Volvo Community Forum. The Forums of the Volvo Owners Club

Forum Rules Volvo Owners Club About VOC Volvo Gallery Links Volvo History Volvo Press
Go Back   Volvo Owners Club Forum > "General Topics" > General Volvo and Motoring Discussions

Notices

General Volvo and Motoring Discussions This forum is for messages of a general nature about Volvos that are not covered by other forums and other motoring related matters of interest. Users will need to register to post/reply.

Information
  • VOC Members: There is no login facility using your VOC membership number or the details from page 3 of the club magazine. You need to register in the normal way
  • AOL Customers: Make sure you check the 'Remember me' check box otherwise the AOL system may log you out during the session. This is a known issue with AOL.
  • AOL, Yahoo and Plus.net users. Forum owners such as us are finding that AOL, Yahoo and Plus.net are blocking a lot of email generated from forums. This may mean your registration activation and other emails will not get to you, or they may appear in your spam mailbox

Thread Informations

night time driving

Views : 3210

Replies : 50

Users Viewing This Thread :  

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old Dec 19th, 2018, 11:56   #41
al dm
Member
 

Last Online: Mar 26th, 2024 11:46
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Guildford
Default

Well.... I have to say that the auto dimming, bending and self levelling, all-singing all-dancing matrix LED lights on my nice new XC90 are very good indeed.

The auto dimming function is excellent. It cuts out any part of the beam that would dazzle oncoming cars as well as cars you are following.

It's rather pleasant to watch the beam shape changing automatically. It does it very quickly as well. Probably the same or faster than manually.

Now if only everyone had this technology in their cars the problem would be solved.
al dm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Dec 19th, 2018, 13:41   #42
john.wigley
VOC Member since 1986
 
john.wigley's Avatar
 

Last Online: Today 08:57
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Leicestershire
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by al dm View Post
Well.... I have to say that the auto dimming, bending and self levelling, all-singing all-dancing matrix LED lights on my nice new XC90 are very good indeed.

The auto dimming function is excellent. It cuts out any part of the beam that would dazzle oncoming cars as well as cars you are following.

It's rather pleasant to watch the beam shape changing automatically. It does it very quickly as well. Probably the same or faster than manually.

Now if only everyone had this technology in their cars the problem would be solved.
I do not disagree, 'al dm', but at what cost? Assuming that it was possible to upgrade my 2000 V70 to the standard you describe, the cost of doing so would probably exceed the value of the car!

Regards, John.
__________________
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana .....
john.wigley is online now   Reply With Quote
Old Dec 19th, 2018, 15:38   #43
ITSv40
VOC Member
 

Last Online: Today 09:00
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Northampton
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Welton View Post
I read on another forum where a guy went to an automotive exhibition and spoke to Hella (or similar) and they said it was possible to 'soften' the sharp cut-off line produced by LED's but Premium Brand Customers wanted it! almost like "my headlights are brighter than yours" so therefore I'm better than you...
This has been ever thus.

Think back to the 1930's when Lucas introduced the P100 headlights - these were massive dustbin lids of lights and only fitted to premium brands such as R-R, Bentley, Lagonda and other upmarket marques.

In the 1960's you had arrived if your car was fitted with Sealed Beam headlights and the really posh had four headlights. Rolls-Royce, Jensen and Alvis to name a few.My '65 Silver Cloud had four sealed beams no less, just to make sure the peasants know their place Rally cars had umpteen Cibie driving lights adorning the front end - not fog lights but driving lights. Citroen, of course, went a step further with swivelling driving lights on the DS models so that the lights shone around the corner as the steering was turned. Modern designers have tried to copy the idea with the one fog light that comes on with the turn indicators, but just make the car look daft.

With every advance in lighting technology there will always be the moaners - me included - that will winge about the brightness etc.

