[Slick]

My BIL got a Chinese LED bar installed in his Figo for people who don't budge from their high beam. I have checked out the effect and it is nasty. Worse than any OEM headlight can be.
I think it is stupid and risky. I have seen some tourist taxis have them.
He has something like this(image for reference)


I don't agree with that for city use(which he does) but I think it can save your life on the highway with some buses not budging at all.

I remember driving my WagonR on Bombay-Goa, some five years back, and was blinded so bad that I drove off road (The road had a diversion for construction and I continued straight off road on to gravel, luckily was able to stop in time)

It was an oncoming bus that blinded me, WagonR is a tallboy and still it was bad, imagine what a low slung sedan guy goes through.

Originally Posted by adi_petrolhead

Not sure if this should go here, but check this Instagram post by Autocar India's Renuka Kriplani, posted today. https://www.instagram.com/p/CJdsxqdg...d=cod92v76nz6l

I understand it is frustrating when people drive in the over taking lane and much below the speed limit, but to bully a Santro, with a mighty Defender, seemed a bit too much.

While I understand the point you are making, Slow cars are an absolute bane on Mumbai - Pune expressway and often cause a lot of chaos.
That said I have no idea how fast the Santro was going, may be at the right speed.

I have had a scary situation where an Alto was doing 60KMPH or even less driving on the right most lane on the expressway. A full family having fun, oblivious to the fact that they are sitting ducks to a possible catastrophe of any accident.

- Slick

[AutoDowntowner]

I can relate this post. Last week I was travelling on a highway, started at 4am. A Baleno was following me & its ruthless driver was continuously playing with High & Low Beam. It was very much irritating.
I was thinking - how dangerous this would be for motorist!

Certainly some amendment in regulation should come into action ASAP.

[Cessna182]

As has been mentioned by many members, it is the positioning of the lights and not the beam intensity that's the issue. Headlight levelling switches are rarely used in India. That's why the beams are often aimed horizontally instead of on the road. This blinds the oncoming traffic.

I am sure most members here use their switches correctly. However, if you haven't, try adjusting the headlight if visibility is bad using the stock lights. Car makers put in many months of research into selecting the right beams for the vehicle and headlight adjustment usually improves the performance of the lights.

One car that comes to mind is the Nano. It had some sort of a self levelling mechanism that adjusted the beam depending on the load in the car and hence the angle of the lights. It was rudimentary but it works. I never felt a need to upgrade the lights on the Nano when I had it.

[vsaravind007]

Totally agree! Its getting out of hands as newer entry level cars are also switching to LED from the factory. Many people doesn't even notice that they're on high beams most of the time(here in Kerala, very common among the older folk - if they're not able to see with a low beam, IMHO think they should not be driving at night).

Aftermarket headlights are on another league! Putting incompatible LED bulbs on reflectors and projectors, removing the high/low beam flaps, adding additional projectors as fog lamps...the list goes on!

I don't know what Honda was thinking while putting up that headlight on the new Activa! Same with Bajaj Dominar. Another thing I noticed is the LED brake lights on certain cars, for example, the new Swift - waiting on a traffic signal at night behind a new Swift is a feat of its own, especially if the driver is keeping his foot on the brakes!

Very hard to drive at night, especially on cars that are lower to the ground. I've installed anti glare film from Garware on my Laura with minimal results.

[Mountainman21]

Originally Posted by pkulkarni.2106

Is it for real? How I wish Maharashtra police did this too.

Indeed, this is true and Chandigarh police is fairly strict about implementation of this. Many people crossing the border into Chandigarh from other states get stopped as they have kept their high beam on while entering Chandigarh.

Key reason for strict implementation is well lit roads in Chandigarh.

We need high beam when visibility is low or driving in hills to see turns (only if no vehicle is coming from front).

Few more reasons lights of some vehicle are blinding are:

1) Placement of lights: high up or lower down/ nearby bumper. Lights placed at higher position such as Fortuner ones become blinding.
2) Headlamp leveler: Some keep it at higher number even though only one person is sitting in the vehicle making light angle to more in eyes of oncoming traffic
3) Sitting position: If you are sitting in low slung sedan then chances of getting blinded are higher unfortunately.

[Mahen_8060]

Have faced this during my recent trip to Murudeshwar.
Culprit - None other than Maruti Suzuki Baleno which was following me and other one.
Scenario - Was driving from Hubli to Ankola, most of the section is good tar with single lane through dense forest and curvy ghat sections.
This guy, was not able to overtake (owing to oncoming traffic), so I guess he was venting out his frustration by constantly flapping his lights, toggling between high and low. Thankfully, it wasn't a great pain to me as I have auto IVRM and OVRM but it was annoying to say the least. So, at the very first opportunity, I let him go and carried on with my drive peacefully (best option I had that time!).

