I just had to travel back to the UK. I rented a horrible car, some new MG 4x4/SUV, it was a great driver, but horrible UI. I landed at night and had to drive an hour or so, after having only driven in the USA for 4+ years. Almost as if it was a revelation, I realised I could see, and see far, even on 1x1 lane road, with small/medium/SUV/trucks passing me, their beams weren't shining directing into my eyes. I realised that my own beams were slightly different, the beam facing oncoming traffic was pointed much lower, then I remember all those times traveling to Europe, and having to attach those reflector stickers over my headlights, remembering why would would do it.
It wasn't until I left the US that I realised that I drive blind most nights, either because oncoming traffic is blinding, or, the roads have so little reflection (or the opposite, when wet, it's 100% reflection), and cannot see the yellow/white lines, even US cats eyes aren't that helpful/bright.
Also, I think every car I have driven in Europe has a knob to adjust the height of the headlights. It seems like it is a requirement, but it might not be. On the other hand, a 2007 entry-level Skoda Fabia would not have it unless forced by regulation.
Adjust the lights too high, and you will aggressively be flashed by the opposite traffics high beams.
> Also, I think every car I have driven in Europe has a knob to adjust the height of the headlights. It seems like it is a requirement, but it might not be.
It is and has been for 30 years (76/756/EEC).
> Adjust the lights too high, and you will aggressively be flashed by the opposite traffics high beams.
Usually you can't adjust it high, because the purpose is to lower the beams when the boot is loaded (and thus the car is not sitting level). "0" should be the standard / reg level for a level car.
IIRC, Xenon headlights are required to dynamically auto-level because mis-adjusted ones were considered too dangerous. I'm a bit surprised that's not the case for LED headlights. The issue with manual adjustment (or even semi-automatic) is an uphill or a bump in the road will flash whoever's driving the other way.
I think a few luxury models have a local dimming feature, so they automatically dim the section facing other cars when detecting them.
That dimming is only on when the high beams are on.
If you drive a BMW and have Adaptive LEDs and the right camera you can unlock that feature. When I drive with the high beams on and it detects oncoming traffic it turns of the left beam.
And LEDs and Xenons are auto-leveling. Fun fact, Xenons required washers, but LEDs don't.
Thanks for the reminder, there is that knob! Another thing that the MG had was automatic high beams when on a dark road, so it would pop on and off at the worst times. I think I had to fiddle with that same knob to turn that off, guess that knob has grown up a little
I also recently rented that MG SUV in the UK, although I didn't like how it drove. The steering wheel felt loose like it wasn't connected to the wheels enough (I know nothing about cars and can't describe this better). Agree the UI sucked. Couldn't figure out how to turn the radio off??!
Driving in the US at night SUCKS. No cats' eyes on the highways, poor lane markings, I might as well cross my fingers and close my eyes driving at night. And the bright headlights are beyond ridiculous.
I don't know what part of the country you were driving in, but I find here in the London area, that a lot of the cats eyes are either damaged or dirty and don't reflect at all.
However when you do get on a stretch of recently resurfaced road with new cats eyes, it's bliss.
Hah! I've driven Jeeps like that! I opted for the automatic version, and have only ever driven manual over there, so maybe just that alone made it smooth? It took me a good 10-15 minutes to figure out how to figure it all out, and then couldn't operate it once driving as it would require too much attention, so it's now the passenger who's in charge of changing the temp?
I feel the same way! Especially in a big city when it's raining at night, beautiful visuals as a passenger, but the worst thing as the driver.
Around here, many roads that will be plowed have cats eye reflectors, but they're installed in divots in the pavement rather than surface mounted. Makes the bumps from driving on the lines a bit more pronounced, but the sight lines on the reflectors are somewhat impeeded and they also collect road debris.
I remember having a similar feeling when I drove in Iceland. I think their roads were super helpful, even at night/snow. I forget why/how exactly, and they salt/plow, too. Maybe theirs are sunken, to allow for plows?
What part of the country are you in? There are cats’ eyes on every road except neighborhoods in my area. Especially on the highways. Lane markings are everywhere, we have major construction on one of our interchanges right now and they update the lines frequently as lanes close and shift, complete with cats’ eyes.
Some neighborhoods around me will have a cats’ eye marking where a fire hydrant is located.
the beam facing traffic points down, the one facing the side points up, which is of course an issue when you visit an island who decided to drive on the other side :D
If you take your car from the UK to mainland Europe (or vica versa) then you're required by law to fit headlamp beam adapters[0]. These essentially point both your headlights down to avoid blinding people who are now on the "wrong" side of the road. It does make it lightly harder to see forwards, but avoids blinding other drivers.
Yep, that's why it's a legal requirement that if you take a UK car to mainland Europe, you need to put some stickers over the edge of your headlights so you don't blind oncoming drivers: https://www.euromotoring.uk/beam-deflectors-GB-sticker
>and cannot see the yellow/white lines, even US cats eyes aren't that helpful/bright.
I'm not sure how cats' eyes are supposed to be related to driving cars, nor why US cats would be different biologically than cats in other countries. I hope you're not doing any weird scientific experiments with cat eyeballs.
I weep for the past when people talk about modern MGs. There’s literally nothing left of the heritage in that marque. Why couldn’t they let those quirky little sports cars have a quiet, respectful end?
It wasn't until I left the US that I realised that I drive blind most nights, either because oncoming traffic is blinding, or, the roads have so little reflection (or the opposite, when wet, it's 100% reflection), and cannot see the yellow/white lines, even US cats eyes aren't that helpful/bright.