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Date:         Fri, 14 Dec 2001 17:16:06 -0500
Reply-To:     jscohen@SPRYNET.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "James S. Cohen" <jscohen@SPRYNET.COM>
Subject:      Re: Quick, cheap and easy headlight relay
Comments: To: Matthew Pollard <poll7356@uidaho.edu>

Matthew,

OUCH!! Actually I hit an elk in Grand Teton last June, or, more correctly, it hit me. I never saw it, and I hit it at about 20mph. I couldn't see it BECAUSE OF THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I was completely blinded and they were using stock lights (but high off the ground since they were SUVs). Did $6000 worth of damage to my Corrado.

My main argument about the higher watt bulbs is that for all the increase in wattage, you get minimal increase in light output. You are FAR better off using 60 watt auxiliary driving lights with high quality reflectors. They'll throw more usable light to where you want it to go.

Actually, here on the East Coast, I find fog lights to be the best defense against deer. The wide flat beam illuminates them while they're still off the road. 100watt bulbs don't do that.

The increase in brightness of the hi-watt bulbs does not convert to really functional light, but WILL present a brighter headlight to oncoming traffic and therefore increase the chance of their hitting a deer or elk during that blind moment. Worse, that second it takes for the person with Hi-watt bulbs to dim them has already dazzled the oncoming driver, so even if you're conscientious about dimming the lights, you're still blinding them momentarily.

(If someone with poorly aimed lights, or very bright low beams blinds me, I hit my brights and diving lights so I can see, but that blinds them!).

I have Hella fog lights AND driving lights on my Van. I understand why the folks with the really crappy '86 and up stock rectangular lights want to use Hi-watt bulbs, but it really doesn't fix the problem. The poor reflectors and lens optics are the culprits and making the lights "brighter" just means brighter poor light distribution. A better fix it converting to the Euro rectangular lights, SA Quad lights, or just the dual round '80-'85 lights, or adding aux lights to the bumper.

James

> (which I personally think are a waste of money and inconsiderate to other > drivers, but others on the list disagree with me).

james, maybe you haven't lived somewhere where elk, moose, deer, sheep, cows, coyote and mountain lions roam the streets at night. Literally. If you hit a moose, you are a gonner. You may have a chance with an elk cow, but if you hit a bull with a rack, your a gonner too. So i like to have sufficient lights. I'm not a redneck and i turn them off in town or around other cars.

Cheers Matthew


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