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Fuck LED headlights (hexbear.net)

submitted 9 months ago by FourteenEyes@hexbear.net to c/chapotraphouse@hexbear.net

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Driving is always a very stressful experience for me and lately it has gotten so much worse

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[-] keepcarrot@hexbear.net 10 points 9 months ago

Is this something to do with LEDs inherently, or are they just being set too bright and blue coloured?

[-] Sickos@hexbear.net 10 points 9 months ago

Angled too high, mostly.

[-] ClimateChangeAnxiety@hexbear.net 8 points 9 months ago

I always hear this excuse but I think it’s bullshit. It definitely makes it worse but the lights themselves are the problem. They’re too bright, too blue, and the “safety feature” that IF they’re properly aligned the light has a hard cutoff doesn’t help if the car coming at you is going slightly uphill

Angle isn’t that important when the angle cars face you changes all the time

[-] keepcarrot@hexbear.net 5 points 9 months ago

Hm, I don't think that's natural to LEDs.

[-] Sickos@hexbear.net 7 points 9 months ago

Correct, just shitty headlight placement

[-] ChapoKrautHaus@hexbear.net 6 points 9 months ago

Yeah no, this laserlight ultra bright shit cutting straight into your eyes wasn't there 20 years ago, sorry kid.

[-] macerated_baby_presidents@hexbear.net 5 points 9 months ago

personally I think a lot of it is just the height arms race. I see a lot of Jeeps in the city; their headlights are physically taller than my rear view mirror. Angle won't help that

[-] macerated_baby_presidents@hexbear.net 4 points 9 months ago

there's inherent problems too.

Except for where they screw into the socket, incandescent bulbs are point sources that emit light in all directions. About half of it comes out "backwards" and then is reflected out with a parabolic reflector. So oncoming traffic sees a large but relatively low-intensity light source. Power LEDs are bound to a flat substrate and the light comes basically straight out. This means that manufacturers are able to dispense with the reflectors. When you're behind a car with LED taillights, you see a bunch of little bright points instead of a big soft one. Total lumens might be the same, but the small high-intensity points are more likely to dazzle you.
LEDs are much bluer than incandescents; making them warmer comes with its own downsides. Idk if this really matters though