Pet Peeves - people who think my hi-beams are on

rastaman777 · 01-20-2016, 10:57 PM

OK. So this has happened to me a few times now.
Oncoming motorists flashing because they think my hi-beams are on.
Cars that I pass on the highway, who turn on their high beams after I pass - I'm assuming because they think my high beams were on.

I know my lights are aimed properly, as I just had them checked...and it's a brand new car anyways.

Irritates the hell out of me!
Familiar story to anyone else? ..(i hope!)

ahero4eternity · 01-20-2016, 11:10 PM

No problems here.

Who checked the aim of your headlights?

Blubaron79 · 01-20-2016, 11:20 PM

What kind of car do you have? Headlight set up?

XRAVE · 01-20-2016, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rastaman777

OK. So this has happened to me a few times now.
Oncoming motorists flashing because they think my hi-beams are on.
Cars that I pass on the highway, who turn on their high beams after I pass - I'm assuming because they think my high beams were on.

I know my lights are aimed properly, as I just had them checked...and it's a brand new car anyways.

Irritates the hell out of me!
Familiar story to anyone else? ..(i hope!)

Happens to me. I actually love it because then I get to shine my even brighter lights in their eyes

rastaman777 · 01-20-2016, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XRAVE

Happens to me. I actually love it because then I get to shine my even brighter lights in their eyes

lol ok ...i actually enjoy that part too!

rastaman777 · 01-20-2016, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahero4eternity

No problems here.

Who checked the aim of your headlights?

BMW dealership.

rastaman777 · 01-20-2016, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blubaron79

What kind of car do you have? Headlight set up?

2015 335 sedan..with lighting package

kadify · 01-20-2016, 11:51 PM

They must be too high. The only reason someone would flash you is if they're angled in such a way that they're causing glare. If it irritates so much, just lower them a little. Enough so this is less frequent but not enough that you can't see anything in front of your car.

A good estimation of where the lights should be angled, as I was told by my dealership, is if you park about a car length away from your garage door, the lights should only light up about 1/4-1/3 of the bottom of the garage door. This should allow the lights to be high enough to illuminate any signs on the street but low enough that they're not shining straight into people's front windshield.

Fronzdan · 01-21-2016, 12:50 AM

I'm sure your headlights are fine. I've had this happen to me every so often with any car that has HID lamps, not just my current 335. People overreact just because they are bright, not because they hit them in the eye. And yeah it's a pet peeve of mine too...I hit em with the high beams and more often than not accompany that with flipping the bird....not that they can see me. I used to get that with a car that just had a separate bulb for "fog" lamps. Ppl would see four lit bulbs and start flashing at me.

stormlv · 01-21-2016, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kadify

They must be too high. The only reason someone would flash you is if they're angled in such a way that they're causing glare. If it irritates so much, just lower them a little. Enough so this is less frequent but not enough that you can't see anything in front of your car.

A good estimation of where the lights should be angled, as I was told by my dealership, is if you park about a car length away from your garage door, the lights should only light up about 1/4-1/3 of the bottom of the garage door. This should allow the lights to be high enough to illuminate any signs on the street but low enough that they're not shining straight into people's front windshield.

+1

The only reason you'd have multiple people flashing you is because one or both headlights are aimed incorrectly. This can either be the headlights too high, or maybe the left side headlight aimed too to the left.

I've also had issues with the headlights and after the dealership "adjusted" them, they were almost unusable.

Here is a case in point:

0) How they came from the factory:

1) Left side headlight needed to be changed. This is how I got the car:

2) Asking them to adjust the headlights again:

3) How I adjusted them:

tex2670 · 01-21-2016, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rastaman777

OK. So this has happened to me a few times now.
Oncoming motorists flashing because they think my hi-beams are on.
Cars that I pass on the highway, who turn on their high beams after I pass - I'm assuming because they think my high beams were on.

I know my lights are aimed properly, as I just had them checked...and it's a brand new car anyways.

