REVscene - Vancouver Automotive Forum

jlenko · 06-05-2010, 10:56 PM

Sort of in reference to this thread:

http://www.revscene.net/forums/polic...y-t616338.html

I've noticed a huge increase recently of illegal HID kits being installed in regular (aka stock) reflector housings. Mostly fart-cannon-equipped Hondas and the like, but also in trucks, and a bunch of regular stock cars...

Aside from the blindingly bright light output... some of them aren't just white.. the blue, green and today's shocker - pink! - HID kits are a pain in the retina.

So.. my question.. who do I have to petition to get police to do a crack-down on illegal headlights and HID kits?

zulutango · 06-06-2010, 06:15 AM

Police should be aware of them now, specially Traffic Members. Every time I bring up this same subject here I get hammered by many of the people who sell the illegal kits and the vehicle owners who say that they are safe...when they are not safe and they are illegal. If you can get specific plate numbers and contacted your local PD that may help. Public pressure also helps to direct response, so letters to your local papers, call the TV reporters, letter to your MLA...that sort of thing. The "conversions" are not safe for the vehicle owners, they are not safe for other traffic, they are annoying as heck and ;personally I always stopped cars and motorcycles that were using them.

Here is what we are up against..
http://www.revscene.net/forums/06-ci...s-t616557.html

Solo_D33A · 06-06-2010, 10:42 AM

The worse example I've seen even though it's not blinding, it's HIDs installed in both fog lights and low beams while only low beams act as DRL when clearly that car have normal DRLs in the high beam, it's a Corolla driver training vehicle in Richmond, I've seen it quite a few times before...

(Although DRL only requires you to have light higher than I think 30cm? thus the fog light clears that rule for him...)

Jgresch · 06-06-2010, 11:12 AM

I've seen quite a few pink/greens. They aren't as blinding as a 4300k or 6000k if angled incorrectly because green/pink is very high up on the color spectrum the output is similar to halogen. The color just bugs me..

!Aznboi128 · 06-06-2010, 11:18 AM

There's too many high riding trucks and suvs with hid kits, those are blinding. Anyone with a hid kit in a civic or whatever is also blinding just not as bad. Isn't there a law for distance for headlight to ground?
Posted via RS Mobile

Jgresch · 06-06-2010, 11:19 AM

^trucks are the worst, expecially when you're in a low car

and yes, there is a law about distance, you can be both too high and too low.

FN-2199 · 06-06-2010, 11:33 AM

This is the reason why I opted out of getting HIDs in my reflector housing. It's pointless, dangerous, and just plain common sense.
I hate it when I see normal halogens aimed RETARDEDLY high. If anything, it's just as bad as HIDs in reflectors.

!Aznboi128 · 06-06-2010, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jgresch

^trucks are the worst, expecially when you're in a low car

and yes, there is a law about distance, you can be both too high and too low.

you know how low I am... Lol it sux
Posted via RS Mobile

Jgresch · 06-06-2010, 11:46 AM

lol, I live in maple ridge, home of the jacked up trucks with hids...

jlenko · 06-06-2010, 12:31 PM

I used to see one or two driving home at night from work... now it's 15-20 every night. I'm pissed off to the point that I'm seriously considering carrying my 1,000,000 candlepower beam and shooting the drivers in the face with it..

But I still don't think they'd get it.. so what's the point.

!Aznboi128 · 06-06-2010, 01:17 PM

Maybe there should be a way to write the licence plate + location/time and then submit it to the vpd.... Maybe?
Posted via RS Mobile

Jgresch · 06-06-2010, 01:22 PM

what would that do though? the entire police force isn't gonna search for a plate #... and the chances of a cop being behind the guy you submit and just decides to run his plate are very slim.

c32 · 06-06-2010, 01:34 PM

DAMN THOSE VANS WITH HIDS!!!!

!Aznboi128 · 06-06-2010, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jgresch

what would that do though? the entire police force isn't gonna search for a plate #... and the chances of a cop being behind the guy you submit and just decides to run his plate are very slim.

It's still a better chance if no one does anything
Posted via RS Mobile

jlenko · 06-06-2010, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aznboi128

Maybe there should be a way to write the licence plate + location/time and then submit it to the vpd.... Maybe?
Posted via RS Mobile

I'm sure that's right up there with the Hwy 1 report-an-HOV-lane-cheater.. and report-a-cell-phone user.

The police don't really have enough members to enforce all the laws.

sebberry · 06-07-2010, 04:39 PM

What they should do is line a few tow-trucks up at a speed trap. Illegal HIDs? Tow on the spot. Don't need to use any more officers than you would at a regular speed trap and you might actually get some dangerous drivers off the road

I'm a firm believer that vehicle lighting should be all about function, not style.