Now don't get me started on front only DRL's. Only last night after dark and in pouring rain I met an oncoming car with DRL's and fog lights on - so bright the driver could possibly see a mouse at 200 yrds. Only for it to pass and not one rear light was on. It was a black car as well so impossible to see it from the rear.
__________________
2001 V40 2.0lt Sport lux - Daily Driver. 174k miles.
2003 C70 2.4 GT Convertible - Garage Queen. 65k miles.
http://www.neptuno6benagil.com
ITSv40 is online now   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to ITSv40 For This Useful Post:
Old Dec 19th, 2018, 18:58   #44
DaveNP
Non VOC Member
 

Last Online: Today 07:52
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Milton Keynes
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ITSv40 View Post
This has been ever thus.

... Rally cars had umpteen Cibie driving lights adorning the front end ...
Aah the good old days , when every lairy herbert knew that a rack of Cibies made his car go faster and made him a driving god

Quote:
Now don't get me started on front only DRL's. ...
Had to laugh this morning (if you don't laugh you'd cry), driving on one of the perimeter roads at Stansted, Ryanair van all fitted out with orange beacon and reflective markings to make him safe when he drives airside, but driving on the public road at 6am with just the front DRLs
__________________

David
V70 2.5 10v Torslanda Manual 98 Sreg
DaveNP is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to DaveNP For This Useful Post:
Old Dec 19th, 2018, 21:21   #45
andy_d
Premier Member
 
andy_d's Avatar
 

Last Online: Mar 25th, 2024 22:43
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: birmingham
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Welton View Post
The new LED headlamps seem to have taken over from HID light sources but when you try to look closely a typical LED headlamp appears to be made up of at least 2 LED bulbs working together to form the light beam.

This morning I had some modern SUV thing behind me on a dark country lane and I could see this 'double bulb' effect in my excellent auto-dimmed rear view mirror the effect was almost a car with 4 x headlamps on! and in the case of some SEAT's the 'headlamp' appears to be a row of at least 5 x LED's all pointing in the same direction.

They should perfect LED light sources before bundling a few together to make one!

I can just about tolerate a properly housed HID light source of around 5000K (white) but these LED's are definitely blueish with a sharp beam, I read on another forum where a guy went to an automotive exhibition and spoke to Hella (or similar) and they said it was possible to 'soften' the sharp cut-off line produced by LED's but Premium Brand Customers wanted it! almost like "my headlights are brighter than yours" so therefore I'm better than you...


yeps theres a Whole bunch of t(sser( who think like that,
they Used to be confined to bmw/audi ownership , having passed the "you must be this dumb to own one" test,, sadly standards have slipped, now every wannabe t**T in a "Suv" or poxy fart box wants them,, probably to compensate for having a 1.fkal 3 cyl turbo engine that couldnt pull the skin off a school rice pudding.
__________________
940s - 2l / 92 < gone&missed s401.8 xs auto <gone >V50 2.4SE Geartronic aka "the new money pit"
"skyship007 has now been successfully added to your ignore list. "."
andy_d is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Dec 20th, 2018, 10:27   #46
derek vivian
Senior Member
 

Last Online: Mar 18th, 2024 11:18
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Whyteleafe
Default Headlights

If it helps anyone to knoe I replaced the headlight bulbs (all 4 for full and dipped) by Philips X-treme Vision +130%H1 which I bought on line from www.powerbulbs.com. I find them so much better against the glare from modern cars with their led lights. My car is V90 1997. Powerbulbs web site has the facility to enable one to get the correct bulb/s for the car model.

Last edited by derek vivian; Dec 20th, 2018 at 12:50.
derek vivian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Dec 26th, 2018, 22:44   #47
bgarston
Member
 

Last Online: Mar 25th, 2024 14:19
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Bristol
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by noscralc View Post
I cannot understand why everybody seems to be such in a big hurry and has to get in front of you no matter if you catch them up at the next junction or traffic lights-madness. The standard of driving is very often shocking-to say the least.
Agreed - I'm not sure what it is its like when they see V O L V O on the rear of the car or an estate car they think I am going slow - in fact I am usually doing the speed limit, following the flow of the traffic albeit allowing a breaking space so I am not up the ar*e of the car in front - this is something else (leaving a breaking space) that appears to be a mystery to most others on the road these days. I have also noticed an increase in the number of people that think that if they indicate to change lanes on a motorway that makes it ok and gives them the god given right for them to cut others (me) up irrespective of what else is going on at the time.