Irritates the hell out of me!
Familiar story to anyone else? ..(i hope!)

Doesn't really happen to me. My pet peeve is the opposite--oncoming cars blinding me because they have no clue that their high beams are on.

XRAVE · 01-21-2016, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kadify

They must be too high. The only reason someone would flash you is if they're angled in such a way that they're causing glare. If it irritates so much, just lower them a little. Enough so this is less frequent but not enough that you can't see anything in front of your car.

A good estimation of where the lights should be angled, as I was told by my dealership, is if you park about a car length away from your garage door, the lights should only light up about 1/4-1/3 of the bottom of the garage door. This should allow the lights to be high enough to illuminate any signs on the street but low enough that they're not shining straight into people's front windshield.

That just is not completely my true. Ever since BMW moved to the xenon lights, I have been getting flashed. Whether it be a 5 series, 1 series, 3 series or x5, I have been flashed for having these lights. It might be people down here in Florida but as soon as they see a bright light whether it be in their eyes or not, they flash you.

Not only have I noticed this in BMW but in Audi, Jeep, and Lexus. Maybe we just have more stupid people.

Sometimes they'll even flash you from far away because they "think" they'll be in their eyes.

I have never angled my lights but it can't be that every car me or my family has owned had an issue.

rking117 · 01-21-2016, 08:23 AM

I assume you have the HID lights that are auto leveling. IF so then these do appear to be brighter to the oncoming traffic but are not. The reason is they emit a wider beam of light which the old style halogen bulbs could not do with would dispersing the light. I have had this happen to me on occasion in the back roads where i live. I especially hate the schmuck that gets right on you and then hits his high beams right before passing not giving you the opportunity to reward him with your true high beam lights which are like day light on the road ahead. That reminds me of another story that i will have to tell a bit later of another incident i had. Similar but going the same direction. Maybe ill post it sometime.

rking117 · 01-21-2016, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XRAVE

... It might be people down here in Florida ...

Well you said it there, people from Florida have some kind of mental challenge when they get behind the wheel. I know I live there. And to qualify the matter more fully I by no means am talking about us a-holes who drive BMWs. haha...

crono06 · 01-21-2016, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tex2670

Doesn't really happen to me. My pet peeve is the opposite--oncoming cars blinding me because they have no clue that their high beams are on.

+100 on this.

There's a lot of people in my part of town that think that driving with high beams on at night is completely normal. I can imagine their thought process now. "Wow, this lighting feature is so bright! Why doesn't everybody drive like this?!"

jd_perspective · 01-21-2016, 08:44 AM

its because of the morons in NY. When I lived there (pre-BMW) I had a couple cars with HID and I got that a lot. Back here in FL, fairly rarely, but sometimes.

jmsent · 01-21-2016, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XRAVE

That just is not completely my true. Ever since BMW moved to the xenon lights, I have been getting flashed. Whether it be a 5 series, 1 series, 3 series or x5, I have been flashed for having these lights. It might be people down here in Florida but as soon as they see a bright light whether it be in their eyes or not, they flash you.

Not only have I noticed this in BMW but in Audi, Jeep, and Lexus. Maybe we just have more stupid people.

Sometimes they'll even flash you from far away because they "think" they'll be in their eyes.

I have never angled my lights but it can't be that every car me or my family has owned had an issue.

No, not stupid, just old. Old eyes cannot handle light intensity the way young eyes can. Especially if they have cataracts. Even after surgery, a huge complaint is that everything lit up at night "flares"

lemonchicken · 01-21-2016, 09:28 AM

Never have had anyone flash brights at me. Maybe my 328 lighting package lights aren't as powerful and torquey as the 335 lights?

bad karma · 01-21-2016, 01:37 PM

The other night I was headed to a barn party way out in the country, and I was pushing her through some twisties when I came upon an old Geo Metro just putzing along. I wasn't on his ass, but when it's pitch black country and you haven't passed another car in ten minutes, sometimes if someone is behind you its just nice to pull over, let them pass, and not have their headlights in your mirror. So that's exactly what this guy did. Turns out, he was also going to the party. When he pulled in a couple minutes after I did, he said something to the effect of "the brights were kind of a dick move, I was going to let you pass me". And I was like...those weren't my brights, sorry man. He was cool after that, but I felt kind of bad that my headlights are so nice and bright as to piss off other drivers. Then I remembered how great it is to be able to see *everything* at night and stopped caring.

