Inboard set headlights, dangerous?

Brazen · 16-11-2011, 03:53 PM

I do a lot of night driving and one thing I have been noticing lately with the FG Falcon and SZ Territory low beam headlights is how it makes the cars look a lot further away than what they are.

The headlights are much more in the centre of the car with the high beam and low beam being switched from the usual placements. At night, the smaller the distance between the lights, the further away the car looks.

Its funny as the ADRS are so strict on lighting e.g. how far away from the road, postion relation to indicators, etc etc, Im suprised there must be no rule on how close the headlights are to be to the edge of the vehicle so as to frame the vehicle and to also make it consistent across cars.

I saw a Laser pull out in front of a FG XR6 last night at a T junction and to be honest even from my perspective sitting behind the Laser I though the FG was a lot further away than it was as well.

Do any FG and SZ owners notice people pulling across you more at night? Its not bashing Ford, Im sure other cars have inboard low beam with the outer reserved for high beam, just curious if this is noticed by others.

PHANTMXR6 · 16-11-2011, 03:59 PM

Nope. Can't say I've ever noticed it.

Mr Hardware · 16-11-2011, 04:04 PM

I've not noticed this to be an issue with perception of distance

only a perception of coolness. Wide-set lights are cool, inset ones are not.

FG_Frodza · 16-11-2011, 04:11 PM

Never noticed it at all...

If people look properly they won't have an issue.

Smoke Pursuit · 16-11-2011, 04:22 PM

Thats why FG drivers all have to leave their foglamps on...

I had a huge whinge at Ford when they did this in 2008 and I still have not gotten over it. Toyota's latest prado has the same setup... It is a concern.

Brazen · 16-11-2011, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DASH GT

Thats why FG drivers all have to leave their foglamps on...

I had a huge whinge at Ford when they did this in 2008 and I still have not gotten over it. Toyota's latest prado has the same setup... It is a concern.

Yes, it is especially bad with projector lights like on the Prado and Territory, as the lights are very small and close together.

Smoke Pursuit · 16-11-2011, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brazen

Yes, it is especially bad with projector lights like on the Prado and Territory, as the lights are very small and close together.

Did you have to start me on the Territory Projectors??

Its the biggest let down of the entire car...... To the point where I refuse to drive it at night now... The FG2 is going to be the same.

Ford need a Xenon kit for those projectors.... My FG 1 GT smashes the Territory at night... Good excuse to use the GT.

**GasoLane** · 16-11-2011, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brazen

At night, the smaller the distance between the lights, the further away the car looks.

Never noticed it, but on that theory if a Nissan Micra and a Falcon were side by side on a highway (at night) would the Micra look further away than the Falcon?

I'd hate to think how far away a motorbike looks then

blackf6 · 16-11-2011, 05:30 PM

I honestly thought i was seeing things the other night when i seen an fg with lights like this. I though there was something wrong with his car and was going to ask him.

Brazen · 16-11-2011, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Never noticed it, but on that theory if a Nissan Micra and a Falcon were side by side on a highway (at night) would the Micra look further away than the Falcon?

I'd hate to think how far away a motorbike looks then

Good point about the Micra, small cars styling dont taper too much in towards the centre as they have to be efficient in fitting the engine into the small body. You will usually notice the front end is pretty much square with the side of the car. Add the fact that the headlights are usually right at the edge of the body and you still get some distance between the lights.

Large cars like Falcon have quite tapered front ends making swinging into parking spots easier and the car more aerodynamic, this puts the headlights more towards the centre of the car as it is. Add having the headlights much more inboard again and I am betting a Falcon or Territory have a smaller distance between the lights than a car like a micra.

A Falcon is wider than a Micra by 10 cm each side, look at the black GT on the top of the page - look how much inboard the centre of the inboard headlights are from the wheel arches - much more than 10 cm each side.

As for a motorbike, I guess the perspective is another kettle of fish again being a single light.

hy_boi · 16-11-2011, 05:45 PM

Didn't they have this issue with motorbikes year ago, alot of manufactures were having dual headlights on the bike and at a quick glance, looked like a car way further down the road then what the motorbike was. Hence why all motorbikes are only a single lowbeam.

SB076 · 21-11-2011, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hy_boi

Didn't they have this issue with motorbikes year ago, alot of manufactures were having dual headlights on the bike and at a quick glance, looked like a car way further down the road then what the motorbike was. Hence why all motorbikes are only a single lowbeam.

Yes I have noticed this, some bikes (with two side by side lights can appear to be a car some distance down the road)

**GasoLane** · 22-11-2011, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SB076

Yes I have noticed this, some bikes (with two side by side lights can appear to be a car some distance down the road)

And it could get confusing (for some) if two Motorbikes were riding side by side but not keeping the same distance apart all the time.....

prydey · 22-11-2011, 02:06 PM

i'm glad there doesn't seem to be the same issue with brake lights!! i can just imagine the defense of running up the back of someone!! but your honour, i thought it was a larger car further away...

LethalLeigh · 16-11-2011, 06:03 PM

I'm more inclined to take issue with inboard indicators that inboard headlights. Think CJ Lancer etc...

buggo · 16-11-2011, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LethalLeigh

I'm more inclined to take issue with inboard indicators that inboard headlights. Think CJ Lancer etc...

Yeah this makes me sometimes have to have a second look, especially on cars like the first mazda six, the blinkers are pretty much in the grille.
I guess it's because I'm just used to seeing them on the edge of the car, so my brain takes a bit longer to process it.

geckoGT · 16-11-2011, 06:27 PM

I don't know about it causing an issue with perception of distance but I do have an issue with it from a point of marking the extremities of the vehicle. Apart from that it looks bloody stupid, like a want to be V8SC.

