For the glare police

[EvanD]

Have you ever tried an HID kit. I tried one and to be honest. I am sure that the light is a little annoying to other cars but wow they work great from the drivers seat.
I have never had such results from any bulb replacement alone.

 

[gathermewool]

Unless you retrofitted an HID project and reflector, then you're right, you are annoying other drivers. What you've done is dangerous.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: evandostert
I am sure that the light is a little annoying to other cars but wow they work great from the drivers seat.

LOL! Being a little selfish, aren't we?

 

[gathermewool]

I wrote and erased six times trying to keep from calling people who do this (you) mean things. I actually had to ninja-edit my first post to tone down my reply. Suffice to say I hope you get pulled over and ticketed, though that's not likely to happen based on the few guys around here who still blind me every so often.

 

[EvanD]

I asked if you guys have tried them???

To understand why people love them and convert everything over.

I personally use regular old bulbs now. I don't need to draw attention to the police as I am going on a multi state trip. I will put a pair of 55watt ones in my fog lights and use them where causing glare is not as much of a concern.

 

[rslifkin]

In most cases, HID kits will create glare. However, it is possible to set up a reflector setup to work properly with HIDs without glare, it just takes some work. Both the Lincoln Mark VIII and Lexus IS300 used HIDs in reflector housings. Most use projectors simply because they're easier to do right with HIDs, and the sharper cutoff makes consumers think they're brighter.

 

[beast3300]

I rolling HIDs now. They are super. Driving with reg Halogens is not gonna happen for me. I love HIDs.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: evandostert
I asked if you guys have tried them???

To understand why people love them and convert everything over.

I personally use regular old bulbs now. I don't need to draw attention to the police as I am going on a multi state trip. I will put a pair of 55watt ones in my fog lights and use them where causing glare is not as much of a concern.

I have proper HIDs, and I've seen proper retrofits. Part of it may be the brightness, but my guess is that they buy cheap HID kits for the same reason they buy loud mufflers and phat dubs (two at a time)

 

[CharlieJ]

Well yeah they are brighter. Don't listen to the nay sayers here or the people who have to itch.

 

[Johnny248]

Originally Posted By: rslifkin
In most cases, HID kits will create glare. However, it is possible to set up a reflector setup to work properly with HIDs without glare, it just takes some work. Both the Lincoln Mark VIII and Lexus IS300 used HIDs in reflector housings. Most use projectors simply because they're easier to do right with HIDs, and the sharper cutoff makes consumers think they're brighter.


The main problem with HID conversion kits vs oem reflector HID setups (there were a lot of reflector HID on higher end cars) is that the reflector bulbs DSR have a shield over part of the bulb, that shield on the bulb blocks the glare off the bulb. I've never seen an aftermarket HID kit that has any sort of shielding on the bulb. I have HID's in two of my cars with reflectors. It can have a lot to do with headlamp design also. I have one car that has 0 glare from the HIDs, and one car that has a little bit of glare, not enough that anyone should [censored] about it unless are just looking for something to [censored] about. And I've installed this kits in other peoples cars and some of them DO have a lot of glare. Eitherway, The HID's in my car def produce better/more light on the road than my Halogens, and being that I already don't see that great in the dark as it is, the HID's are a must for me and I'll defend mine any day.

 

[gathermewool]

A nay-sayer would be some one who has an opinion that may or may not be correct. HID kits in non-HID reflectors or non-HID projectors vary from annoying to absolutely dangerous to other drivers. It's dangerous to themselves as well if the wiring is faulty or improperly run or if the housing can't handle the extra heat. Modifications like this shouldn't be done unless you know what you're doing and how to properly do it.

 

[sciphi]

They are brighter. I do think most times better results can be achieved by getting better halogen bulbs, a proper wiring harness, and aiming the headlights with the usual load in the vehicle.

There's no help available that way with some cars. Anything with a 9004 headlight comes to mind. Even a brighter 9004 is still about 850 lumens, maybe ~1000 with a harness. Still pathetic. In that case, I might consider a HID retrofit since it can't be helped any other way.

For most cars, proper care and feeding of the headlights will be enough to get extra light on the road without blinding other drivers.

Example: A harnessed pair of HIR low beams in my Buick. Properly aimed, they light up everything I'd want to see comfortably. Without causing glare to oncoming drivers since the filament is the same size and position as the OEM 9006 filament is. So it's using the same optics, just putting more light through. Aiming that light is the necessary part, since otherwise it's useless to me.

 

[rslifkin]

Johnny - That's my point. It can be done correctly, but most kits aren't already, and most people don't do the needed mods to make it right.

