Discussions

Just need to rant..lol  
 
Is anyone else getting frustrated with the amount of inconsiderate drivers out there that insist on driving with their high beams on or worse, their high beams AND fog lights when there is no fog?  
 
I know it's dark in the morning people, but do you not realize how hard it is on the driver you are passing to see when you 'blind' them with your inconsiderate action?! Especially when there are animals on the road, foggy conditions, rain..etc. Come on people have some manners please!  
 
And I am not mentioning this because it was one or two motorists, no word of a lie, it was more like 8 - 10. Ridiculous!  
 
Thanks

if not all (I have never seen otherwise) vehicles that have factory installed fog lights, you cannot have both fog lights and high beams on at same time. Some vehicles have very bright low beams. My Dodge Caliber has this issue, I get flashed on the highway all the time when I have low beams on and I just have standard bulbs in. Anyone that leaves their high beams does need to respect other drivers but sometimes people forget they have them on. As for having fog lights on, I see no issue with it really unless they are after market ones that have been installed wrong or have super bright bulbs with yellow or blue lenses.

first off Jessicao8 I believe you are correct most if not all vehicles fog lights will turn off automatically when high beams are on.  
second, a lot of vehicles these days are coming out with led bulbs and hid bulbs which are insanely bright. My advice would be just not to look at the light when it passes you. I travel all day and see it all the time it doesn't bother me.  
third, you go to say that people drive with fog lights on during the day which is annoying yes. but then you say its hard on your eyes in foggy conditions and if there are animals on the road.. you lost me here. anyways just try not to look directly at the light.

standupguy said "first off Jessicao8 I believe you are correct most if not all vehicles fog lights will turn off automatically when high beams are on.   second, a lot of vehicles these days are coming out with led bulbs and hid bulbs which are insanely bright. My advice would be just not to look at the light when it passes you. I travel all day and see it all the time it doesn't bother me.   third, you go to say that people drive with fog lights on during the day which is annoying yes. but then you say its hard on your eyes in foggy conditions and if there are animals on the road.. you lost me here. anyways just try not to look directly at the light. "

I did say fog. Using them in the fog is acceptable of course, if I had them I would use them. And yes, some vehicles have bright low beams. But I can tell the difference between high beams and low beams. Just saying there are alot of people who are not paying attention to this or just don't care as long "as they're safe" who cares right? But in reality if you blind someone coming on to you in traffic it can cause an accident, because it distracts the passing vehicle.  
 
Not looking at the lights is an option but sometimes you hope the other drivers common sense will kick in and realize they are blinding you and turn them off. Not so...just this morning I flashed a driver to alert them that their high beams were on, they flashed back only to turn them back on!!  
 
Oh and just to clarify, they knew, because I flashed twice just so they would realize what they were doing  
 
 
 
Edited by mycrazylife, 2015-10-28 09:32:20

Maybe part of the problem is people who are buying after-market high-output led lights and installing themselves. Perhaps it's a matter of the lights not being aimed properly.  
 
Also, pickup trucks that are overloaded cause the back end to drop, the front to rise and the low beams go right in your face. It's the same with trucks hauling trailers that have not been equalized properly.

Jessica08 is correct that if the fogs are on they are not on low beams. I know people who leave their fogs on so that the on coming traffic is aware that if their fogs are on they are on the low beams. So I will never flash a vehicle with fogs on.  
 
The last 2 vehicles I've owned I got flashed all the time because I had very bright (and possibly unbalanced from factory) low beams. That's fine if you're going to flash because "you know the difference between low and high beams", but don't worry because I'll flash you back with my brights also.  
 
Furthermore I have accidentally forgot to reduce my brights to low beams from time to time. It doesn't mean I'm anything more than occasionally forgetful, but I certainly am not purposely doing it. No need to get all bent out of shape about it.