Ben73 · 16-11-2011, 06:27 PM

New camrys have terrible headlights. Had one sitting in my blind spot one night. I could just see the right headlight in the corner of my mirror. I honestly thought they had their parking lights on. I sped up and looked in my mirror again and noticed they did have headlights on. It was just from an angle they did not look very bright at all.

**Silver Ghia** · 16-11-2011, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brazen

I do a lot of night driving and one thing I have been noticing lately with the FG Falcon and SZ Territory low beam headlights is how it makes the cars look a lot further away than what they are.

The headlights are much more in the centre of the car with the high beam and low beam being switched from the usual placements. At night, the smaller the distance between the lights, the further away the car looks.

Its funny as the ADRS are so strict on lighting e.g. how far away from the road, postion relation to indicators, etc etc, Im suprised there must be no rule on how close the headlights are to be to the edge of the vehicle so as to frame the vehicle and to also make it consistent across cars.

I saw a Laser pull out in front of a FG XR6 last night at a T junction and to be honest even from my perspective sitting behind the Laser I though the FG was a lot further away than it was as well.

Do any FG and SZ owners notice people pulling across you more at night? Its not bashing Ford, Im sure other cars have inboard low beam with the outer reserved for high beam, just curious if this is noticed by others.

You beat me to it. I was thinking of starting a thread on this issue.

Not only do I think that other drivers think I'm further away when they cross or merge in front of me, but where lanes or vehicles are merging, I suspect that the FG headlights are also not so noticeable to drivers in the next lane looking side-on, when they are looking to see if the lane is clear to move into. I think I've used the horn a lot more in the FG than previous cars I've had, when I see a car starting to move into me.

I now tend to put my foggies on in potential situations, as DASH GT recommends.

prydey · 16-11-2011, 07:04 PM

we really are clutching at straws now. must be really starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel when it comes to things we can critisize ford for!!

seriously, what next. maybe some people shouldn't be driving at night, or maybe not at all if these are serious concerns of theirs.

and good luck explaining to the cop thats why you had your fogs on

**Silver Ghia** · 16-11-2011, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

maybe some people shouldn't be driving at night, or maybe not at all if these are serious concerns of theirs.

Well its not me that isnt seeing me properly.

Neale · 16-11-2011, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

I now tend to put my foggies on in potential situations, as DASH GT recommends.

Those foggies on the FG are so bright, almost like high beams. Thats why they are illegal to use when its fine weather.

I think blinding all traffic with the foggies would be far more dangerous than being worried about the few people that might not be able to judge how far away you are.

xtremerus · 16-11-2011, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neale

Those foggies on the FG are so bright, almost like high beams. Thats why they are illegal to use when its fine weather.

I think blinding all traffic with the foggies would be far more dangerous than being worried about the few people that might not be able to judge how far away you are.

You are kidding, aren't you?

pottery beige · 16-11-2011, 08:12 PM

foggys??.. i call them dh lights.. look at me i'm a dh........

prydey · 16-11-2011, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pottery beige

foggys??.. i call them dh lights.. look at me i'm a dh........

i reckon you and i would get on well

Neale · 16-11-2011, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xtremerus

You are kidding, aren't you?

I must not be the only one that thinks that there too bright to use in fine weather if theres laws & nicknames against them.

xtremerus · 16-11-2011, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver Ghia

You beat me to it. I was thinking of starting a thread on this issue.

Not only do I think that other drivers think I'm further away when they cross or merge in front of me, but where lanes or vehicles are merging, I suspect that the FG headlights are also not so noticeable to drivers in the next lane looking side-on, when they are looking to see if the lane is clear to move into. I think I've used the horn a lot more in the FG than previous cars I've had, when I see a car starting to move into me.

I now tend to put my foggies on in potential situations, as DASH GT recommends.

Could be drivers distance perception with the convex mirrors that are all the rage now.

Auslandau · 16-11-2011, 09:00 PM

Honestly have to say that if this is branded as a design flaw, FORD are screwed. Just shows no matter what they do their teeth would still be kicked in. I just cannot see how the design of the headlights can alter the perception when ... as stated already ... with motorbikes to Micra's on the road at night ..... really if this is an issue some should be not driving at night and there are other issues that need addressing.

The only thing I notice about an on coming FG at night is that I can usually pick from a while off that it is an FG. They look different but no way bad ...... IMO

If it aint broke don't fix it? Yep .... the XF was/is bullet proof. Should have stayed with that one I suppose.

My poor XF · 16-11-2011, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auslandau

Honestly have to say that if this is branded as a design flaw, FORD are screwed. Just shows no matter what they do their teeth would still be kicked in. I just cannot see how the design of the headlights can alter the perception when ... as stated already ... with motorbikes to Micra's on the road at night ..... really if this is an issue some should be not driving at night and there are other issues that need addressing.

The only thing I notice about an on coming FG at night is that I can usually pick from a while off that it is an FG. They look different but no way bad ...... IMO

If it aint broke don't fix it? Yep .... the XF was/is bullet proof. Should have stayed with that one I suppose.

Couldn't have put it any better.

Ben73 · 16-11-2011, 09:20 PM

Why does everyone whinge about fog lights. I have zero problems with them, except the ones on VY's(I think) which seam to be brighter then normal fog lights.

You people must have a hard time driving on a sunny day where the sun is reflecting off the window of every car in front of you.