Fortunately, in place of the [censored] stock headlights (9004, plastic lenses) in my Jeep, I can get (and will in a few months) glass-lensed, H4 based e-code housings used on export models.

 

[hardcore302]

It is completely unnecessary to have hids in nyc, even on the highway, because it is such a well lit city. Yet I get blinded at least ten times a day with these headlights that harness the power of the sun, because it looks cool. Screw safety, as long as you look cool.

 

[Russell]

I installed 55w 4500k HIDs 9006 replacemnts in my BMW about 2 years ago. Car has projector headlights with a sharp cutoff. High beams are normal bulbs. Even then I had to realign my headlights twice to cut down glare. All in all much improved safety and I believe minimal impact on the other drivers.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: evandostert
I asked if you guys have tried them???

Sure, I've tried proper OEM HIDs... both our cars have them. So did my old A4.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: Johnny248
the HID's are a must for me and I'll defend mine any day.


Most fans of HIDs will defend them, vigorously, and all day long. And in OEM setups, they're usually fine. But a vigorous defense of the technology in general doesn't make a retrofit safe (or legal).

Unfortunately, with the plethora of cheap HID kits out there on eBay, any ol' joe can go slap a kit in his car. The only thing stopping him is his consideration for fellow drivers. And that usually doesn't stop him either. "Whatever is good for ME is what I'll use. Everyone else will just have to learn to adjust." That's like walking into a library with a heavy metal band and expecting everyone else to don ear plugs if they want to read a book. Respect for others seems over-rated these days anyway...

The last hope we have for enforcement is the state/local vehicle safety inspection, and that usually involves little more than: "Uh, are the lights burning? Check."

 

[Smokescreen]

HID kits are illegal in many many countries (other than North America) because they are dangerous to others, its been proven and passed as road safety laws. North America is behind in lighting as it is in many other things automotive. Disregard for others safety (especially consider the elderly, and those with limited vision) is plain belligerent, and rude. Those that install HID kits are simply ignorant of how automobile lighting works and until they obtain an education will not be able to grasp the importance of road safety and how others can be influenced by modifying of safety equipment.

I have been in cars with HID kits same car back to back with stock halogens. I have to say that more light, even properly focused isn't better. Sure you have aircraft landing light levels in and you can see like its noon day in front of your car, but as you scan ahead and off to the sides and behind you beyond your light beams, your pupils have to dilate quite a bit more to adjust to the much lower light levels. This renders greatly diminished peripheral vision especially as people age (from 25 and up light requirements increase) as the speed of pupil dilation/opening slows.

Next time you are hiking on a wooded area path at night, point your flashlight at the ground so you can see, now start running. Then get someone to point a flashlight repeatedly/intermittently into your eyes as you go looking out for turns and branches that may have fallen or are hanging low. If you have an HID kit your car you won't mind it a bit....

 

[Russell]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: Johnny248
the HID's are a must for me and I'll defend mine any day.


Most fans of HIDs will defend them, vigorously, and all day long. And in OEM setups, they're usually fine. But a vigorous defense of the technology in general doesn't make a retrofit safe (or legal).

Unfortunately, with the plethora of cheap HID kits out there on eBay, any ol' joe can go slap a kit in his car. The only thing stopping him is his consideration for fellow drivers. And that usually doesn't stop him either. "Whatever is good for ME is what I'll use. Everyone else will just have to learn to adjust." That's like walking into a library with a heavy metal band and expecting everyone else to don ear plugs if they want to read a book. Respect for others seems over-rated these days anyway...

The last hope we have for enforcement is the state/local vehicle safety inspection, and that usually involves little more than: "Uh, are the lights burning? Check."


You and several others seem to have a lot af dislike for HIDS kits and perhaps even factory HIDs. Perhaps for good reason. I realize that many stupid kids put them in the wrong housings or even comprimised their safety by going with purple bulbs with even reduced light.

In my case, my lighting on my E34 was terrible. I am 67 years old and want/need MORE light. I first swapped modified 9005 bulbs for the stock 9006 bulbs. Then I tried John Deere 9011 or 9012 bulbs. Minor improvement. I found that the projector lights in my car created a very sharp cutoff. I installed the bulbs I described above and realigned my lights two or three times to get the alignment correct with what appeared to be like BMW factory brightness and color.

I feel I have been rsponsible in improving my situation and the conversion is totally revesible with no wiring modifications. That said, I would not do the same on my wife's explore for a the glare reasons mention. The car is not suitable.

 

[ItsuMitsubishi]

I really think some people are playing up the 'inconvenience' of being on the receiving end of HIDs. Unless you come close to an accident each time you drive in the direction of a sunset, you should just suck it up. Really.