Radders Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 I heard quite a few grumbles on the RBRR about the brightness of some of the cars headlights. (On Triumphs, not normal road users) I have to say after a witnessing a few blinding headlights myself I have to agree with them. Especially the light blue TR2 which seemed like it was stuck on full beam all the time! A few stags with all four lights on at the front were pretty blinding as well. Not pleasant when concentrating on heavy rain and pitch darkness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 I agree, but there's not much you can do about someone else's lights. May I suggest a "Dipping" rear view mirror? These can be flicked to tilt them, directing the full glare away from your eyes, but keeping a dimmed image in view for safety. See: dipping rear view mirror - Google Search John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radders Posted October 12, 2023 Author Share Posted October 12, 2023 2 hours ago, JohnD said: I agree, but there's not much you can do about someone else's lights. May I suggest a "Dipping" rear view mirror? These can be flicked to tilt them, directing the full glare away from your eyes, but keeping a dimmed image in view for safety. See: dipping rear view mirror - Google Search John Yes, I do know what a dipping mirror is thanks, but Mk1 Saloons don't have them and I don't want to reduce forward visibility further by adding a second mirror. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 Don't be snippy, Radders! I was making a constructive suggestion! Especially as if you look, many dippers available have a ball joint on the back, so they might be compatible with yours, and would be a simple clip on mod! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Cutts Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 I fitted l e d headlight bulbs just before the RBRR then had them checked at the mot station they said they were ok but notice a few cars coming in the opposite direction flashed me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyA Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 8 hours ago, Radders said: Especially the light blue TR2 which seemed like it was stuck on full beam all the time! Yes, we had that behind us for a while and I was lost in the glare of my own cheekbones, lit up as they were by the light reflected from our side and rear mirrors. Great looking car, mind. Just don't need to see it every time I blink a week later 🙂 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iani Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 10 hours ago, Radders said: I heard quite a few grumbles on the RBRR about the brightness of some of the cars headlights. (On Triumphs, not normal road users) I have to say after a witnessing a few blinding headlights myself I have to agree with them. Especially the light blue TR2 which seemed like it was stuck on full beam all the time! A few stags with all four lights on at the front were pretty blinding as well. Not pleasant when concentrating on heavy rain and pitch darkness. I use these in both my Mk1 & Mk2, the glass appears to be coated and I don't have to dip, worked quite well on RBRR, apart from a couple of cars who's lights were clearly out of adjustment https://www.therange.co.uk/leisure/motoring/interior-accessories/in-car-technology/rear-view-mirror-camera/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Bancroft Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 Blimey, just dip your rear view mirror..simple! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteStupps Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 (edited) Blindingly intense headlights are the bane of the night-driving sections. If you're driving behind someone and notice your dip-beam is illuminating their head and the top of their car, do us a favour and adjust your frigging lights down. As an example I present the cover photo from the RBRR Banter facebook page. Nice photo but look at the beam spread along the hedge. Way too high for dipped. Edited October 12, 2023 by PeteStupps 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radders Posted October 13, 2023 Author Share Posted October 13, 2023 9 hours ago, PeteStupps said: Blindingly intense headlights are the bane of the night-driving sections. If you're driving behind someone and notice your dip-beam is illuminating their head and the top of their car, do us a favour and adjust your frigging lights down. As an example I present the cover photo from the RBRR Banter facebook page. Nice photo but look at the beam spread along the hedge. Way too high for dipped. I'm glad someone's come up with a sensible reply. 😊 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radders Posted October 13, 2023 Author Share Posted October 13, 2023 10 hours ago, iani said: I use these in both my Mk1 & Mk2, the glass appears to be coated and I don't have to dip, worked quite well on RBRR, apart from a couple of cars who's lights were clearly out of adjustment https://www.therange.co.uk/leisure/motoring/interior-accessories/in-car-technology/rear-view-mirror-camera/ Looks good, but currently out of stock. 😞 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 I used to hang a hankie over the non- dipping mirror in my car. Allows you to know something is behind you, but reduces glare. luckily the Sprint had a dipping mirror this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rutty Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Noticed some cars with LED’s had no discernible beam pattern and where just a dazzling bright light. A red Herald had such bad lights when following us I was able to use them to read the road book. