Suv's....

skunkwerx

Lately I've noticed something that I hadn't before. 

Im not gonna get into the whole driving an suv in built up areas or cities, etc, as most of these modern ones, you wouldnt take off road for their stupid price tags anyway!

But. Their headlights, man!! I know theyre obviously higher than a regular cars, but the amount of times these things just seem to be right at eye level now, literally blinding me when they are oncoming, or parked on the left facing oncoming traffic. 

They must still be angled down, and I can't see that many being set wrong these days, they just seem to be right at eye level of us regular car drivers! 

I've only just really noticed it, been driving 11 years and my current car is a run of the mill hatchback, so nothing low or slammed to the ground. 

Is it just me maybe?

I cheaped out on my latest glasses too and didnt opt for the night time antireflective coating.. just as my shifts then changed to nights.. buggar! That'll teach me! 

digitalscream

Nah, it's not just you - having just started driving, it's incredibly apparent to me. I suppose it doesn't help that my car's relatively low-down too, though.

crunchman

digitalscream said:

Nah, it's not just you - having just started driving, it's incredibly apparent to me. I suppose it doesn't help that my car's relatively low-down too, though.

Very wide and difficult to see over on a bike as well.  Can slow you down quite a lot in London.

LoFi

Last two cars I had (XK8 and 200SX) were both really low-slung, and I hated SUVs as a result - both oncoming, and sat behind behind me in traffic (rear-view didn't auto-dim). It's not a new thing.

(The early days of HID headlamps were a PITA too...)

Bucket

I notice it in lots of posh modern cars - Audis, BMWs, Mercs etc - and not just the SUVs, their headlights are a blinding bright white that look like full beams even when dipped. Many's a time I've been almost unable to see where I'm going due to an oncoming 5-series with headlights that damn near burn the top layer of my eyeballs off.

On SUVs in general - I work in a swanky bit of London now and I often see stuff like Range Rovers, AMG-tuned Merc GLEs and the ridiculous new Bentley Bentayga, and today it struck me - is there anything in the automotive world more ridiculous than a high-performance SUV? No-one who's serious about driving would buy an SUV to go quickly in, and the vast majority of SUV buyers, particularly in London, have absolutely no need to get from 0-60 in five seconds. I'm all for flashy cars but this is a sign of the utility vehicle jumping the shark. Profligacy for its own sake.

RandallFlagg

Bucket said:

I notice it in lots of posh modern cars - Audis, BMWs, Mercs etc - and not just the SUVs, their headlights are a blinding bright white that look like full beams even when dipped. Many's a time I've been almost unable to see where I'm going due to an oncoming 5-series with headlights that damn near burn the top layer of my eyeballs off.

On SUVs in general - I work in a swanky bit of London now and I often see stuff like Range Rovers, AMG-tuned Merc GLEs and the ridiculous new Bentley Bentayga, and today it struck me - is there anything in the automotive world more ridiculous than a high-performance SUV? No-one who's serious about driving would buy an SUV to go quickly in, and the vast majority of SUV buyers, particularly in London, have absolutely no need to get from 0-60 in five seconds. I'm all for flashy cars but this is a sign of the utility vehicle jumping the shark. Profligacy for its own sake.

LED headlights.

The new Clio I bought for the wife has them, I took it out the other night and was illuminating the whole street is bright white light. I thought the full beam was on so switched it and no, I was wrong. The full beam can on and illuminated the whole town!

Stevepage

I used to think the same as you Connor. But having experienced the ridiculously "American" Chevy Suburban myself and ridden in supercharged Range Rovers, I absolutely love then. All the space you could want, a nice view of the road and plenty of guts to get you around. 

But I agree that they really are stupid in London.

ronnyb

And the amount of planks who drive with their foglights on when visibility is good. They obviously don't know that you're only supposed to put them on when visibility drops below 100 metres, otherwise you're liable for a fixed penalty.  

skunkwerx

ronnyb said:

And the amount of planks who drive with their foglights on when visibility is good. They obviously don't know that you're only supposed to put them on when visibility drops below 100 metres, otherwise you're liable for a fixed penalty.  

Around here apparantly the 'cool' thing to do is drive with your sidelights on and front foglights on too. Even at night. 

Fucking ridiculous. 

Most of them also think tailgating is completely acceptable. 

I wish I knew all what I know now, when I had a chance in life, because I would bloody love to have become a traffic officer. 

Nitefly

ronnyb said:

And the amount of planks who drive with their foglights on when visibility is good. They obviously don't know that you're only supposed to put them on when visibility drops below 100 metres, otherwise you're liable for a fixed penalty.  

I always wonder what they'll do when it actually gets foggy.

Budgie

I recently bought a VW T5 and the previous owner fitted LED daylight running lights, which while kinda cool looking are somewhat like staring into the heart of the sun... and that's just in daylight. It's gotten to the point I dare not use it at night. I get flashed all the time. 

I wonder if I can get them to strobe

Grunfeld

I hate LED headlights to the point where I have fitted a flip-up parabolic mirror to my car's boot.  I get dazzled, up with the mirror, and 10 minutes later ambulance crew are dragging a blinded driver from the ditch to Moorfields eye hospital. 
To be fair this only happens in my imagination but that's the only place where justice is served. 
Is there no plan to outlaw those f*ing things?

crunchman

ronnyb said:

And the amount of planks who drive with their foglights on when visibility is good. They obviously don't know that you're only supposed to put them on when visibility drops below 100 metres, otherwise you're liable for a fixed penalty.  

  Flicking the rear fog lights on can be quite useful for stopping Audi drivers from tailgating you.

jonnyburgo

Worse when it's pissing down at night, everything also becomes invisible

usedtobe

It's definitely an led headlights thing, I believe. Been noticing it for years. Driving at night is a nightmare. I honestly don't understand why you'd want a road vehicle to look like an off road vehicle. It's a road vehicle, mate! Fashion is indeed a cruel mistress..

crunchman

usedtobe said:

It's definitely an led headlights thing, I believe. Been noticing it for years. Driving at night is a nightmare. I honestly don't understand why you'd want a road vehicle to look like an off road vehicle. It's a road vehicle, mate! Fashion is indeed a cruel mistress..

Some people like the high up driving position.  Our last three cars have been MPVs, and my wife really likes being higher up, and the better view of the road you get.

jonnyburgo

I don't know how we've all managed driving at normal car height I really don't

Sporky

jonnyburgo said:

I don't know how we've all managed driving at normal car height I really don't

And what's with these newfangled chimneys, eh? Nonsense. Nothing wing with the choking smoke from an open fire in the middle of the hut.