Archive fron the MBC Club Forum

As you do if you are perplexed by something you go digging. I dug this up from the forum. A thread was running on the Bi-xenon lights with nearly 200 postings

I was originally posted by white nemesis

This below was posted by Guy Fawkes

I know personally of three traffic plod who check for aftermarket lights after an accident, any accident, even minor ones.Suddenly finding yourself and vehicle uninsured utterly transforms your day.As a biker I am of the opinion that every vehicle with defective (eg illegal or MOT failure) lights should be crushed...tonight, as it started to spatter with rain, three vehicles in a row with defective headlights followed by a **** in a range rover with xenons bouncing over the sleeping policemen and flashing the ISS, if I had NOT been doing 20 in a residential zone (the oncoming stuff was doing 30-35) I would have killed the small boy in dark clothing on a bmx bike with no lights.

He then went on to write.

If you actually need anything better than 55/60 tungsten filament lights you probably are…. Speeding, or have defective vision.

Epilogue

The vehicle in question was surprise. A Range Rover.

I am often asked are these vehicles that are dazzling others in lots of accidents. The answer is no. The problem is what the lights do to others and as Guy Fawkes explains it is the other chavvies that dazzle and blind you drive of Scot free leaving you [for dead] or in a predicament that would not have happened if the lights were set correctly.


It is my opinion that a far stricter MOT is needed for the Bi-xenon headlamp but Guy Fawkes view makes complete sense if you drive mostly at night. With views like this why do the Manufacturers and Government ignore us? It would be appreciated if you vote to change the current regulation with the link below. Thanks


Petition to: revise the RVLR 1989 regulation

If you live in the USA and many other places around the World and have the more sensitive eyes that find Daytime Running Lights distract making added dangers for you go to the DaDRL and vote:-

DaDRL UK Vote against Daytime Running Lights

Ken Clarke's view on blindedbixenon

Ken,

For years now I have been complaining about being blinded by xenon headlights, not because they have been set too high but simply because, unlike yellow lights, they leave two black areas in one's field of vision which persist for some time. By any standards this is dangerous, and in my view unacceptable when driving. In addition they have an infuriating habit of changing colour from blinding white to blinding blue as the angle from which one views them, changes with relative motion. This is distracting and is therefore also dangerous. My solution is simple - they should be declared illegal.

Ken Clarke

Epilogue:-

It is my opinion that a far stricter MOT is needed for the Bi-xenon headlamp but Ken Clarke’s view is understandable if you drive mostly at night. With views like this why do the Manufacturers and Government ignore us? It would be appreciated if you vote to change the current regulation with the link below. Thanks


Petition to: revise the RVLR 1989 regulation

If you live in the USA and many other places around the World and have the more sensitive eyes that find Daytime Running Lights distract making added dangers for you go to the DaDRL and vote:-

DaDRL UK Vote against Daytime Running Lights

Mercedes Benz Estate

It would be great if I could stop slagging of Major Motor Manufacturers and their cars but on my night of from work at about 630PM I was travelling north on the A217 near the Children’s hospital Tadworth. Long before this Mercedes with dazzling headlights drew up beside and passed me could I see it coming from the rear. The personalised registration V 58 was all too easy to recognise. This Mercedes car had not passed me on the outside lane and its lights shone beyond my own as if on main beam.

In my opinion if the driver of this vehicle could not see that he was persecuting other driver’s eyes then he was doing it deliberately as he knew current regulations allowed this to happen.

Readers please take extra special note! My research on this finds that most Drivers when dazzled from behind or by an oncoming car believe the driver has failed to dip his main beam lights. I have found that the xenon lights are actually on dip. Very confusing as you would expect the regulations and the Manufacturers settings to be correct for safe driving. I truly believe my research puts a question mark over the current regulations.

Epilogue:-

Although this vehicle will probably passes all the current regulations. It blooming well dazzled other Drivers and me. So it would be appreciated if you vote to change the current regulation with the link below. Thanks


Petition to: revise the RVLR 1989 regulation

If you live in the USA and many other places around the World and have the more sensitive eyes that find Daytime Running Lights distract making added dangers for you go to the DaDRL and vote:-

DaDRL UK Vote against Daytime Running Lights

Audi TT Vauxhall & Porsche Turbo S [They all dazzled me!]