Signal513 · 01-21-2016, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rastaman777

OK. So this has happened to me a few times now.
Oncoming motorists flashing because they think my hi-beams are on.
Cars that I pass on the highway, who turn on their high beams after I pass - I'm assuming because they think my high beams were on.

I know my lights are aimed properly, as I just had them checked...and it's a brand new car anyways.

Irritates the hell out of me!
Familiar story to anyone else? ..(i hope!)

Lol...I hear you on this. I get spammed by light flashers about my lights. Hey, if they had something brighter than a freakin bic lighter maybe they wouldnt be so mad...

Gabreigns · 01-21-2016, 02:08 PM

My advice is a preemptive attack. I say you flash the oncoming motorists before they have a chance to flash at you. This way there are two things going through their minds... Possibly...

1. Holy busted balls... Are my high beams on? Let me check.. Oh wait.... By then you have already passed this oncoming vehicle.

2. Oh. He just flashed me. Those are his low beams.. There is nothing he can do about it. Oh well... I wonder what is playing on my radio station...

tex2670 · 01-21-2016, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabreigns

My advice is a preemptive attack. I say you flash the oncoming motorists before they have a chance to flash at you. This way there are two things going through their minds... Possibly...

1. Holy busted balls... Are my high beams on? Let me check.. Oh wait.... By then you have already passed this oncoming vehicle.

2. Oh. He just flashed me. Those are his low beams.. There is nothing he can do about it. Oh well... I wonder what is playing on my radio station...

So you suggest flashing your lights at every oncoming car??

01-20-2016, 10:57 PM	#1
rastaman777 Lieutenant 70 Rep 449 Posts Drives: 2020 i8 coupe,2019x5,2019 740i Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	Pet Peeves - people who think my hi-beams are on OK. So this has happened to me a few times now. Oncoming motorists flashing because they think my hi-beams are on. Cars that I pass on the highway, who turn on their high beams after I pass - I'm assuming because they think my high beams were on. I know my lights are aimed properly, as I just had them checked...and it's a brand new car anyways. Irritates the hell out of me! Familiar story to anyone else? ..(i hope!)
	Appreciate 1 Tweet Quote

01-20-2016, 11:10 PM	#2
ahero4eternity Major 452 Rep 1,425 Posts Drives: bmw Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: usa iTrader: (4)	No problems here. Who checked the aim of your headlights?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-20-2016, 11:20 PM	#3
Blubaron79 Brigadier General 1432 Rep 4,723 Posts Drives: 2021 M340i xDrive Join Date: May 2009 Location: PA iTrader: (0)	What kind of car do you have? Headlight set up? __________________ Current: 2021 M340i xDrive Previous: '18 340i xDrive; '15 335 xDrive; '14 435i xDrive; '09 335 E92 xDrive
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-20-2016, 11:51 PM	#8
kadify Lieutenant 169 Rep 524 Posts Drives: 428i xDrive GC Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	They must be too high. The only reason someone would flash you is if they're angled in such a way that they're causing glare. If it irritates so much, just lower them a little. Enough so this is less frequent but not enough that you can't see anything in front of your car. A good estimation of where the lights should be angled, as I was told by my dealership, is if you park about a car length away from your garage door, the lights should only light up about 1/4-1/3 of the bottom of the garage door. This should allow the lights to be high enough to illuminate any signs on the street but low enough that they're not shining straight into people's front windshield.
	Appreciate 1 Quote