Jessica08 said "if not all (I have never seen otherwise) vehicles that have factory installed fog lights, you cannot have both fog lights and high beams on at same time. Some vehicles have very bright low beams. My Dodge Caliber has this issue, I get flashed on the highway all the time when I have low beams on and I just have standard bulbs in. Anyone that leaves their high beams does need to respect other drivers but sometimes people forget they have them on. As for having fog lights on, I see no issue with it really unless they are after market ones that have been installed wrong or have super bright bulbs with yellow or blue lenses. "

Our old caliber and now our journey (altho, not as often) had/has this issue too! I don't mind if you're going to flash me but do it far enough back so that I have time to flash mine and show you that I DONT have my high beams on.  
 
The only time high beams really bother me is when we're traveling on a single lane hwy. I used to be able to tell the difference but these days I'm never sure so I very very rarely flash anyone anymore. I've just learned how to safely pass someone by focusing on the lines on the road and trying not to get distracted by the bright lights

i too am finding there to be more blinding on coming traffic, some might be my old eyes lol but i think everyone's correct saying that lights now are brighter, great for the driver bad for oncoming traffic, i also think more seem to want to drive with fog lights on, unfortunately manufactures haven't built in a quick dimmer for them :/  
 
i would also suggest those of you getting flashed lots to look at your adjustment, I havent looked at a driver ed book in a while but when i took my lenience the book had a reference to where your lights are shinning and how to fix them, if thats not there im sure google will work, so adjust them things already lol

I never drive with my high beams on but I get people flashing their high beams at me ALL the time. I know my low beams are bright but its not my fault, they are manufacture lights.

Kimmie34 said "I never drive with my high beams on but I get people flashing their high beams at me ALL the time. I know my low beams are bright but its not my fault, they are manufacture lights. "

id have to look up the distances but have you tried pulling up to a building to see where they are pointed? maybe be part of the issue

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/a257/1347221/  
 
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=967086  
 
hers a couple links for people who want to check their headlights

a brand new vehicle and have taken it to the dealership cause it is annoying to have ppl flash me to turn off my high beams when I don't have them on.

Time for manufacturers to build vehicles with adaptive headlights, not just for high end BMWs, Mecedez etc but all vehicles.  
 
https://youtu.be/CBUYm5AghVI  
 

flashing your lights at oncoming traffic is a terrible thing to do. It could definitely distract the oncoming car. Move your gaze a little to the right and you won't even notice if the lights are high or low.

On the topic of headlights, what is the proper thing to do on a divided highway? Do you dim them every vehicle you pass on the opposite side?

Jeeper said "On the topic of headlights, what is the proper thing to do on a divided highway? Do you dim them every vehicle you pass on the opposite side? "

I have never been even remotely bothered by highbeams from the other side, I only dim when a vehicle is close in front.  
 
Occasionally I get flashed from afar and promptly switch to lows, so I would say the onus is on those with sensitive eyes to "request" oncoming traffic to dim for them.

Enfyre said "    Jeeper said "On the topic of headlights, what is the proper thing to do on a divided highway? Do you dim them every vehicle you pass on the opposite side? " I have never been even remotely bothered by highbeams from the other side, I only dim when a vehicle is close in front.     Occasionally I get flashed from afar and promptly switch to lows, so I would say the onus is on those with sensitive eyes to "request" oncoming traffic to dim for them. "

yes you should dim on a divided hiway, basically if you can see the vehicle dim your lights, they should t have to request you dim your lights, you should do that as a courteous driver

Enfyre said "    Jeeper said "On the topic of headlights, what is the proper thing to do on a divided highway? Do you dim them every vehicle you pass on the opposite side? " I have never been even remotely bothered by highbeams from the other side, I only dim when a vehicle is close in front.     Occasionally I get flashed from afar and promptly switch to lows, so I would say the onus is on those with sensitive eyes to "request" oncoming traffic to dim for them. "

I was also wondering the same thing. But has never bothered me. I use low beams when someone passes me or following close behind. On a divided highway like the Trans-Canada, I think there's enough separation where on-coming traffic isn't affected by the high beams.  
 
With my 2010 Malibu, I have accidentally turned on my high beams since to turn them on, just have to push the stock forwards.