As I know from bitter experiences not only do most Audi’s dazzle but some Drivers are having their Daytime Running Lights turned of because they think they are a nuisance. At about 8PM Sunday 25 1 10 I was travelling east on Upper Richmond Road Putney being followed by a car with headlights that flooded through my rear screen lighting the inside up like a McDonalds Restaurant. My interior rear view and door mirrors pierced my eyes with unbearable light. Eventually the Road widened and the car could pass. It was a white Audi TT registration CU09 BMF. As Audi’s are on my problem vehicles list which are most likely to dazzle and intimidate other road users it was no surprise.

I will pick on a Vauxhall for a change, as this one was travelling south on Redcliffe gardens registration MA51 KKK which had those upgrade lights. This one once again came in from behind and if you thought Xenon lights give you dazzle wait until you get lights like these. If you read this and know any serving Police Officers that can trace these vehicles a warning might help the rest of us.

The Porsche Cayenne when it comes to dazzling other Drivers is in my opinion verging on criminal negligence on the part of Porsche as when dazzled by this 4X4 recovery of reasonable vision seems to take and endless amount of time. Registration 448 Q59 was seen travelling north on Park Lane W1.

Epilogue:-

All these vehicles pass the current regulations but dazzle other Drivers so it would be appreciated if you vote to change the current regulation with the link below. Thanks


Petition to: revise the RVLR 1989 regulation

If you live in the USA and many other places around the World and have the more sensitive eyes that find Daytime Running Lights distract making added dangers for you go to the DaDRL and vote:-

DaDRL UK Vote against Daytime Running Lights

Honda BMW & Porsche [All caused discomfort dazzle]

I will start with the Porsche. This I am pretty sure was the Cayman S and as Honest John the Motoring Correspondent would say the lights on this car were frying all other Motorists eyes including mine. Sadly I failed to get the registration but it was on the Brighton Rd A217 just north of Banstead Cross Saturday 23rd January at about 8PM.

BMW next and I have the registration DS06 HWR black seen on the Talgarth Rd going west with its Bi-xenon Lights frying and blinding or even dazzling all who come close. What I do not understand is why the Police sit back and do f*** a** or is it being left for me to take the plaudits when I prove what many of us know that regulations need to be changed preventing drivers dazzling us at will.

Next we go for a Honda {Civic/sport I think] black with very dark tinted windows and with Registration FU55 FFY. I did not see Driver but these lights were horrendous! The worst I have seen for about 1 month. The Driver that does this actually knows the Police can do very little. It is almost as bad as a woman walking down a busy high street wearing nothing on the top half with two large bosoms. If she stands proud and strolls through like Jesus walking on water all and sundry turn their heads and bump into each other. This car came down Earls court Road with Bi-xenon’s or was it possibly an upgrade [Philips X-treme power or Ring-Xenon’s] and they to me were full beeeeemers and I wanted this one for the blog but who so ever it was they were too quick. I think these upgrade lights were either installed wrongly or possibly deliberately set when fitted to dazzle. Bingo and luckily for me they turned into Pennywern Road SW5 and parked with them still on. I had by that time recovered to take their number. It would be nice if the Police were sensible and had a gentle word with this Driver if that were possible.

The mess is left behind by the perpetrator and she was the causation but not the statistic. A strange comparison but if you can understand my humour you will laugh at my very strange comparison.

Petition to: revise the RVLR 1989 regulation

If you live in the USA and many other places around the World and have the more sensitive eyes that find Daytime Running Lights distract making added dangers for you go to the DaDRL and vote:-

DaDRL UK Vote against Daytime Running Lights

Epilogue:-

Bentley & BMW X5 were dazzling other Drivers!

23 January is the day to name and shame a couple of older vehicles. Being dazzled is always worse at the week end. Getting their registration numbers is the difficult part because of recovery time on my eyes. Will it be my union or a safety charity that will take up the banner soon as they are beginning at last to listen? Brownie points on the website search engine have gone through the roof. Sorry folks I am digressing.