XtC-604 · 06-07-2010, 05:13 PM

pretty much, but no need to cry foul, get a bb gun mounted under ur hood infront of the vents and shoot people

Jgresch · 06-07-2010, 05:15 PM

I have "illegal" hids.... they are in projector headlights, and aimed accordingly. Why am I any differen't from cars that came with HIDs from the factory?

sebberry · 06-07-2010, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jgresch

I have "illegal" hids.... they are in projector headlights, and aimed accordingly. Why am I any differen't from cars that came with HIDs from the factory?

-Projector optics and reflectors are NOT the same as the ones used for HID systems.

-I may be mistaken, but I thought HID systems are required to have either manual or automatic levelling systems. This almost never makes it into the retrofit. I believe this requirement exists because HIDs are dangerously bright and extra weight in the back of the car will cause the alignment to change and can be too bright for oncoming drivers

-Wiring - many people don't use quality wiring and connectors for their retrofit. This can cause reliability issues and safety hazards. (I can't tell you how many times I have read about someone's light going out and they have traced it back to bad wiring, poor connection, etc...) This simply isn't a problem on OEM installed systems. The last thing you want are your lights failing on a dark highway.

- More wiring - frequently due to the configuration of DRLs, etc.. modifications need to be made to the existing wiring to alter the operation of the factory lights. Again, this can create problems as described above.

Finally - why bother going to the effort of an HID system in the first place? Toss in some 65w lights for the low-beams, HIR (Not HID) high-beams and your done. Cheaper, more reliable and probably better than an HID system. The lights on my care are easily as good as my friend's late model HID equipped vehicle.

Jgresch · 06-07-2010, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sebberry

-Projector optics and reflectors are NOT the same as the ones used for HID systems.

-I may be mistaken, but I thought HID systems are required to have either manual or automatic levelling systems. This almost never makes it into the retrofit. I believe this requirement exists because HIDs are dangerously bright and extra weight in the back of the car will cause the alignment to change and can be too bright for oncoming drivers

-Wiring - many people don't use quality wiring and connectors for their retrofit. This can cause reliability issues and safety hazards. (I can't tell you how many times I have read about someone's light going out and they have traced it back to bad wiring, poor connection, etc...) This simply isn't a problem on OEM installed systems. The last thing you want are your lights failing on a dark highway.

- More wiring - frequently due to the configuration of DRLs, etc.. modifications need to be made to the existing wiring to alter the operation of the factory lights. Again, this can create problems as described above.

Finally - why bother going to the effort of an HID system in the first place? Toss in some 65w lights for the low-beams, HIR (Not HID) high-beams and your done. Cheaper, more reliable and probably better than an HID system. The lights on my care are easily as good as my friend's late model HID equipped vehicle.

I've driven plenty of vehicles that come factory equipped with HIDs, only one out of about 20 I could find a place that adjusted the level of cutoff from inside the car... and it was not easy enough to do it over every bump/hill....I'm not sure which vehicles come with auto adjusters.

There wasn't much effort involved actually... it took maybe 20 more minutes to install my hids than it did if I was just changing the bulbs...

And there isn't a 65 watt bulb that is "better" than an hid system.

XtC-604 · 06-07-2010, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sebberry

-Projector optics and reflectors are NOT the same as the ones used for HID systems.

-I may be mistaken, but I thought HID systems are required to have either manual or automatic levelling systems. This almost never makes it into the retrofit. I believe this requirement exists because HIDs are dangerously bright and extra weight in the back of the car will cause the alignment to change and can be too bright for oncoming drivers

-Wiring - many people don't use quality wiring and connectors for their retrofit. This can cause reliability issues and safety hazards. (I can't tell you how many times I have read about someone's light going out and they have traced it back to bad wiring, poor connection, etc...) This simply isn't a problem on OEM installed systems. The last thing you want are your lights failing on a dark highway.

- More wiring - frequently due to the configuration of DRLs, etc.. modifications need to be made to the existing wiring to alter the operation of the factory lights. Again, this can create problems as described above.

Finally - why bother going to the effort of an HID system in the first place? Toss in some 65w lights for the low-beams, HIR (Not HID) high-beams and your done. Cheaper, more reliable and probably better than an HID system. The lights on my care are easily as good as my friend's late model HID equipped vehicle.

i dun think my S2000's projectors have a levelling feature...so i thnk you may be wrong.

Jgresch · 06-07-2010, 05:57 PM

bahahah i just saw your online petition... 9 signatures??? lmao

I'm sure if you get 1000 signatures than many large automobile companies will redisgner they vehicles to suit your needs.

sebberry · 06-07-2010, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jgresch

bahahah i just saw your online petition... 9 signatures??? lmao

Oh, it's up to 9 is it? Better than I thought.

sebberry · 06-07-2010, 06:05 PM

My apologies on the levelling system.

It is required in most places outside of North America. Our antiquated lighting laws haven't quite caught up.

sebberry · 06-07-2010, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jgresch

And there isn't a 65 watt bulb that is "better" than an hid system.

I suppose it depends on what your version of "better" is. If you like an ultra bright puddle of white light 10 feet in front of your car, then be my guest