A divided hwy like the TC between Brandon and Wpg is wide enough IMO that high beams from the opposite direction isn't an issue for most I'd guess? If it is an issue, could it be fair to say that the onus is on the driver to "ask" others to dim?  
 
I don't bother with my highs very often but if I do and the other vehicle dims theirs than I will too. Otherwise I just leave them on or else you'd constantly be on off on off. It's why I usually just use my dims tho.

sammy said "A divided hwy like the TC between Brandon and Wpg is wide enough IMO that high beams from the opposite direction isn't an issue for most I'd guess? If it is an issue, could it be fair to say that the onus is on the driver to "ask" others to dim?     I don't bother with my highs very often but if I do and the other vehicle dims theirs than I will too. Otherwise I just leave them on or else you'd constantly be on off on off. It's why I usually just use my dims tho. "

Should dim on divided highways. Just because you aren't directly meeting them doesn't mean it's not horribly distracting/bothersome to the traffic you're still meeting.

I drive to work every morning and I get blinded frequently by drivers passing by.

I drive the highway everyday and get people turning there high beams on and off again just as they approach me least twice a week, the only problem I have with this is that I don't have my fog lights or my high beams on and still they flash me.

H-beams are for highway right??? Just kidding though I actually did explained to a young driver (that had been driving long enough that they should have known this) that no their H - beams were not for highway driving ...

I understand those saying to shut their high beams off... My old car was horrible at night on the low road to Shilo and always felt people had brights on and was blinding. I bought a brand new car and I now have been flashed because people thinking my brights were on. I no longer think people have brights on as I can see more clearer and must have seriously needed a cleaning on windhsield.. Before I bought my new car I thought far too many people had their brights on and not once have I thought this since. But please don't assume people have their brights on all the time. And to contradict op's topic... Drivers, please don't assume I have my brights on and flash your lights at me! I do not have after stock lights and have ensured my lighting is not extreme. Nor do I have those crazy neon lights.

I still think it's just the courteous thing to do. As many posters have said, we might not be as bothered by the highbeams in the opposite lane ourselves, but I dim for oncoming traffic anyway for a couple of reasons. 1) Different people's eyes are more or less sensitive to lights than others. While I'm not so bothered, my mother has a terrible time with lights at night. I don't want to make any assumptions about the oncoming drivers, so I just dim regardless. 2) How your lights look to me might not be the same as how my lights look to you. Especially if we are passing where the road curves. Your lights might be partly aimed away from me by the curve, but then my lights might be aimed even more directly at you. So another reason to err on the side of caution and courtesy.  
 
I do often wonder about fog lights. I recall reading once that they should also be off when it is not foggy. They are fog lights but are otherwise not engineered for day to day driving. Partly because they are low on the vehicle, so they are by design aimed 'up' a bit more than low beams. So it is really discourteous to others to leave them on for non-fog conditions. And really, I've tried turning mine on and off, at night when there is no traffic, just to see what difference they make, and it is virtually nil for me. I really think they do only have any effect in fog, which is what they are designed for. If they were meant for normal driving conditions, they would probably be called driving lights. And yes, I say that partly tongue in cheek because some people have after-market 'driving lights' on their cars. So I wonder if these really are different from fog lights?

prissy02 said "I understand those saying to shut their high beams off... My old car was horrible at night on the low road to Shilo and always felt people had brights on and was blinding. I bought a brand new car and I now have been flashed because people thinking my brights were on. I no longer think people have brights on as I can see more clearer and must have seriously needed a cleaning on windhsield.. Before I bought my new car I thought far too many people had their brights on and not once have I thought this since. But please don't assume people have their brights on all the time. And to contradict op's topic... Drivers, please don't assume I have my brights on and flash your lights at me! I do not have after stock lights and have ensured my lighting is not extreme. Nor do I have those crazy neon lights. "

This is true, an even slightly dirty/dusty windshield can really increase the glare and intensity of others headlights.  
 
I obsessively clean my windshield inside and out with windex, maybe this is why I'm not bothered by other peoples headlights and certainly not bothered by headlights from the other highway which is what, 200ft? away on average.