Bentley are lucky as I am picking on them again coupled with a classic and common vehicle and at the top of my list of cars with Bi-xenon lights that are most dangerous and intimidating to others.

The Bentley 1st completely wiped the floor with my eyes in Harrowby St W1 near the Victoria Casino but because of parking we had to slow almost to a stop to pass with safety. As he passed secured his registration Black Bentley LF04 HTD and glad I did not meet with these blinding headlights in a narrow country lane!

The BMW X5 2nd burnt my eyes out in my rear view and drivers door mirror at Tower Hill going towards East London about 2am Registration LF54 CGX. Lucky for me the BMW had to stop at the traffic lights giving me time to secure its number after my eyes recovered.

All vehicle makers seem intent on outshining each other and persecuting our eyes so please vote on E petition and check out the DaDRL if you are sensitive in the eyes daytime and rarely drive at night. The links to click are below.


Petition to: revise the RVLR 1989 regulation

If you live in the USA and many other places around the World and have the more sensitive eyes that find Daytime Running Lights distract making added dangers for you go to the DaDRL and vote:-

DaDRL UK Vote against Daytime Running Lights

Epilogue:-

Let’s hope with my effort and your votes 2010 will be the year our voice is heard.

Drivers Over 50ish Beware!

Dear Ken

I saw your website's address in the Honest John column in Saturday's Telegraph, and was interested as I am aware of an issue with Xenon having been dazzled by them on many occasions.

I have looked at your site, and there's a lot of useful information. I get the impression that the main thrust of your argument centres on maladjustment, although the actual petition on the Downing Street website is not specific. However I personally think that it is simpler than that - Xenon lights should not be allowed for dipped beams, but only for main beams or driving lamps, which are extinguished when the headlights are dipped.

My reason for thinking this is simply that no matter how well headlights are adjusted it is inevitable that at times they will focus either in an oncoming driver's eyes, or in the rear view mirror of a car in front. Any undulation in the road, such as a hump-back bridge, a bumpy level crossing or simply a brow, will cause the headlights to point upwards for a brief moment, and as the front of the car follows the contour downwards again, the beams from the headlights will focus on the eyes of an oncoming driver, or the mirrors of a car in front. Even though this is only for a brief period, Xenon lights are so bright that it can cause complete blindness for a few seconds, especially for drivers over 50, like myself, as you mention on your site. This is long enough to cause an accident.

Also, the shorter the vehicle the more acute this problem is, as a shorter car will pitch fore and aft more as it goes over a bump, hence the problem is worse with motorcycles and cars such as Smart cars.

I would be very surprised if there hadn't been several accidents already as a direct result of Xenon dipped beam headlights causing temporary blindness; it would be interesting to have access to insurance company's claims histories and Police accident reports.

Anyway, best of luck with your petition, which I shall certainly sign.

Regards
Andrew Buchanan Darlington Co Durham


Petition to: revise the RVLR 1989 regulation

If you live in the USA and many other places around the World and have the more sensitive eyes that find Daytime Running Lights distract making added dangers for you go to the DaDRL and vote:-

DaDRL UK Vote against Daytime Running Lights

Epilogue:-

Let’s hope with my effort and your votes 2010 will be the year our voice is heard.

ADI’s Approved Driving Instructors (Are voting on the RVLR 1989 petition)

Hi,

My name is Stuart Taylor and I am an ADI from the greater Manchester area and whole-heartedly support this and am going to put this to the AA whom I am franchised to.

Also as an aside I have this year had to purchase some night driving glasses and although they aren't perfect they do help to level the contrast out a bit and therefore causing me to become tired less easily at night which link didn't seem to be made in the article in Decembers ADI News.

Perhaps you could leave some advice to this on your site or in future articles to help others until something is done.

Yours Sincerely,

Stuart Taylor ADI


Petition to: revise the RVLR 1989 regulation

If you live in the USA and many other places around the World and have the more sensitive eyes that find Daytime Running Lights distract making added dangers for you go to the DaDRL and vote:-

DaDRL UK Vote against Daytime Running Lights

Epilogue:-

Let’s hope with my effort and your votes 2010 will be the year our voice is heard.

