You may have seen the informative article on the pressures and problems of night driving in the December edition of Driving magazine. This was written by our own Howard Redwood in association with Ken Perham, a London taxi driver, who for the last 37 years has worked only at night.
Ken has been campaigning tirelessly about the intensity and design of the bi-xenon lighting system on modern cars. This system is standard equipment on many models now and produces a system which is up to 60% brighter than standard halogen lamps.
Manufacturers extol the virtues of this in their sales literature, saying how much safer it makes driving at night. The problem with the system is that it ‘floats’ and does not have a scroll switch to enable the driver to adjust the height of the lights according to the load being carried. This causes severe dazzle to anyone in front of the vehicle – not just oncoming drivers but anyone travelling in the same direction as well.
Ken is constantly hearing tales of woe from passengers who have taken their bi-xenon equipped vehicles back to the dealership, explaining that they are constantly being flashed by oncoming vehicles and asking for their headlamps to be set correctly.
Needless to say, dealerships tell customers they cannot alter the lights – and not only because they have no guidelines for this system. They insist that the lights have been factory set so they must be legal!
Recent statistics show that 40% of all road traffic collisions (RTCs) between October and March take place during the hours of darkness. Although the statistics do not specifically list how many of these collisions are due to dazzle, it is recognised to have played a part in a significant number of them.
The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations (RVLR) 1989 are unequivocal. Schedule 4, Part 1, Section 4 clearly states that lights must not be set to dazzle other drivers.
(As an aside, this brings up the use of the scroll switch for adjusting headlamp height. A great number of high mileage truck and car drivers have told Ken that they had never been taught how to use a scroll switch to set lights according to loads carried. It’s an interesting point. Using one is straightforward enough, but perhaps this question should be added to ‘Show me, tell me’ questions.)
Ken has now finally got the attention of his two local MPs and has set up a petition on the government’s No10 website. If you’ve been dazzled by bi-xenon headlights, the address of Ken’s website is www.blindedbixenon.co.uk. And it only takes a few minutes to log on to http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/blindedbixenon/ and add your name or organisation to the petition to get the RVLR 1989 updated.
Let’s try and make it safer for everyone!
Friday 28 August 2009
Click here: Petition to: revise the RVLR 1989 regulation about dazzling of other drivers. Lights must not be set to dazzle oth
DO YOU DRIVE AT NIGHT?
Have you been blinded by new vehicle lights?
www.blindedbixenon.co.uk has an ongoing study on the bi-xenon headlamp as well as the old halogen. We have found instances of blinding from the new bi-xenon lamp to be so bad that you are partially blinded and believe this to be an unnecessary danger and hazard. Although the lights appear to be beneficial to the driver the problems caused to other road users and pedestrians are far worse.
The predecessor to bi-xenon, is the halogen which usually comes with a scroll switch which will adjust this headlamp according to passengers and luggage weight. A great invention to help drivers of all vehicles from blinding other road users! There is little to no knowledge about this feature which could prevent accidents and save lives. The Minister of Transport confirmed this to us directly.
Because instances of blinding has become so common we have a Parliamentary Petition and we would appreciate if you feel the current light act of 20 years is out of date with this new bi-xenon technology add your vote online.
If you have any thoughts on this issue please email me:- ken@blindedbixenon.co.uk
This below is our petition on the Number 10 Downing Street website:-
Your petition has been approved by the Number 10 web team, and is now available on the Number 10 website at the following address:-http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/blindedbixenon/
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to revise the RVLR 1989 Regulation about dazzling of other drivers. Lights must not be set to dazzle other drivers as stated in Schedule 4, Part1, Section 4 of the RVLR 1989.
This Act is clearly, in our opinion, out of date, so please check our website for updates and register your vote on the e-Petition, so we will all be working to make the roads safer for everyone.
40% of all accidents happen in the hours of darkness.
Any other information contact website Administrator:- admin@blindedbixenon.co.uk
500 Votes will allow me to ask the right questions. If you sign up to my E Petition Number 10 will email you to inform that I have been successful MANY THANKS, KEN.
