Date:         Sun, 3 Nov 1996 13:07:32 -0800
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         James Cohen <jscohen@m2.sprynet.com>
Subject:      Re: ya say ya can't see at night? blind as a bat?? ..

>sometime in 1996 you said:
>>      Check the laws in your state! H4 bulbs where to bright in
>>      most state to be legal, until the mid 1980's!
>
>nope. :) (a) Alabama has no such laws concerning "brightness" of headlights.
>which is why cars run around down here with ONE headlight that is glowing
>dimly in the night. (b) it says on the box "SAE/DOT Approved" and "Now U.S.
>Legal!".
>
>joel


I don't belive that those are the same H4s as are in the European H4
lights.  Hella lists two kinds of H4s, and one can be bought at Pep boys.
The other is for "off road use only". Both are the same wattage (55/60)
(although you can buy  higher wattage Euro h4s). Anyway, no one cares as
long as they're aimed properly, so they don't blind other motorists.

Also  the difference has less to do with brightness and more to do with
light beam pattern.  The better pattern will give better vision. Hella
Vision Plus are far superior to the standard DOT crap.

James