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubce Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 LED headlights should be made illegal when fitted to classic cars. I hate them and their alignment is rarely correct! Bruce 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteStupps Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 58 minutes ago, Rutty said: such bad lights when following us I was able to use them to read the road book We also had that pleasure. Saved me finding my torch in the glove box 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 Do you think we should call out there cars in the run up to the next event? I mean put out some comms a couple of months before the start - "Last time we had a number of cars with over bright or mis-aligned headlights - Blue TR3, Red Herald, etc, please fix these issues. If you don't know how, post here and ask. If you are not sure how good or bad or lights are, take your car to your local MOT station and ask if they'll check your head light aim for you." or words to that effect? It would not surprise me if these cars have not done much if any night driving in the run up to the event so headlight aim may all be news to the crews. Ignorance is bliss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 Well, thank you, iani and Tim, for echoing my suggestion of a dipping mirror, so rubbished by radders! And/or: Is there a case for pre-RBRR scrutineering? As performed every single time I go racing. Race scrutineering is directed at safety. If it's only headlights that need to be checked, a simple white line on the car park with a wall in front, with the headlight heights of the various Triumph models marked. Drive up to the line, turn on the lights, pass or fail! Simples! John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 Our cars have to be legal for use on the road, so headlights have to already meet the MOT beam requirements. While not a legal requirement, many of us still have a regular MOT inspection, so our lights have already been checked. I suspect that the main cause of the problem is that when the car is MOT tested it is unloaded, but during events like the RBRR in addition to a crew it also has a boot loaded with tools and spares. After I realised some years ago that my dipped lights were still causing problems for people in front, I leave a representative load in the boot when its MOT checked so my lights don't blind people in front. Cheers Howard 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Flexney Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 On 12/10/2023 at 10:49, JohnD said: I agree, but there's not much you can do about someone else's lights. May I suggest a "Dipping" rear view mirror? These can be flicked to tilt them, directing the full glare away from your eyes, but keeping a dimmed image in view for safety. See: dipping rear view mirror - Google Search John Sorry John this is not possible with the early TRs. How about a little more courtesy when driving behind someone? I have noticed over the years that more and more people are becoming night blind and react by putting on brighter headlights. Something I can associate with, BUT when driving behind someone else why not just leave a bigger gap? If you are lighting up the car in front, i.e. there is not a dark spot between the end of your headlight beam and the car in front, drop back if not preparing to overtake. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 25 minutes ago, Andy Flexney said: Sorry John this is not possible with the early TRs. "Not possible"? There are a profusion of dipping mirrors on sale, some with suction cup attachment. Following the style of the Traffic Police, who fit them for the use of the officer in the passenger seat, I use one on my modern, to improve near side rear view as the provided mirror isn't wide enough. In the TRansit, I have a satnav and a tyre pressure monitor attached to the windscreen, and they stay on very well! 31 minutes ago, Andy Flexney said: How about a little more courtesy when driving behind someone? I have noticed over the years that more and more people are becoming night blind and react by putting on brighter headlights. Something I can associate with, BUT when driving behind someone else why not just leave a bigger gap? If you are lighting up the car in front, i.e. there is not a dark spot between the end of your headlight beam and the car in front, drop back if not preparing to overtake. Absolutely! John 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Flexney Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 5 minutes ago, JohnD said: some with suction cup attachment. that is the problem John. Obviousley you have never drive a sidesreen car otherwise you would know the windscreen vibrates so much you cannot see anything out of a "stuck on" rear view mirror. A sat nav vibrates off within the first 2 miles.Ask me how I know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 No, you are quite right! So, thank you for the correction! Would a satnav mounted in the glove pocket work - have a view of the necessary satellites? I admit that a mirror wouldn't! There are mounts that don't rely on suction. Most seem to work on things that a TR won't have, like CD player slots or air vents, but others are available. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemon Hell Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 I came to a compromise on my Vitesse, with LED bulbs in my main beam lights and ran standard bulbs on dipped beam, the best of both worlds and I’d agree having had a couple of Stags behind us with all 4 headlamps on dip obviously LED was quite distracting, I recon we could have driven on side lights at times. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 5 hours ago, JohnD said: And/or: Is there a case for pre-RBRR scrutineering? As performed every single time I go racing. Race scrutineering is directed at safety. If it's only headlights that need to be checked, a simple white line on the car park with a wall in front, with the headlight heights of the various Triumph models marked. Drive up to the line, turn on the lights, pass or fail! Simples! John Definitely not. The event is not a race or competitive in any way. To scrutineer a car would imply otherwise. Club officials are not qualified to check cars (OK some may be) but the club would not take any resonsibility for checking the cars. That is done by the owners and hopefully the MoT man. Plenty of new cars have horrendously bright headlights, it is not just a trait of some RBRR-ers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkshire_spam Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 The people that care about other people will check them, the people that don't care won't. There will be a relatively small number who haven't thought of it for whom the reminders at things like the drivers briefing will be enough to prompt a check. The club already does enough/what it can. To be honest I had far more trouble with modern SUVs lights than other participants'. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.thumb.jpeg.b15b81ef10abeea1c3039ae03c4a9f3a.jpeg)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.