Luminous Intensity on Car Headlights

[WildGoose]

random thoughts of late...

getting pretty tired of being blinded all the time, by cars on supposed dip beam, down country lanes, and even motorways

as Luminous Intensity is an SI unit (candela), and therefore should be universal, i propose that all new cars should have exactly the same power of dipped beam headlight (especially as a lot are hard wired now) to stop other motorists suffering

there should be a form of gentlemens argreement, like the max speed on a bike between the jap four, that dictates that the most efficient lighting technology is shared between car manufacturers for cars heading to the UK, or something along those lines

i really cant see the need for a stupidly powerful dipped beam as that is the reason you have a main... yes the person in the car is ok, but its truly unpleasent being blinded at 70mph on a windy A road, or even at 25 on a tight country lane

people coming up behind me on a motorway i am noticing more and more, that i physically have to put my elbows in my mirrors to stop my retina's burning from their ridiculously powerful blue beams (mercedes and BMW's are the worst for this at the moment it seems)

it should be made part of the MOT that a cars headlights are both up to scratch, and not exceeding the limit that will blind other road users on dipped setting, i mean surely there must be a substantial amount of accidents caused by this

any thoughts....
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So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976

[mchaggis]

SVA and NTA (National Type Approval) legislation covers the light beam angles as far as I know. I'm not sure if (maximum) brightness is covered though.

I've a little too much work to do to trawl through it all, but here's
The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989. I'm not sure if it's in there or not to be honest.

https://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1989/Uksi_19891796_en_1.htm

On a completely seperate note, don't you just love the smell of old books? This one's only 23 years old, but old paper which has been properly kept and bound in hardback smells nice. I suppose it's a bit like the smell of freshly sharpened pencils.
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[WildGoose]

yeh, i had read that, they give angles...which is a load of bollocks really, cos if you are on a hill that another car isnt, or vice versa, thats a total non starter

it gives minimum watts as well, and some maximum watts i believe (maybe not) but this isnt exhaustive enough in my opinion
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So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976

[Retro-Man]

In theory at least.
Any bulb bought in the U.K. high street should not exceed max limits, Ford used to sell Illegal Headlamp Bulbs through their parts depts sold marked as "for rally use only".

Ford bowed to the then Ministry of transport (now VOSA) and withdrew them from sale.

Having said all that I agree that a large quantity of headlamps appear too bright, although in my time as an MOT Tester headlamp aim was one of the biggest fail items found, and I believe that this is the main cause.

Also consider that if you have been travelling down an unlit country road for twenty minutes in the dark then suddenly even a bright torch will seem to dazzle.

Cheers
Retro

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https://domharnessphotography.webs.com

[tony532]

i know moped/scooters lights are not as bright as the 20 watt twin halogen ones on my mountain bike which must be terrifying when you are riding down country lanes

but is there any way of making my dipped lights as bright as car headlights which blind you all the time

[Kickstart]

Hi

The limit is 60w for a headlight I think. However that is 60w of electrical power and thus bears very little relation to the light output. It would be like restricting learner riders to bikes capable of more than 60mpg!

Some of the modern headlights are very bright. These are the "blue" ones you see fitted to top of the range cars (they are hideously expensive) and are normally fitted with a self leveling system. However the self leveling systems see far from perfect and certainly don't help on a bumpy road, let alone when you get dazzled by a vehicle going over the brow of a hill.

MPS still list illegal 100/80 headlight bulbs. Well, I say illegal, they are legal on vehicles registered before some date in the mid 1980s.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Lone-Wolf]

Wotcha.

Is it just me, or do more that the average number of cars seem to have one headlight that doesn't work ? The number of 'one eyed monsters' that I see each night is getting larger.
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Cheers.
^..^
L.W. - www.moonshiners.org.uk

[Kickstart]

Definatly. Same for brake or tail lights (followed one on Friday who had no tail lights) and it seems to be a growing problem with cars driving round with their brake lights on all the time (Peugeot last night on the M6).

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Ian (GPX)]

I've seen some cars with lights that are bright with a blue haze, these are a pain in the neck at times when you have got one behind you and when a car with these lights is also heading towards you, they seem to blind me for a few seconds due to the blue haze. Anyone else noticed this ?

[Robby]

This one pisses me off too, the "blue" xenon bulbs are very, very bright. To legally have it fitted it must be self levelling to stop blinding oncoming drivers, but the self levelling system isn't great, and they often pointing as high as they can be legally before the car hits a bump.

One little bit of knowledge though. The light isn't actually blue, its white. It appears blue because standard headlights are quite yellow.

I intend to have xenon headlights on my next car. If you can't beat them...

