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A comment on BMW's Laser Headlights. Parent comment

Re:BMW's Laser Headlights by pasbesoin on Saturday January 11, 2014 @12:17AM (#7041683)
My latest complaint is LED brake lights. Many models seem to be making them very bright -- to the point where they blind me when I am behind such a car. At stops, I sometimes find I have to look away from the car in front of me and the road, both due to discomfort and to having my night vision -- despite their being largely "red" -- destroyed.

I thought there were regulations for such things -- for headlights, as well -- but either they are too lax or no one is enforcing them.

Also, it seems typical of today's trends. Brighten up e.g. one's headlights for one's own convenience, even if and as to an excess that inconveniences everyone else or even puts them at risk.

P.S. Also, many "modern" headlights have a very small and bright core source of light, as opposed to the larger reflector of "older" designs that does not create such an intense, localized spot.

And the "blue-er" light -- harder on one's night vision.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:BMW's Laser Headlights by zaroth on Saturday January 11, 2014 @05:54AM (#7042274)
LED brake lights definitely seem too bright on some cars.

And there's a new trend... super-bright LED daytime running lights, actually bright enough to be distracting at high noon, and configured so that just one side switches off when the blinker turns on (giving this absurd half-lit or winking effect).

I was behind a car today where the middle "third" brake light would actually blink, so weird and distracting -- hopefully an illegal after-market mod.

Definitely one place I would have thought regulation would have stopped design from impacting safety. Next auto makers will decide brake lights don't even have to be red, because who cares about night vision if you have freakin laser beams in your headlights, right?!

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:BMW's Laser Headlights by userbinator on Saturday January 11, 2014 @07:35AM (#7042431)
The point of the flashing brake light is to get your attention, apparently it's legal at least in the EU.
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Re:BMW's Laser Headlights by smileysteve on Saturday January 11, 2014 @12:10PM (#7043033)
Legal in the U.S. a lot of dealers started doing this in the 90s as an add on to the spoiler.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:BMW's Laser Headlights by vinceguidry on Saturday January 11, 2014 @11:25AM (#7042911)
I'm seriously considering turning my high-beams on when behind one of these godawful supernova-machines at an intersection at night. Definitely won't buy one with them.
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