Are accessory Shops selling us lights that are Dangerous!

Ken,

Very interesting article on the web site! Here is how I think the problem is further compounded. If you go to Halfords or any motor accessory dealer you will find for sale replacement headlight bulbs that claim to provide greater brightness for the same wattage.

These bulbs are a semi tungsten/xenon type. The bottom line is that gas in the whole envelope glows. Now the reflector optics is designed to focus a POINT source of light i.e. the actual tungsten filament. As the light is emitting from a wide area around the filament IT IS NOW NOT PROPERLY FOCUSED and will cause dazzle.

The MOT test is out of date, and the equipment used to test the headlights does not work for xenon variant bulbs. There are also limits on the wattage of the lamps that can be used on motor vehicles, but there are no limits on the brightness. This was not a problem when we all used the same lamp technology.

I have noticed that the diligent mechanic who last conducted an MOT test on my Shogun, had turned the headlight level adjustment switch to it highest level to test the lights. Weather the MOT regulations demand this procedure I do not know but I would not disagree with it.

Yours Sincerely.

John Astley

Petition to: revise the RVLR 1989 regulation

If you live in the USA and many other places around the World and have the more sensitive eyes that find Daytime Running Lights distract making added dangers for you go to the DaDRL and vote:-

DaDRL UK Vote against Daytime Running Lights

Epilogue:-

Let’s hope with my effort and your votes 2010 will be the year our voice is heard.

Shame on Rolls Royce & Bentley

16 January 2010 is the day to name & shame even the best. I have long been reporting vehicles that are brand new that appear to dazzle when not on full beam and through research it is the regulation that is wrong and vehicle manufactures are flouting the regulation as in their eyes nothing on the vehicle is illegal.

Rolls Royce registration number EU59 BND dazzled me from behind and even switching my rear view mirror it was impossible for me to use my mirrors. I slowed and allowed the Rolls Royce to draw up and pass me and this is the number of it above seen in Central London. Even though we have plenty of Rolls Royce’s they are not as common as Mercedes or Ford’s. If you see this vehicle or Bentley number 4 AJY which also dazzled me in the same way. Please leave a comment if you see either of these or similar vehicles.

All vehicle makers seem intent on outshining each other and persecuting our eyes so please vote on E petition and check out the DaDRL if you are sensitive in the eyes daytime and rarely drive at night. The links to click are below.


Petition to: revise the RVLR 1989 regulation

If you live in the USA and many other places around the World and have the more sensitive eyes that find Daytime Running Lights distract making added dangers for you go to the DaDRL and vote:-

DaDRL UK Vote against Daytime Running Lights

Epilogue:-

Let’s hope with my effort and your votes 2010 will be the year our voice is heard.

JUST NORTH OF EDINBURGH

Do we need more proof that xenon lights blind and dazzle? If I had the time I could have written a thousand blogs. This was a slightly inebriated Scottish business man in the big city making the wheels of commerce turn.

Being very chatty thought I would use him as research on my blinding lights issue. I asked him if he had xenon lights on his car and did he think others would find them too bright.

If I find others too bright anyone near me must hate them big time. But they are terrific for driving. I have just changed from a Freelander to a Lexus Hybrid and my other car is the Audi TT.

As he was more than happy with xenon lights and his cars I asked if adjusting the lights down a little lower than the current regulation as not too blind or dazzle other drivers. Could you live with that? To my astonishment he agreed wholeheartedly.

I am glad to say not all Scots hate the English!

A slightly lower setting must be the way to go and make us all less vulnerable to the dazzling effect.

If you have taken time to read this blog and live in the UK please vote on my E Petition at number 10 Downing Street:-

Petition to: revise the RVLR 1989 regulation

If you live in the USA and many other places around the World and have the more sensitive eyes that find Daytime Running Lights distract making added dangers for you go to the DaDRL and vote:-

DaDRL UK Vote against Daytime Running Lights

Epilogue:-

Let’s hope with my effort and your votes 2010 will be the year our voice is heard.