____________________________________________________________________
Night Driving Issue In the December edition of Driving, there was an informative article on the pressures of night driving. This was written by our own Howard Redwood in association with Ken Perham, a London taxi driver, who has spent the last 37 years operating solely on night duty.
Ken has been campaigning tirelessly about the intensity and design of the Bi-xenon lighting system on modern cars. This system is standard on the models which it is fitted to, and produces a system which is up to 60% more intense than the standard halogen lamps.
The manufacturers use this information in their sales literature as a ‘Unique Selling Point’ (USP) to persuade a prospective buyer, that a driver of these vehicles will be able to see more whilst night driving. The problem with the system is that it ‘floats’ and therefore does not have a scroll switch to adjust the height of the lights according to the load being carried in the vehicle, thus causing severe dazzle to oncoming drivers.
Ken has been hearing some alarming reports from passengers he has conveyed across London, that tell stories of drivers, who own a vehicle with bi-xenon’s, who have been taking their vehicle back to the dealership to report that the owner felt that the bi-xenon’s were incorrectly set, due to the amount of on-coming vehicles flashing them for high lights or a mistaken main beam! The dealerships have refused to alter the lights, and have admitted that they have no guidelines for this system and because the lights have been factory set then they must be legal!!
Recent statistics show that 40% of all Road Traffic Collisions (RTCs) between October and March (G.M.T) take place between the hours of darkness. Although the statistics do not prove how many of these collisions are due to dazzle, it is recognised to have played a part in a significant number of them.
The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations (RVLR) 1989 clearly state in Schedule 4, Part 1, Section 4, ‘Lights must not be set to dazzle other drivers’
This also brings into question the use of the ‘scroll switch’ for other vehicles, with alternative lighting systems. Ken has had numerous remarks made to him by several high mileage truck and car drivers, who commented, that they had not been inducted to the use of a scroll switch to set lights according to loads carried. Perhaps this question should be added to the ‘show me – tell me’.
Ken has now finally got the attention of his two local MPs and has been asked to petition number 10. We are all part of the grand scheme of road safety. Perhaps you could see your way to Ken’s website:
www.blindedbixenon.co.uk or log on to http://petitions.number10.gov/blindedbixenon and add your name or organisation to the petition to get the RVLR 1989 updated.
Let’s try and make it safer for everyone
Sandra www.snsdrivertraining.co.uk
DO YOU DRIVE AT NIGHT?
Have you been blinded by new vehicle lights?
www.blindedbixenon.co.uk has an ongoing study on the bi-xenon headlamp as well as the old halogen. We have found instances of blinding from the new bi-xenon lamp to be so bad that you are partially blinded and believe this to be an unnecessary danger and hazard. Although the lights appear to be beneficial to the driver the problems caused to other road users and pedestrians are far worse.
The predecessor to bi-xenon, is the halogen which usually comes with a scroll switch which will adjust this headlamp according to passengers and luggage weight. A great invention to help drivers of all vehicles from blinding other road users! There is little to no knowledge about this feature which could prevent accidents and save lives. The Minister of Transport confirmed this to us directly.
Because instances of blinding has become so common we have a Parliamentary Petition and we would appreciate if you feel the current light act of 20 years is out of date with this new bi-xenon technology add your vote online.
If you have any thoughts on this issue please email me:- ken@blindedbixenon.co.uk
This below is our petition on the Number 10 Downing Street website:-
Your petition has been approved by the Number 10 web team, and is now available on the Number 10 website at the following address:-http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/blindedbixenon/
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to revise the RVLR 1989 Regulation about dazzling of other drivers. Lights must not be set to dazzle other drivers as stated in Schedule 4, Part1, Section 4 of the RVLR 1989.
This Act is clearly, in our opinion, out of date, so please check our website for updates and register your vote on the e-Petition, so we will all be working to make the roads safer for everyone.
40% of all accidents happen in the hours of darkness.