Another daily pain I have to endure is, Activa's (5G & above with LED headlights). They somehow have worst headlights for onlookers and most of the users have habit of using high beam (its probably helping them to see the road ahead clearly, but man!, you're blinding every other person coming across!)

[Vijay T]

Yes, it's an absolutely worrying in most part of India where there are no dividers nor 4 laning completed all over.
Only regulation won't help.Mindset of people driving with these lights needs change & very strict driving test even of night driving will make people aware.
In olden days right hand side headlamps used to be covered halfside in black which may give some respite if made compulsory for LED/ HID lights

[gopaneel]

Originally Posted by Mountainman21

Few more reasons lights of some vehicle are blinding are:

1) Placement of lights: high up or lower down/ nearby bumper. Lights placed at higher position such as Fortuner ones become blinding.
2) Headlamp leveler: Some keep it at higher number even though only one person is sitting in the vehicle making light angle to more in eyes of oncoming traffic
3) Sitting position: If you are sitting in low slung sedan then chances of getting blinded are higher unfortunately.

My understanding is the headlamp leveller number needs to be increased i.e. 0 to 4 as the load increases. For each higher number, the beam level is reduced. So its ok to have it at a high number when there is only one person but at load it should not be at zero. But I guess most of us don't use the leveller to do that.

But I'm not sure how much of a difference the leveller makes. I think it's more important that people respect oncoming traffic and don't use high beam.

[Sanjivvohra]

Bright or not, LEDs, HIDs or 'normal' lights, the issue is the unscientific road marking and illumination on Indian roads and a basic lack of knowledge on how and when to use different types of lights on your car.
I find it dangerous when people use high beams when approaching oncoming traffic. Basic decency is to dip your lights and go up to high beam after pasing oncoming traffic. I've seen very few Indian drivers do this.
The lack of markings to show shoulders of a road are also a contributing factor - if you can't see the shoulder in a dipped light, you will invariably go to high beam.
The truckers seem to be more tolerant and will dip their lights proactively or as a reaction to your dipping your lights.

[Bibendum90949]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

I dont think that LED lights are best in monsoon or in fog, but its being marketed and sold as 2050 technology in 2020.

I'm totally with you on this. Having rain and night in the equation and one would literally grope in the dark. Halogens are any day better for all driving conditions I feel.

[John P Daniel]

An issue that very well deserved it's mentioning. It is indeed a pain to drive through the nights with anyone blinding us on the other end. Here are a few of my observations of the issue:
-The two wheeler makers align the headlights as if their customers are not more than a few kilograms in weight. The headlights are aligned correctly when the bike/scooter is parked. When a rider sits on it, the rear suspension sag causes the alignment to move up and blind the oncoming traffic. I have observed this in our hometown. Almost all new bikes and scooters(particularly Honda and Hero) have their headlights focussed towards the sky in highbeams.
-Most budget and standard hatchback and sedan do not know/understand the headlight alignment adjustment present in their cars. Bikes do not have one and they are not aware of it. When they find the low beams inadequate, they switch on the high beams with no regards to oncoming traffic. People who genuinely forget to dip their lights do it when the oncoming traffic flashes their headlights. Others simply forget that the low beam exists.
-Most buses and trucks that run long distances dip their headlights when requested. While their low beams may still blind us at times, atleast they make their effort to reduce the oncoming traffic's pains. Some drivers I have observed switch to low beams even though one or both of their low beams have failed.
-The compact aka mini buses, trucks and ace/dost that run on short trip never seem to care about other drivers. Only high beams are their source of lights.
While LEDs may be the way forward, manufacturers must make sure it's pleasing for the eyes of both the driver and the oncoming traffic. On a similar note, the people who use high/aux beams unnecessarily must be advised and punished if repeated.

[saion666]

I find the tail lights of the new swift blinding too.
I hate it when am stuck behind a Swift in traffic or at a signal. Those red LED brake-lights are blinding for me. Not sure if it is only me who finds them irritating.

[condor]

For cars that have LED bulbs, are replacement bulbs with a 4300k light temp available ? Or is one stuck with the 6000k ? If available, details, please.

[Phukan23]

I feel that irrespective of Halogen Relector/Projectors, Xenon Reflectors/Projectors and LED Reflector/Projectors if they are on HIGH BEAM one get's blinded. It's not about what the type of lighting technology is, it's all about HIGH BEAM.

[amarprusty]

I had picked up a Suzuki Baleno Delta with non LED and DRL head lights in 2018 instead of the top end Alpha with LED's as night driving is a mess with high beam LED's completely blinded however sorry could not do anything about the rear red led lights

Please let us work together and reach out to Suzuki to make all Suzuki cars have driver friendly LED and DRL lights as with 50% market share we shall meet more Suzuki cars than any others on roads