Headlight Levelling Feature - Is it really useful ??

akash_m · 2nd July 2007, 12:56

The governemt has made it mandatory in all new Indian cars just like the rear seat belts!!

Tell me franky guys, how many of you have actually 'leveled' your head light when the car is loaded before pushing off in the night?? I think no one!! Atleast I never did. In indan roads, the patholes are so big that a mere 15 degree adjuctment of headlight sounds like a joke. I personally think that it is a waste feature which has been made mandatory..

Its very complex too. There a small motors attached to the headlight bulbs whuch are very delicately calibrated. The automobile manufactures could have eailsy supplied a music system as a standard fitment instead this crap in the same cost...

What say...

noviceDriver · 2nd July 2007, 13:08

I do, though I seldom got chance to drive a loaded car at night, but whenever I did, I used this "device" to adjust the headlight beams.

vinodv001 · 2nd July 2007, 13:16

[In indan roads, the patholes are so big that a mere 15 degree adjuctment of headlight sounds like a joke. I personally think that it is a waste feature which has been made mandatory..

In these conditions it may be more useful. When the car is fully loaded low beam focus away, you can bring it closer (lower) and see the potholes better.

speedzak · 2nd July 2007, 13:22

It does help when driving on highways and citys.
In city traffic you don't have to keep your headlights high. In highways it helps.

theMAG · 2nd July 2007, 13:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by akash_m

Tell me franky guys, how many of you have actually 'leveled' your head light when the car is loaded before pushing off in the night?? I think no one!!

I do. Regularly. Based on city/highway driving and road conditions. That most users arent even aware such a mechanism exists is another matter.

Using new features eventually boils down to the adaptability of the user.

caliper · 2nd July 2007, 13:42

It's true that this is riduculous for the 80-90% of the drivers out there, who don't even know that you're supposed to keep your low beam, not high beam on in the city.

It's handy for knowledgeable drivers, though.

What would increase safety is for people to actually get the message to keep your low beams on!

Vid6639 · 2nd July 2007, 14:05

yup always use it.
City with well lit roads low beam with lowest position.
poorly lit or not lighted roads at all within city - low beam in highest position
highway - highbeam with lowest position or if driving faster then highest position.

It also changes if teh car is loaded.

akroy · 2nd July 2007, 16:22

I do it mostly for my night highway drives with full loads....

In city I dont require it, i always keep low beam fearing my 100W highbeams can cause lots of problem for oncoming traffic...

Abhi

gd1418 · 2nd July 2007, 17:15

In the city during nights if the street is well-lit, I drive with my parking lights on and switch on the fog lamps if it is dark. The HLs in low-beam come on only if it is pitch dark, which is seldom. Also I rarely use the HLs in city since they are HIDs and I'm a bit considerate to the traffic from the opposite side and also to those whom I'm tailing, though others are not so considerate and love to drive with the HLs on high beam.

On Highways it is fog lamps + HLs in low beam. The high beam comes on only if there is an errant maniac on the wheels.

Now, both my trucks don't have a headlight leveller. Is it something that I'm missing?

spadival · 2nd July 2007, 17:24

They should have also put those auto HL dimmers, so that the dunderheads who go around with full beam inside the city have the controls taken out of their hands and given to a machine with "artificial" but sensible brains.

madan80 · 2nd July 2007, 18:07

The HL leveler is quite a gift. Have found it rather useful when driving around the city. keep it right down, because i dont want to blidn the oncoming traffic. During highway driving, its my extra hella fogs and the HLs in Low in center position. pretty effective.

nikkibike · 2nd July 2007, 18:45

Well... I use this feature extensively! Sad that none of the vehicle manufacturers/dealers explains the benefits of this feature. To me this is as important as high & low beams!
It is very difficult to narrate the way it should be used during differant situations. One such important situation is during rains when the visibility reduces to alarming levels. In such situations try lowering the HL to the maximum extent and put high beam so that the immediate area infront of your car will be well lit atleast!
what say?!

drifter · 2nd July 2007, 18:56

Yes like most of the others, i regularly use this feature when driving loaded at night.

Drifter

Lukeskywalker · 2nd July 2007, 19:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by akash_m

The governemt has made it mandatory in all new Indian cars just like the rear seat belts!!

Tell me franky guys, how many of you have actually 'leveled' your head light when the car is loaded before pushing off in the night?? I think no one!!
What say...

Well Akash, bet u did not count on TBHP guys!

Anyway, use the feature provided, it's a matter of practice, maybe you'll find it useful afterall.
Cheers.

Rehaan · 3rd July 2007, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by akash_m

Its very complex too. There a small motors attached to the headlight bulbs whuch are very delicately calibrated.