Any other information contact website Administrator:- admin@blindedbixenon.co.uk
500 Votes will allow me to ask the right questions. If you sign up to my E Petition Number 10 will email you to inform that I have been successful MANY THANKS, KEN.
____________________________________________________________________
Night Driving Issue In the December edition of Driving, there was an informative article on the pressures of night driving. This was written by our own Howard Redwood in association with Ken Perham, a London taxi driver, who has spent the last 37 years operating solely on night duty.
Ken has been campaigning tirelessly about the intensity and design of the Bi-xenon lighting system on modern cars. This system is standard on the models which it is fitted to, and produces a system which is up to 60% more intense than the standard halogen lamps.
The manufacturers use this information in their sales literature as a ‘Unique Selling Point’ (USP) to persuade a prospective buyer, that a driver of these vehicles will be able to see more whilst night driving. The problem with the system is that it ‘floats’ and therefore does not have a scroll switch to adjust the height of the lights according to the load being carried in the vehicle, thus causing severe dazzle to oncoming drivers.
Ken has been hearing some alarming reports from passengers he has conveyed across London, that tell stories of drivers, who own a vehicle with bi-xenon’s, who have been taking their vehicle back to the dealership to report that the owner felt that the bi-xenon’s were incorrectly set, due to the amount of on-coming vehicles flashing them for high lights or a mistaken main beam! The dealerships have refused to alter the lights, and have admitted that they have no guidelines for this system and because the lights have been factory set then they must be legal!!
Recent statistics show that 40% of all Road Traffic Collisions (RTCs) between October and March (G.M.T) take place between the hours of darkness. Although the statistics do not prove how many of these collisions are due to dazzle, it is recognised to have played a part in a significant number of them.
The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations (RVLR) 1989 clearly state in Schedule 4, Part 1, Section 4, ‘Lights must not be set to dazzle other drivers’
This also brings into question the use of the ‘scroll switch’ for other vehicles, with alternative lighting systems. Ken has had numerous remarks made to him by several high mileage truck and car drivers, who commented, that they had not been inducted to the use of a scroll switch to set lights according to loads carried. Perhaps this question should be added to the ‘show me – tell me’.
Ken has now finally got the attention of his two local MPs and has been asked to petition number 10. We are all part of the grand scheme of road safety. Perhaps you could see your way to Ken’s website:
www.blindedbixenon.co.uk or log on to http://petitions.number10.gov/blindedbixenon and add your name or organisation to the petition to get the RVLR 1989 updated.
Let’s try and make it safer for everyone
Sandra www.snsdrivertraining.co.uk
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/blindedbixenon/
Thank you for setting this petition up - I have just signed it. I'm so glad someone is making a stand on these dreadful and, in my opinion, dangerous headlights. I am absolutely dreading the winter when I have to drive to work and home again in the dark. All because of these halogen lamps. There really is no need to have them so bright that they blind oncoming drivers. The old style head lamps were just as good. All we need is enough light to see the road ahead, not to make flightpath landing lights for oncoming aircraft! I wonder for whose benefit the head lamps were intended for in the first place - it certainly couldn't have been for the ordinary driver. Why would we want to be dazzled and blinded every time we take to the road? I live near some very dark country roads so the Bixenon lights are even more pronounced. I wouldn't be surprised if they were the reason behind many accidents - I'm certain they will cause a lot more.
And as for lorries using them, well that's just a joke! They are already lit up like Xmas trees at night. You can see them coming from miles away. Only trouble is, they don't seem to see us until after they've gone in to the back of us!
I do hope you get your petition heard and agreed with as I really would like to be able to drive at night without being constantly blinded. If the Govt. don't listen, perhaps they will pay someone to design special night glasses for us all to use?
Thanks again and good luck.
And as for lorries using them, well that's just a joke! They are already lit up like Xmas trees at night. You can see them coming from miles away. Only trouble is, they don't seem to see us until after they've gone in to the back of us!
I do hope you get your petition heard and agreed with as I really would like to be able to drive at night without being constantly blinded. If the Govt. don't listen, perhaps they will pay someone to design special night glasses for us all to use?
Thanks again and good luck.
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