Car headlights?

[JMemonic]

Is this particular to Christchurch or is it NZ wide?

On my brief ride home from work, about 9kms I counted no fewer than 12 miss adjusted head lights, one beam set right, the other, normally the passenger side being so out of correct alignment it would appear as if on high beam and shining nearly directly across the road, so is this just local to here? Or is there something deficient in testing sites?

An even more interesting question for the law enforcement officers, do you folks ever issue tickets for this now days? Or issue warnings?

[Motu]

I've been checking headlights with a beamsetter for 20 years now, (since beamsetters replaced lightboards) and some days it seems every car I check has lights set wrong....other times I can go a couple of weeks without finding one out.Biggest reason for lights being way wrong is incorrectly fitted bulbs - the owner thinks he can do it himself,but doesn't fit the springclip correctly,so the bulb sits wrong.

In short - it's Christchurch.

[MSTRS:Me]

Yep, very common. The one that really gets my goat is SUVs. Their lights are set just the same as cars...yet because they are so much higher to start with, their dip is as dazzling in the mirrors as as a car on highbeam.
Why can't there be a way of setting so that the physical distance their lights reach is the same as cars?

[Beemer]

I used to make a bet with myself that I'd see a certain number of one-headlight-out vehicles on the trip home from work each night when I lived in Lower Hutt. On the trip from Porirua over Haywards Hill I would invariably see between eight and 15!

It happened to me a few weeks ago when working in Kapiti - I was driving home from a job in Otaki and it was raining and on dip I thought "shit, these headlights aren't usually this crappy!" and thought I'd check them when I got home to make sure they were working okay. Pull up at home and the other half says "did you know your left headlight bulb had blown?" Sorted! He replaced it with one off his bike so it was back to normal the next day, but some vehicles you see with the whole headlight unit smashed to bits so it's not like that just happened that day.

I hate 4WDs and similar as their headlights are blinding. I've got to the stage where I'll pull over and let them pass as it's extremely wearing having one behind you.

[Motu]

Why can't there be a way of setting so that the physical distance their lights reach is the same as cars?

There is - over 800mm and the lights are set lower.Unfortunatly the range of allowance falls into the same as for lower than 800mm.

In the real world conically misaligned headlamps enough to cause glare is pretty rare - I bet if you stopped these vehicles and checked,they would have an incorrectly fitted bulb.

[ready4whatever]

The one that really gets my goat is SUVs...

Combination of SUV's and mums are dangerous in every sence of driving. They think they'l stop a train if they hit one. so nevermind the bikers

[Spuds1234]

Is this particular to Christchurch or is it NZ wide?

On my brief ride home from work, about 9kms I counted no fewer than 12 miss adjusted head lights, one beam set right, the other, normally the passenger side being so out of correct alignment it would appear as if on high beam and shining nearly directly across the road, so is this just local to here? Or is there something deficient in testing sites?

An even more interesting question for the law enforcement officers, do you folks ever issue tickets for this now days? Or issue warnings?

Could have been me.

The shop has "fixed" my headlight twice now and both times I've had to lower it.

The second time I lowered it (tonight), high beam was pretty useless as it was pointing up in the air. The first time was when I bought the bike.

[Creeping Death]

The thing I hate is those damn LED headlights,the ones that look like they're permanently on full beam and sparkle blue or purple over every bump in the road!

Specially noticable on late model Terranos!

[Gareth123]

The thing I hate is those damn LED headlights,the ones that look like they're permanently on full beam and sparkle blue or purple over every bump in the road!

Specially noticable on late model Terranos!

But they look so pretty

[JMemonic]

Some interesting comments, thanks Motu for the info, I wonder sometimes though if the only light checked on the beam setters by some places are the drivers light as a workmate turned up at work with a new wof and no replacement bulb since with this problem, his was as you suggested a faulty install of the bulb, done by a garage at that.

[CookMySock]

The thing I hate is those damn LED headlights,the ones that look like they're permanently on full beam and sparkle blue or purple over every bump in the road! Specially noticable on late model Terranos!

They are very noticeable if you put them on your bike too, which is why I do. They stick out like dogs' balls. Get some, they are a great safety addition. And purty too.

Steve

[scumdog]

Yep, very common. The one that really gets my goat is SUVs. Their lights are set just the same as cars...yet because they are so much higher to start with, their dip is as dazzling in the mirrors as as a car on highbeam.
Why can't there be a way of setting so that the physical distance their lights reach is the same as cars?

Not only the above but a lot of Surfs and old dungers like that have rear springs softer than Dawn Frenchs arse and the weight of a three litre box of Chateau Cardboard wine sitting in the back is enough to cause the rear of said vehicle to drop by about 6" - resulting in blinding headlights for oncoming traffic.

[scumdog]

Is this particular to Christchurch or is it NZ wide?

An even more interesting question for the law enforcement officers, do you folks ever issue tickets for this now days? Or issue warnings?

Frequently do down here, can't comment on Ch-Ch.

I also give out 'compliance' tickets to make sure something gets done, otherwise a month later and the vehicle STILL has one badly aimed light/ one 'dead' headlight or whatever...

[merv]

What gets me areall the dorks that drive with their low level driving lights on all the time, that offer stuff all improvement in their vision unless its foggy, yet they are flipping glary to us as oncoming traffic. Scummy needs to go around American style and smash a few with his night stick aka truncheon aka baton.

Motu, what's the law on them, I presume they aren't meant to be used with the normal headlights?

[CookMySock]

.. low level driving lights on all the time, that offer stuff all improvement in their vision unless its foggy .... I presume they aren't meant to be used with the normal headlights?

No they are legal. They work very well getting the vehicle noticed, but as you observe they tend to polarise people. This is not a bad thing if you want people to notice you, if you are on a bike for example. They will hate your guts, but hey they won't pull out in front of you.

Steve