[mr.z]

Its only really a bother in the rain (at night obviously), not allot of fun...

Kickstart, you say mid 80s eh? hmmm will look into that...

I get the feeling most cars head lights are horrificly out of adjustment anyways, as most car owners will get it checked but once a year at mot time, thats it, which goes for all lights...

Ive got two "all weather lamps" on the bike, they only come on with the main beam so dont risk blinding anyone... probably brings my lights up to modern bike levels really, makes latenight rides on country lanes that little bit less frightening...
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Retro-Man]

[Kickstart]

How recent? Seems to be getting to be a worse problem, but has been going on for years.

Fiestas seem to the most common.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[stinkwheel]

Ford headlamps are crap. I had a Mondeo for several years. They have seperate dip and beam bulbs which you would think was better but it isn't. I never had two working headlamps for a period of more than a week and you had to dismantle half the front end of the car to change them unless you had hands the size of a 4 year old.

I once got an 85/140W blue bulb for my GPZ500s (fitted with relays folks!) from halfords a few years ago, you had to drop the headlamp a fair ways to avoid dazzling people though.

Someone on the A595 at about 2am on Sunday was the first to feel the wrath of my MZ headlights when he failed to dip his lamps for me. I have twin 6" CIBIE conical beam spots on the front, the left one is 65w and is dipped off to one side, full beam gets you both, with the main 100w spot pointing right down the middle. That is quite enough to leave you seeing green flashes for about 20 minutes if it hits you in the face. The lenses on these spots are totally clear, the focus is all in the mirror. I have them fitted using hard-wired relays and have replaced all the other bulbs with LEDs to decrease the load on the charging system.

Future developments may include the use of some gas-discharge lights (If I can justify the expense) and some sort of hydraulic switch system attached to the master cylinder that automatically switches onto beam when under hard braking to cope with the dive that 11" of suspension travel causes.

I do a lot of my distance travelling at night these days, I cannot STAND sitting in traffic, hence the obsession with lighting. It should be noted that my dip DOES NOT dazzle oncoming vehicles... the beam will though
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Demonic69]

I've contemplated wiring up my 5million candle torch on the GPZ. That could be fun
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Back on a Blade. Just feels so right.

[map]

Read a report a while back that made the case that most misaligned headlights are on cars less than 3 years old. That's because they come from the factory/dealer wrong and are not checked until the first MOT.
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[Flip]

Don't forget the d1ck heads who have the fog lights on all the time

[THCi]

Now this is something that I have to deal with EVERYDAY, in the winter anyways.

I work about 20 miles away from home, and have to travel through the country side, my ickle 125 aint that quick, so it takes me in the region of 25-45 mins.

I get cars, vans, and even other bikes coming towards me with thier main beams on. So, I flash twice, the number of people who DONT turn thier main beam off is really annoying, especially when yours is puney in comparision.

Anyone know of decent high wattage 6 volt bulbs that I can get my hands on for some spots, let me know. I wanna give them a taste of thier own medicine!


And, the one eye monster thing is getting more common, the ammount of times methinks "ah, fellow mad biker in the rain, at night at -10 with windchill" only to show a car as it gets closer is worrying!
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Past: GZ 125 K4 Marauder, VL 125 LC Intruder, FZS 600 Fazer. Present: GSF 600 N K3 Bandit, GSX-R 600 X(soon)
"We're not gonna die. We can't die, Bendis. You know why? Because we are so...very...pretty. We are just too pretty for God to let us die."

[Kickstart]

Hi

Found these people while searching for something else:-

https://www.norbsa02.freeuk.com/goffybulbs.htm

Mainly aimed at classic cars but they might well have a suitable bulb.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Git]

Very valid point about some car headlights and I could not agree more, but some bike lights are just as shit, badly adjusted, two up riding with lights in sky owl spotting, just one of those things we have to live with, time to run and hide

[THCi]

Thanks Keith. Now all Ive gotta do is dig out my owners manual to findout which bulb
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Past: GZ 125 K4 Marauder, VL 125 LC Intruder, FZS 600 Fazer. Present: GSF 600 N K3 Bandit, GSX-R 600 X(soon)
"We're not gonna die. We can't die, Bendis. You know why? Because we are so...very...pretty. We are just too pretty for God to let us die."

[sickpup]

I seem to remember for a lighting unit to be post 86 legal either the bulb or the lens had to be 'e' marked.

[Finglonga]

Get your own back with these.

https://www.touratech.de/shop_uk/media/01-040-1508-01.jpg https://www.touratech.de/shop_uk/media/01-040-2008-01.jpg

HID Xenenenenon spots VERY BRIGHT!! and expensive. found Here
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Andy Sez....
F.Y.Y.F.F.