I very much agree that the standard of driving has slipped and is "very often shocking-to say the least". This could have a lot of to with the increased reliance of ANPR/traffic/speed cameras and the lack of actual proper old fashioned policing - I think <tongue in cheek>Driving licenses are given away with packets of corn flakes</tongue in cheek> and at the risk of sounding like my dad (!) once someone has one it must be very hard indeed to loose your license once you have it.

Ben
__________________

1996 Volvo 940 CD 2.3 LPT (His) & 2003 Volvo V70 SE D5 (Hers....until it goes wrong!)

Last edited by bgarston; Dec 26th, 2018 at 22:48.
bgarston is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Dec 26th, 2018, 23:35   #48
john.wigley
VOC Member since 1986
 
john.wigley's Avatar
 

Last Online: Today 08:57
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Leicestershire
Default

Interesting point regarding driving licences, Ben. I passed my test in 1966 and my IAM in 1978, but could I pass today's test? I'd certainly need to practice driving to a satnav!

I have very recently applied to renew my license (coming up to 70); the first time since 1981. What did surprise me was that, while I didn't need to mention my heart attack, I was required to state if I had a drug or alcohol dependency. Can you see many admitting to such a dependency, assuming they had one, if they wished to retain their right to drive? The increasing number of cases of driving while under the influence of drugs that I read about suggests some may not have been totally honest in their application.

Regards, John.
__________________
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana .....
john.wigley is online now   Reply With Quote
Old Dec 27th, 2018, 11:40   #49
DaveNP
Non VOC Member
 

Last Online: Today 07:52
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Milton Keynes
Default

Having had two children pass their test relatively recently, and a third still trying, I don't think that licences are given away for for packet tops. The old adage still remains, 'you've got your licence, now you need to learn to drive', unfortunately in this day and age driving is seen as a basic part of life rather than the skill and aspiration that it used to be, so many get their licence and seem to stop learning now.
In terms of an experienced (I never said older) driver passing the current test I would have to say the most difficult part would be the computerised hazard perception test, to me it verges on 'not fit for purpose'. Basically it is a series of video clips and one is required to click on the mouse when a hazard appears. We had a computer programme for my daughter to learn with, as an experienced driver I found myself seeing many potential hazards that didn't develop and seeing even the planted hazards too early, so I failed for clicking at the wrong time and too often. I was recently reminded of a book called 'Blink' which considers how when we are experienced in a field we can often know something instantly before we've had time to think about it, when driving I often find myself glancing at another road user and instantaneously knowing what they are likely to do, that only comes from years of experience not a computer simulation.

On the night driving topic, I now have the new glasses, just haven't been out at night yet to try them
__________________

David
V70 2.5 10v Torslanda Manual 98 Sreg
DaveNP is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to DaveNP For This Useful Post:
Old Dec 27th, 2018, 12:32   #50
john.wigley
VOC Member since 1986
 
john.wigley's Avatar
 

Last Online: Today 08:57
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Leicestershire
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveNP View Post
.....
In terms of an experienced (I never said older) driver passing the current test I would have to say the most difficult part would be the computerised hazard perception test, to me it verges on 'not fit for purpose'. Basically it is a series of video clips and one is required to click on the mouse when a hazard appears. We had a computer programme for my daughter to learn with, as an experienced driver I found myself seeing many potential hazards that didn't develop and seeing even the planted hazards too early, so I failed for clicking at the wrong time and too often.

On the night driving topic, I now have the new glasses, just haven't been out at night yet to try them
Agree absolutely, David. A group of IAM members recently had a 'go' using similar software with the same (predictable) results. This is one of the reasons why I said that I am uncertain if I would pass the test were I to take it today. Anecdotal, I realise, but I am not aware of any published research on the subject. I think all of us who have been driving for any length of time develope a 'sixth sense' as you say.

I hope you find your new glasses as helpful as I do mine - I can certainly recommend the 'Zeiss' Drivesafe coating.

Regards, John.
__________________
Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana .....
john.wigley is online now   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 09:32.


Powered by vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.