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From: mgv@duke.UUCP (Marco G. Valtorta)
Newsgroups: net.auto,net.flame
Subject: Halogen headlights: experience in Italy
Message-ID: <6199@duke.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 30-Aug-85 09:45:52 EDT
Article-I.D.: duke.6199
Posted: Fri Aug 30 09:45:52 1985
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Since someone has pointed out that halogens are more popular in
Europe, I would like to say something about my experience driving
in Italy (the country where I lived for the first 24 years of my life).
First of all, my feeling is that I am blinded by incoming cars much
more often here than back in Italy.  As someone already noticed,
halogens have a much more precise light pattern than regular lights.
If you look at a halogen low beam lamp, you can see that not only
the bottom half of the lamp is dark, but that there is a sizable
wedge on the top right which is dark.  The lamps and reflectors
are designed to illuminate the right hand side of the road and
not the left side.  I can't see a similar (asymmetric) pattern with
normal low beams, perhaps because their illumination pattern isn't so
sharp.
I feel that average US drivers just don't care for their cars, including
beam alignment, as much as Italian ones.  I am still amazed to note
how many cars here ride on seriously underinflated tires!
Also, I disagree with the contention that non-halogen headlights give
sufficient light for normal driving speeds.  I remember tests
showing that regular low beams DO NOT light the road far ahead
to permit adequate stopping distance in case a dark obstacle
is on the road, when you are driving 55.
For this reason, I have regular headlights on my car, but
halogen lights on my motorcycle.  I take great care to align
the motorcycle light carefully.  This involves changing alignment
when I carry a passenger.  (I was once stopped back in Italy by
police for misaligned lights on my motorcycle.  I have been
very careful since then.  No need for others to repeat my mistake!)
I can't remember any car ever flashing their high beams at me
when riding at night on the motorcycle.

You may be interested to know that I am nearsighted and bright lights at
night bother me.  

					Marco