A little whine anyone?

[mikester]

Does anyone else feel that driving at night is turning into more of a PITA with drivers;
a) driving at night without ANY lights on and doing stupid things like U-turns after the crest of a hill on a busy highway or backing up on a 4-lane highway?
b) driving in traffic with their fog lights and high beams on with the new super white super bright LED lights?

I really dislike the new jacked up GMC and FORD trucks driving with four sets of headlights where the low beams are visible above cars they are tail gaiting? Do they really need to have the fog lights on on a clear night?

 

[aaluck]

c) driving while looking down at the phone. At intersections I make it a habit to watch the vehicles crossing while I'm stopped. 75-100% of them are looking at the phone.

 

[skeets]

Or how about the damn ricers following so close they are dusting the bumper on your truck, so close you cant the them

 

[NCL4701]

For many years I’ve been amazed at random stranger’s extreme confidence in my ability to strap down a load. I can be tooling down the road with a pile of lumber hanging 4’ past the bed of my pickup with a little red flag on the end and inevitably someone in a tiny car who is eye level with the load will be 1.25’ off my butt. As in if a strap fails, I didn’t do a good job securing it, or they rear end me, their head is going to end up somewhere the rest of their body ain’t. I bought the straps, checked the straps, applied the straps, and I don’t have THAT much confidence in it.

This past weekend I was pulling a 16’ flatbed hauling a 9N Ford on the front of the trailer and stump grinder on the back going between 70 and 75mph in a 70 zone on a lightly travelled concrete 6 lane interstate hitting a joint in the road about once a second and some dude on a bike decided to glue himself 3’ behind the trailer. Don’t know if he thought he was drafting in a NASCAR race or what. I was thinking if that stump grinder comes off, good luck to the medical examiner trying to positively identify the remains.

And I agree with the lights. Don’t know about other trucks, but my work truck model Tundra has a little roller switch on the dash that allows me to move the headlights up and down a bit even while I’m traveling. Run them all the way up and I’m probably pretty obnoxious ( so I don’t do that). Bright lights are about like a row of the old KC off-road lights; they’re dang near an offensive weapon. I sometimes wonder, particularly with pickups, how many have that driver adjustable light height feature and how many of those are cranked up to the max height.

 

[Daren Todd]

c) driving while looking down at the phone. At intersections I make it a habit to watch the vehicles crossing while I'm stopped. 75-100% of them are looking at the phone.

Wife got popped a week ago by someone eyeballing there phone. Women said she got rear-ended, but there weren't any marks on the back of her sport utility. I figure she was texting. Noticed that the light turned green, stepped on the throttle and went back to lookimg at her phonr. Oh... did I mention that the idiot didn't have any insurance either.

Didn't do anything to her 20yo Blazer. Wife's car sustained about $7k in damage. Crinkled up the tailgate on her car. Sprung the hinges.

Lady without insurance got a ticket. We're out the insurance deductible. Insurance would only cover a rental for a week. So We are down to one vehicle till we get the car back. Which will probably be sometime next week.

Thankfully work is letting me go back and forth to work with my work truck.

 

[arml]

"Lady without insurance got a ticket."

Better call Saul

 

[dlsmith]

d) Jackasses driving Jeeps (Wranglers) with off road LED or Xenon lights that friggin' near blind you when you meet them or have to set across from them at a light or stop sign. Indiana has passed a law banning off road headlights from highway use. That will probably be enforced about as often as the noise ordinances are.

 

[DustyRusty]

Until some cop is blinded by the lights sitting at an intersection.

 

[lugbolt]

Daren I see it all the time here too. It's absolutely ridiculous. New-ish cars, the driver holding the phone up and talking on it via speaker-phone, and sometimes just holding it on the side of their noggin. I KNOW that some of these vehicles have built-in bluetooth and carplay and whatever the android version is, I figure they ain't figured out how to use it? Dunno. Texting? Emailing? There are laws against that. But those laws aren't strict enough, in my opinion. Generally if ya get victimized by one of these morons, and they don't have insurance you can sue them. But there's no guarantee you will get a dime out of them. most of the time if they ain't got insurance they ain't got no money either. But you can do some research on em via farsebook or whatever, and gather that information alone, take em to court and submit your research, might help you win the case. I did just that this past summer with a guy who was a supposed friend, did me wrong and I ate his lunch in the courtroom. Dude says "I ain't got the money", well his social media posts tell a different story and the judge agreed with me. Got every dime and it still wasn't enough to justify the amount of aggravation I had to go through.

 

[lugbolt]

Does anyone else feel that driving at night is turning into more of a PITA with drivers;
a) driving at night without ANY lights on and doing stupid things like U-turns after the crest of a hill on a busy highway or backing up on a 4-lane highway?
b) driving in traffic with their fog lights and high beams on with the new super white super bright LED lights?

I really dislike the new jacked up GMC and FORD trucks driving with four sets of headlights where the low beams are visible above cars they are tail gaiting? Do they really need to have the fog lights on on a clear night?

yes absolutely I hate them. I drive a CAR, it sits lower. Pickups with factory LED headlights aren't terrible for the most part; but when they get lift kits and leveling kits installed, and the installer doesn't readjust the headlights, that's when I have a problem. There was a local shop that was installing them, advertising as such on farse-book. I commented and asked if they readjusted the headlamps and they said no. I replied that they are only doing half the work and the shop owner called me, then visited me at work, pretty mad but also understanding-and also went on to say that what I said was constructive. I removed the comments and I understand that they're setting the headlight aim now. Good for them. But the rest of em that ain't? I've been in contact with friends who happen to work for the force locally. They've mentioned that it's a problem and that they have avenues that they can take if the need arises. "Defective Equipment" is a violation, which encompasses a laundry list of vehicle issues from headlamps to taillamps to license place illumination, windshields, tire tread, etc. And that in itself is a primary offense, which can lead to searches and whatever else. I don't necessarily agree or disagree with it but I understand why that is left "gray".

