Is it me? Highbeams on the interstate... - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

SirNik84 · #31 12-02-2009, 07:53 PM

when I first moved to Sacramento (7 years ago) from my small hometown with minimal sreet lights, I'd forget to turn the lights on some times. I blame it on the city, at home the darkness reminded me to turn them on

Yak · #32 12-02-2009, 08:38 PM

Badly aimed lights drive me crazy -- it seems they're always aimed directly into my mirrors. In Germany it's part of the annual inspection to check how your headlights are aimed -- what a crazy concept -- they have to work AND be installed properly.

In Texas they've got a litterbug hotline where you can report vehicles that litter (they only get a warning, no citation) and I think they ought to have a "brake light burned out" hotline. I'd like to think most people would fix their lights if they knew they were out.

SirNik84 · #33 12-02-2009, 09:10 PM

Yak, thats a great adea!

I just drove through Texas, my mom moved to San Antonio, I'm a fan of the "Don't Mess With Texas" signs.

okyoureabeast · #34 12-02-2009, 09:48 PM

Hehe,

I get tailgaters all of the time when I try and run up hills especially if I am going off of a light.

I use my rear fogs to discourage that. Tends to work quite well

pawoSD · #35 12-03-2009, 12:39 AM

I used to have my reverse lights wired up to a switch so I could scare tail gaters....

It works surprisingly well!

The headlight aim thing drives me nuts....and its not just those, its the insanely bright retina piercing HID lights that the new gadgetmobiles have....they are like staring into the lights at a stadium!

MBeige · #36 12-03-2009, 01:47 AM

The problem with the US DOT lighting system is that the law requires that part of the beam pattern be aimed slightly above, to illuminate the overhead signs, which are not illuminated but only have reflective lettering.

In Europe this is not a problem, the overhead signs are illuminated. That is how it is explained in Daniel Stern's site anyway.

But I agree, there are way too many drivers with high beams on. Plus what's worse is that compared to our older cars, theirs has the low AND high beams on at the same time (ours has either high or low, but not both unless you're flashing the lights).

There is too much glare to oncoming drivers.

GregoryV022 · #37 12-03-2009, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBeige

The problem with the US DOT lighting system is that the law requires that part of the beam pattern be aimed slightly above, to illuminate the overhead signs, which are not illuminated but only have reflective lettering.

i agree with this statement but usually the passenger side light is the one that is angled higher. the driver side one is angled farther down for this reason.

retmil46 · #38 12-03-2009, 02:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawoSD

I used to have my reverse lights wired up to a switch so I could scare tail gaters....

It works surprisingly well!

Not to get too far off topic, but for my money the all-time best anti-tailgate device is right foot to the floor and a big cloud of diesel exhaust out the tailpipe.

For some reason down here in SA, even though the Jeep CRD doesn't hold a candle to what the '87 can produce out the tailpipe, half the time the car behind me literally stops dead, as if the driver is in complete bewilderment as to what just happened. Must be Prius hybrid drivers totally aghast at having their battery-powered wonders covered in nasty black diesel soot.

retmil46 · #39 12-03-2009, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBeige

In Europe this is not a problem, the overhead signs are illuminated. That is how it is explained in Daniel Stern's site anyway.

I wonder if that's the reason why, on both '87's when I first got them, the headlights weren't aimed worth a hoot - the high beams looked like the low beams on every other car I've driven, and the low beams wouldn't even reach out 20 feet in front of the car. Or perhaps the PO's just never bothered having them aimed - after having the MB dealer check and align them on the first '87, car had excellent headlights.

Graplr · #40 12-03-2009, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retmil46

Not to get too far off topic, but for my money the all-time best anti-tailgate device is right foot to the floor and a big cloud of diesel exhaust out the tailpipe.

For some reason down here in SA, even though the Jeep CRD doesn't hold a candle to what the '87 can produce out the tailpipe, half the time the car behind me literally stops dead, as if the driver is in complete bewilderment as to what just happened. Must be Prius hybrid drivers totally aghast at having their battery-powered wonders covered in nasty black diesel soot.

Haven't you ever seen National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation? (I just watched it again last night) Clark gets into a bit of trouble when he tries to blow by tailgaters...

MBeige · #41 12-03-2009, 04:31 PM

I've been able to adjust the lights on the S124 to properly illuminate the reflectors on the road, as best as I could, to mimic the Euro light effect on the W123. Then when my mother, who owns the 300TE, drove behind me at night I noticed that her lights look like she's on bright, or that the glare was increased.

That confirmed the fact that the light beam pattern of US DOT units do have upward glare that can blind oncoming drivers. So I adjusted the lights a little lower.

On my wife's 190E, it's adjusted to compensate for US DOT glare so I do not receive any glare when she drives behind me at night.

H-townbenzoboy · #42 12-03-2009, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirNik84

she will only drive a stick! Man, I was in Love!

Nothing wrong with a girl who can handle a stick. If she can drive a manual transmission too, that's a plus.