Hid/xenon - Other Drivers Flashing

[runbly]

My last car had xenons (first car I had ever owned with them) and the occasional driver coming the other way would flash. My LS430 has HID/xenons and again I get the odd flash from other drivers.

Are they really that bright? I see xenon-fitted cars coming towards me and whilst bright I accept them for what they are. Any car coming up over the brow of a hill will have its lights pointing upwards, and hence brighter, what ever type of bulb is fitted.

The self-levelling in my previous and current car works fine and on a straight road my lights hit the same point as any other motorist.

Anyone else find this annoying?

[katana92_uk]

no one has flashed at me yet :) and thats how it looks like :)

[runbly]

Not seen mine front the front with the lights on! Look nice - my wife commented the other day how blue they looked.

Good photo - thanks.

[jsj24uk]

I've never had a problem with my one but I do have projector lights which have a perfectly flat cut off point.

[steve2006]

I converted my LS to HID and they were adjusted during the MOT to comply with the beam height but I have no self leveling.

I occasionally get flashed but mainly by lorries and buses so there must still be a slight upward beam.

Not such a good picture here as taken in daylight.

[runbly]

I think the problem is that whilst they are legal, normal lights have a slower transition up to the end of the beam pattern, whilst xenons are bright right up to the edge of the cut off, hence filling the night with more light and appearing brighter. That is my theory anyway!

[Parthiban]

I have aftermarket HIDs which must have a lot of light scatter seeing as the standard reflectors are designed for halogen bulbs............even so have never had anyone flash their lights at me

[Nickyboy]

A lot of it is the headlight the HID's are installed in, they were never designed for older patterned headlights and even when properly aligned throw out a lot of beam scatter, even with newer clear lenses they arent perfect but projector headlights are the best as these are what HID's wee originally deisnged to be fitted in. Personally they're better then any halogen bulbs but nothing beats a projector beam. Chame you cant get them for the IS200's/300's