Some vehicles have poor headlights and they are blinding to oncoming drivers. GM pickups are that way, poor quality on the headlights. Toy-yota's were terrible for a while and may still be, I just don't drive as much at night anymore. The LED and HID headlights are just too intense, regardless of whether they meet the DOT's antiquated laws or not. Some LED taillights are kind of bright too. A certain GM brand comes to mind. The diodes are pulsed quickly such that the human eye does not notice it when looking straight at it. But if you look away without blinking your eyes, it is absolutely noticeable and sometimes disorienting. Maybe it's just my eyes. But I don't think it's just me, as I've heard/seen quite a few folks talk about it on other media.

 

[DustyRusty]

Ford police cars have a pulse to the brake lights for a second or two and then steady red. I have no problem with the pulsing, and it does get your attention.

 

[BXHoosier]

My 2016 Silverado has the OEM LED headlights. From the factory, they were adjusted too high and oncoming drivers flashed their lights at me several times the night I drove it home from the dealer. I adjusted them down when I got home and again when I added the leveling kit.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Biggest issue with those that lift their trucks or Jeeps is that they don't adjust their lights after the fact. I marked my light cut off on the garage wall from a set distance. Then after I lifted it a little, I returned the lights to those marks.
Jeep guys (I'm one too) seem to like the cheap LED bars. They put out a lot of light but don't have the proper reflectors to put it anywhere. The Rigid on my rig have a defined pattern like OEM headlights. I don't use them on road much, and then only with high beams.

 

[rc51stierhoff]

Biggest issue with those that lift their trucks or Jeeps is that they don't adjust their lights after the fact. I marked my light cut off on the garage wall from a set distance. Then after I lifted it a little, I returned the lights to those marks.
Jeep guys (I'm one too) seem to like the cheap LED bars. They put out a lot of light but don't have the proper reflectors to put it anywhere. The Rigid on my rig have a defined pattern like OEM headlights. I don't use them on road much, and then only with high beams.

Here is a manufactures tip…set back from your closed garage door about car length back…when you look at the sweet spot of the beam, adjust to the horizontal line on the closed garage door(line created between the panels - use that for your aim point)…same for your fog light aiming….see where they are and adjust the sweet spot to the horizontal line on the closed door…when you see you should be able to pick the correct door panel line to align too base on fog, headlight, or other accessory light. And for the 2 wheel road racer works on a bike also to just chuck it up in the swing arm stand and follow same procedure.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Here is a manufactures tip…set back from your closed garage door about car length back…when you look at the sweet spot of the beam, adjust to the horizontal line on the closed garage door(line created between the panels - use that for your aim point)…same for your fog light aiming….see where they are and adjust the sweet spot to the horizontal line on the closed door…when you see you should be able to pick the correct door panel line to align too base on fog, headlight, or other accessory light. And for the 2 wheel road racer works on a bike also to just chuck it up in the swing arm stand and follow same procedure.

Motorcycles have headlights?!?

 

[rc51stierhoff]

Motorcycles have headlights?!?

Some do, on track race machines not so much , but for street legal machines, they do not really point / aim the same way (at least I hope the two wheelers are riding appropriately and counter steering) or where you need then if going around a curve. They just point where going when traveling straight.

 

[dirtydeed]

I really dislike the new jacked up GMC and FORD trucks driving with four sets of headlights where the low beams are visible above cars they are tail gaiting? Do they really need to have the fog lights on on a clear night?

Well, most of the newer GMC's and Chebby's I see on the road these days have at least one light (sometimes more) not working.

 

[hagrid]

My nazi-built scooter points the hadelight beam to the inside of turns.

 

[Daren Todd]

Well, most of the newer GMC's and Chebby's I see on the road these days have at least one light (sometimes more) not working.

Chevy and GMC have a common issue with the halogen light plugs. Moisture gets into the plug and causes the bulbs to fail prematurely.

Doesn't help that the idiots at the auto parts stores will sell bulb grease (dielectric grease). Then tell the person to fill the plug before installing the bulb to seal it. Which causes the bulb to fail prematurely 🫠🫠🫠

When I got my 09 GMC, I had routine issues with the headlight bulbs. I finally cleaned the plugs really good with contact cleaner. Installed the bulbs. Then sealed the plugs with some rubberized spray I had at work.

No more issues after that.

Doesn't help that the daytime running lights are also the low beams. So those headlight bulbs see quite a bit of use.

Haven't had a lick of trouble with the LED lights on my 16 Sierra.

 

[Daren Todd]

Daren I see it all the time here too. It's absolutely ridiculous. New-ish cars, the driver holding the phone up and talking on it via speaker-phone, and sometimes just holding it on the side of their noggin. I KNOW that some of these vehicles have built-in bluetooth and carplay and whatever the android version is, I figure they ain't figured out how to use it? Dunno. Texting? Emailing? There are laws against that. But those laws aren't strict enough, in my opinion. Generally if ya get victimized by one of these morons, and they don't have insurance you can sue them. But there's no guarantee you will get a dime out of them. most of the time if they ain't got insurance they ain't got no money either. But you can do some research on em via farsebook or whatever, and gather that information alone, take em to court and submit your research, might help you win the case. I did just that this past summer with a guy who was a supposed friend, did me wrong and I ate his lunch in the courtroom. Dude says "I ain't got the money", well his social media posts tell a different story and the judge agreed with me. Got every dime and it still wasn't enough to justify the amount of aggravation I had to go through.

So far it looks like we are out $200 for the deductible. If it's more, I might think about taking her to court. It's mainly the Pita factor.