I'm not sure where you got that information from, but from my experience i have only seen it being controlled by vaccum, which in turn moves the entire reflector mounting.

cya
R

2nd July 2007, 12:56	#1
akash_m BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Noida Posts: 257 Thanked: 101 Times	Headlight Levelling Feature - Is it really useful ?? The governemt has made it mandatory in all new Indian cars just like the rear seat belts!! Tell me franky guys, how many of you have actually 'leveled' your head light when the car is loaded before pushing off in the night?? I think no one!! Atleast I never did. In indan roads, the patholes are so big that a mere 15 degree adjuctment of headlight sounds like a joke. I personally think that it is a waste feature which has been made mandatory.. Its very complex too. There a small motors attached to the headlight bulbs whuch are very delicately calibrated. The automobile manufactures could have eailsy supplied a music system as a standard fitment instead this crap in the same cost... What say...
	() Thanks

2nd July 2007, 13:08	#2
noviceDriver BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 75 Thanked: 0 Times	I do, though I seldom got chance to drive a loaded car at night, but whenever I did, I used this "device" to adjust the headlight beams.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2007, 13:16	#3
vinodv001 BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 101 Thanked: 126 Times View My Garage	[In indan roads, the patholes are so big that a mere 15 degree adjuctment of headlight sounds like a joke. I personally think that it is a waste feature which has been made mandatory.. In these conditions it may be more useful. When the car is fully loaded low beam focus away, you can bring it closer (lower) and see the potholes better.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2007, 13:22	#4
speedzak BANNED Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: India Posts: 4,347 Thanked: 27 Times	It does help when driving on highways and citys. In city traffic you don't have to keep your headlights high. In highways it helps.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2007, 13:42	#6
caliper BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: India Posts: 160 Thanked: 3 Times	It's true that this is riduculous for the 80-90% of the drivers out there, who don't even know that you're supposed to keep your low beam, not high beam on in the city. It's handy for knowledgeable drivers, though. What would increase safety is for people to actually get the message to keep your low beams on!
	() Thanks

2nd July 2007, 14:05	#7
Vid6639 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,726 Thanked: 43,453 Times View My Garage	yup always use it. City with well lit roads low beam with lowest position. poorly lit or not lighted roads at all within city - low beam in highest position highway - highbeam with lowest position or if driving faster then highest position. It also changes if teh car is loaded.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2007, 16:22	#8
akroy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Francisco, CA, USA Posts: 2,423 Thanked: 85 Times View My Garage	I do it mostly for my night highway drives with full loads.... In city I dont require it, i always keep low beam fearing my 100W highbeams can cause lots of problem for oncoming traffic... Abhi
	() Thanks

2nd July 2007, 17:15	#9
gd1418 Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,578 Thanked: 728 Times View My Garage	In the city during nights if the street is well-lit, I drive with my parking lights on and switch on the fog lamps if it is dark. The HLs in low-beam come on only if it is pitch dark, which is seldom. Also I rarely use the HLs in city since they are HIDs and I'm a bit considerate to the traffic from the opposite side and also to those whom I'm tailing, though others are not so considerate and love to drive with the HLs on high beam. On Highways it is fog lamps + HLs in low beam. The high beam comes on only if there is an errant maniac on the wheels. Now, both my trucks don't have a headlight leveller. Is it something that I'm missing?
	() Thanks

2nd July 2007, 17:24	#10
spadival Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Melbourne, AU Posts: 1,773 Thanked: 26 Times View My Garage	They should have also put those auto HL dimmers, so that the dunderheads who go around with full beam inside the city have the controls taken out of their hands and given to a machine with "artificial" but sensible brains.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2007, 18:07	#11
madan80 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Santa Clara, CA Posts: 1,360 Thanked: 80 Times View My Garage	The HL leveler is quite a gift. Have found it rather useful when driving around the city. keep it right down, because i dont want to blidn the oncoming traffic. During highway driving, its my extra hella fogs and the HLs in Low in center position. pretty effective.
	() Thanks

2nd July 2007, 18:45	#12
nikkibike BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: QoAS Posts: 526 Thanked: 4 Times	Very usefull feature!! Well... I use this feature extensively! Sad that none of the vehicle manufacturers/dealers explains the benefits of this feature. To me this is as important as high & low beams! It is very difficult to narrate the way it should be used during differant situations. One such important situation is during rains when the visibility reduces to alarming levels. In such situations try lowering the HL to the maximum extent and put high beam so that the immediate area infront of your car will be well lit atleast! what say?!
	() Thanks

2nd July 2007, 18:56	#13
drifter Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,488 Thanked: 75 Times View My Garage	Yes like most of the others, i regularly use this feature when driving loaded at night. Drifter
	() Thanks