they have made that tougher and tougher. These vehicles are perfect for doing odd jobs around town and very efficient, but they have decided we cant have them and they are not safe.

Fair enough. I definitely want smaller truck options available. There’s some issue with fuel economy regulations that make smaller trucks less appealing. My issue is more with the people who buy a truck to just use it to cart groceries back home and take up two parking spaces at the grocery store because they can’t fit into a standard spot.

And if we’re adding to my wishlist, I also want minivans to make a comeback. With SUVs, you have to finagle the door open In a way that doesn’t hit the car parked next to you to get your kid in or out of their car seat. Or your kid will throw the door open and whack the other car. Not so with the sliding doors of a minivan! So much room! So much utility! So cool!

 

[Kestryl]

We do, any car on the road is compliant unless the owner has replaced the headlights with something after market.

OK, then better regulations and/or enforcement. Because it sucks now.

 

[summerlyangel]

Matrix headlights.

The EU has had them for years.

The US made the rules too stringent to implement.

As a result we have to live with being blinded.

I'll look these up. Thanks!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Fair enough. I definitely want smaller truck options available. There’s some issue with fuel economy regulations that make smaller trucks less appealing. My issue is more with the people who buy a truck to just use it to cart groceries back home and take up two parking spaces at the grocery store because they can’t fit into a standard spot.

And if we’re adding to my wishlist, I also want minivans to make a comeback. With SUVs, you have to finagle the door open In a way that doesn’t hit the car parked next to you to get your kid in or out of their car seat. Or your kid will throw the door open and whack the other car. Not so with the sliding doors of a minivan! So much room! So much utility! So cool!

Those jumbo SUV's are just built on those jumbo truck chassis with basically a truck bed cap on the back and a third seat row. So in essence, just anther jumbo truck.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Those jumbo SUV's are just built on those jumbo truck chassis with basically a truck bed cap on the back and a third seat row. So in essence, just anther jumbo truck

Adding picture

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Yes, you don't see many Ranger's, Colorado's, Tacoma's or Frontier's,. The folks who like styling prefer the jumbo F-150's, Silverado's, Tundra's or Titan's. Big and jumbo is still in. The big SUV's and trucks are money machines for the manufacturers.

Some of it is also the pricing and availability. Our closest Chevy dealership has 16 Colorados and 117 Silverados. The closest Ford dealership has 30 Rangers and 314 F-150s. You are much more likely to get a deal on the full sized truck, to the point that it could be the same price or less than the smaller ones. The fuel economy is close enough and your hauling capacity is significantly increased, so many people just opt for the full sized pickup. DH had thought about the Colorado a while back because we hadn’t been hauling as much stuff, but he ended up in a Ram 1500 because he got more truck with more features for less money. We kept his old F-150 for the kids which has been surprisingly handy for school events requiring lots of stuff.

 

[tvguy]

Some of it is also the pricing and availability. Our closest Chevy dealership has 16 Colorados and 117 Silverados. The closest Ford dealership has 30 Rangers and 314 F-150s. You are much more likely to get a deal on the full sized truck, to the point that it could be the same price or less than the smaller ones. The fuel economy is close enough and your hauling capacity is significantly increased, so many people just opt for the full sized pickup. DH had thought about the Colorado a while back because we hadn’t been hauling as much stuff, but he ended up in a Ram 1500 because he got more truck with more features for less money. We kept his old F-150 for the kids which has been surprisingly handy for school events requiring lots of stuff.

Pickup Prices here are nuts. My closest Ford Dealer has 304 F-150s on the lot. Not sure what they are selling for in reality, but the prices on the website still list a $10,000 mark up over sticker price.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Pickup Prices here are nuts. My closest Ford Dealer has 304 F-150s on the lot. Not sure what they are selling for in reality, but the prices on the website still list a $10,000 mark up over sticker price.

I saw that at the Chevy dealership where I recently had some service done. The Silverado's on the showroom floor, about 6 or 7 of them, all had that 'dealer added options' sticker next to the Monroney sticker, with alarm systems, paint protection, pin striping, wheel locks and on and on. I looked at 3 of them, all were over $5,000 extra. And the lot outside had many more it looked like.

 

[Kestryl]

Adding picture

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Ugh, I dislike those too. A friend of mine had a Ford Excursion in high school- that thing was ridiculously giant and had, like, a 12-15 mpg fuel efficiency.

 

[goofyernmost]

A trick I learned nearly 60 years ago for helping with oncoming headlight glare is to focus to the edge of the road (shoulder). Your peripheral should still be able to judge exactly where the other vehicle is. Don't look directly at the lights. You don't really lose sight of any of the road but the glare isn't straight into your eyes. Another thing is to make sure the inside of your windshield is clean. The sun releases gases from your dash board during the day and will deposit a very noticeable haze on the windshield that distorts your vision. Keeping it very clean is simple with a magic eraser, window cleaner (of your choice) and some micro-fiber towels. You would be amazed at how much difference that make to cut down on the glare of oncoming headlights. There are a number of instructive videos on You Tube. It is really easy.

 

[tvguy]

A trick I learned nearly 60 years ago for helping with oncoming headlight glare is to focus to the edge of the road (shoulder). Your peripheral should still be able to judge exactly where the other vehicle is. Don't look directly at the lights. You don't really lose sight of any of the road but the glare isn't straight into your eyes. Another thing is to make sure the inside of your windshield is clean. The sun releases gases from your dash board during the day and will deposit a very noticeable haze on the windshield that distorts your vision. Keeping it very clean is simple with a magic eraser, window cleaner (of your choice) and some micro-fiber towels. You would be amazed at how much difference that make to cut down on the glare of oncoming headlights. There are a number of instructive videos on You Tube. It is really easy.

Yeah, that is what they taught us in Driver Training......50+ years ago in my case.

 

[goofyernmost]

Yeah, that is what they taught us in Driver Training......50+ years ago in my case.

Same place for me. The comical thing about it is that headlights back then were no where near as bright as they are todays, but the trick still works.