01-21-2016, 12:50 AM	#9
Fronzdan Lieutenant Colonel 301 Rep 1,737 Posts Drives: '24 M240 xDrive Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: MA iTrader: (0)	I'm sure your headlights are fine. I've had this happen to me every so often with any car that has HID lamps, not just my current 335. People overreact just because they are bright, not because they hit them in the eye. And yeah it's a pet peeve of mine too...I hit em with the high beams and more often than not accompany that with flipping the bird....not that they can see me. I used to get that with a car that just had a separate bulb for "fog" lamps. Ppl would see four lit bulbs and start flashing at me.
	Appreciate 2 Quote

01-21-2016, 08:23 AM	#13
rking117 Lieutenant Colonel 118 Rep 1,668 Posts Drives: Z4 3.0i & 320i Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	I assume you have the HID lights that are auto leveling. IF so then these do appear to be brighter to the oncoming traffic but are not. The reason is they emit a wider beam of light which the old style halogen bulbs could not do with would dispersing the light. I have had this happen to me on occasion in the back roads where i live. I especially hate the schmuck that gets right on you and then hits his high beams right before passing not giving you the opportunity to reward him with your true high beam lights which are like day light on the road ahead. That reminds me of another story that i will have to tell a bit later of another incident i had. Similar but going the same direction. Maybe ill post it sometime. __________________ Enjoying an E89 Z4, F30 320i and Fiat Abarth // E85 Z4 (sold), E82 128i (sold), Fiat Pop 500 (sold)
	Appreciate 1 Quote

01-21-2016, 08:44 AM	#16
jd_perspective Captain 344 Rep 906 Posts Drives: 2016 X3 35i M-Sport Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Orlando, FL iTrader: (0)	its because of the morons in NY. When I lived there (pre-BMW) I had a couple cars with HID and I got that a lot. Back here in FL, fairly rarely, but sometimes. __________________ 2016 X3 35i M-Sport 2019 440i Coupe M-Sport - Retired 2018 330i Sedan M-Sport - Retired 2015 428i Gran Coupe M-Sport - Retired
	Appreciate 1 Quote

01-21-2016, 09:28 AM	#18
lemonchicken Lieutenant 251 Rep 439 Posts Drives: 2013 328i blue Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: los angeles iTrader: (0)	Never have had anyone flash brights at me. Maybe my 328 lighting package lights aren't as powerful and torquey as the 335 lights?
	Appreciate 2 Quote

01-21-2016, 01:37 PM	#19
bad karma Captain 445 Rep 752 Posts Drives: 2015 328i F31 M-Sport Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Portland, OR iTrader: (0)	The other night I was headed to a barn party way out in the country, and I was pushing her through some twisties when I came upon an old Geo Metro just putzing along. I wasn't on his ass, but when it's pitch black country and you haven't passed another car in ten minutes, sometimes if someone is behind you its just nice to pull over, let them pass, and not have their headlights in your mirror. So that's exactly what this guy did. Turns out, he was also going to the party. When he pulled in a couple minutes after I did, he said something to the effect of "the brights were kind of a dick move, I was going to let you pass me". And I was like...those weren't my brights, sorry man. He was cool after that, but I felt kind of bad that my headlights are so nice and bright as to piss off other drivers. Then I remembered how great it is to be able to see everything at night and stopped caring.
	Appreciate 1 Quote

01-21-2016, 02:08 PM	#21
Gabreigns Major 494 Rep 1,076 Posts Drives: F3x Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	My advice is a preemptive attack. I say you flash the oncoming motorists before they have a chance to flash at you. This way there are two things going through their minds... Possibly... 1. Holy busted balls... Are my high beams on? Let me check.. Oh wait.... By then you have already passed this oncoming vehicle. 2. Oh. He just flashed me. Those are his low beams.. There is nothing he can do about it. Oh well... I wonder what is playing on my radio station...
	Appreciate 1 Quote