Friday, March 29, 2024

The 12 rules on car lights you should always follow

Car Light Rules: There are certain car light rules that every driver should know and follow. Especially, in this day and age when every motor car owner has spruced up their lights. Which rules are these? Kia Alvin explains:

1. Blue light is harsher on the human eyes than yellow light, it’s also less effective at illumination. The bluer your light appears, the worse it is at illumination. 4300-5500k is the best range for colour temperature.

2. Light scattered is light wasted, your headlights should illuminate the road ahead, not treetops. If oncoming traffic is flashing their lights at you, your headlights are shining in their eyes, instead of the road. Now you not only see less of the road, but also have added the risk of oncoming traffic crashing into you thanks to your dazzle.

3. Just because it’s brighter doesn’t mean you will see better (watu wa LED, mpo?).
That is simply a placebo effect. You most probably see less.

4. Tinting/smoking your headlights (and or windscreen) will always reduce your ability to see. That is just physics, can’t be changed irrespective of what you are told by the seller.

5. DRLs (daytime running lights) are not for use at night. They dazzle while providing zero illumination.

6. Different bulb types (xenon, halogen, LED) output light at different intensities and in different patterns, and each bulb housing is built to focus the light where it is needed. A car maker with millions of USD at his disposal made your car headlight to work with a specific bulb, why do you think you can outsmart him?

7. Stop putting HID bulbs in foglight housings. If you don’t believe me try using them in actual fog an watch the fog reflect all that stupid glare back at you.

8. LED bars come with a warning that they should only be used offroad. It is because of the glare they emit, don’t be an arsehole and use your LED bar in traffic, in urban street are etc. (RTFM)

9. Your car came with 35/55 watt bulbs but you decide to use 100 watt bulbs? Don’t be surprised when your wires catch fire. Amperes…., do you even Physics bro? Higher current requires better wiring gauge.

Is Nairobi’s Kilimani area the den of murders, drugs, money laundering?

10. Tinting your rear lights reduces their reflectance and visibility. That means those behind you have to be much closer to you before they see you, see you braking or indicating. This means reaction time of those behind you is increased. You run a higher risk of being entered from behind.

11. Stop touching bulbs with bare hands and covering them with your skin oils, that is why they burn out very quickly.

12. Having your full beams on makes it harder for oncoming traffic to see your indicators, especially if you’re turning right na unashangaa mbona umenyimwa line na kila mtu.

PS: If you feel you cannot see as well as you used to, first of all replace your bulbs with new ones, ensure your lenses are clean and wiring (and power) is in top condition then ensure your lights beams are well aligned. If you still can’t see, get your eyes looked at. No amount of LED bars or HID bulbs can cure your night blindness.

Do a proper retrofit for HID/LED and not just bulbs, if you can’t afford it, leave it alone.

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