Where can I get a really loud horn for my car?

Posted by: Dylan

Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 09:21

I'm tired of the idiots and my factory horn is wimpy. When I honk someone I want it to be an event they remember.

Any ideas?

-Dylan

Posted by: loren

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 09:25

hahaha. I've been dreaming about this for years. I've always wanted to hit up a junk yard and take an airhorn off of an 18-wheeler cab or something like that and mount it under the hood... complete with pull chain activation. How great would that be?

Posted by: JBjorgen

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 09:32

When I honk someone I want it to be an event they remember.

*wipes the theoretical pepsi-I-wish-I-had off the screen*

I'll have to remember to have something around to spew next time.

Posted by: jimhogan

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 09:47

I've always wanted to hit up a junk yard and take an airhorn off of an 18-wheeler cab or something like that and mount it under the hood...

I think Loren needs the new, stretch WRX Eldorado (coming early 2004). Hard time finding a place for air horns in the current model. Don't know what kind of wheels Dylan is struggling with, but I upgraded the factory horns with Hella Supertones (visible, repainted blue by me, in the attachment) from rallylights.com. They are a definite improvement. Very directional, so need to be mounted pointed forward with minimal obstruction for best effect. I have thought of adding a small set of Fiamm air horns on a cut-out switch for country use, but can't figure where to stick the horns so that they are not obstructed (hmmm, maybe on a custom bracket over by the DRL relay and alarm horn....)

Posted by: revlmwest

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 09:47

In High School I used the PA on my CB to tell people exactly how I felt about them. Much more personal than a horn... but I think it may actually be illegal.

Posted by: davec

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 10:06

If you've got room for a compressor...

Hadley air horns
Grover air horns
JC Whitney carries all kinds of kits
Most of these will scare the bejeezus out of people. I'm still trying to figure out which one I want. I'm thinking of getting a train horn around 133 dB...

Posted by: lastdan

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 10:22

the Hadley horn is insane. you can get them at RV shops.
DO NOT test it in a small space.

Posted by: wfaulk

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 10:32

I've heard maintenance problems about air horns, so you might want to check out electric ones. Wolo makes both, and here's their electrics page.

Posted by: robricc

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 10:39

I saw this the other day. I definitely think I must get one. Program it to say my road rage catch phrase of "F*** you, a**hole"

Posted by: rearviewmirror

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 10:52

When I honk someone I want it to be an event they remember

Ha ha. I feel the same way many a time. Watching a pedestrian cross the road, after he's seen you coming down the road at 100 kmph with your horn blaring, makes you wish you had a loud enough horn to blast the ear drums out of that fvcker!

But then again, I drive in India, where people don't take out their cars if the horn is broken. I honk so much that my thumb has made an impression on my steering.

~Yogi.

Posted by: wfaulk

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 11:12

I think I'd program mine to say ``Turn off your brights, asshole!''

Tangentially, do any states actually enforce having your headlights point in the correct direction?

Posted by: davec

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 11:14

Kind of like the big rig I noticed one day that had "SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT" mirrored on the front grill in lights... I bet some people still don't do it though when he's bearing down on their ass...
I noticed in Texas there are people that insist on doing 55 mph in the fast lane, even though there is a law now that says you must keep right except to pass (not get passed on the right!!!)

Posted by: Dignan

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 11:44

Every time I migrate back up to northern VA, I must spend about half my trip on a 2-lane 65 mph road. I have this theory that there's a conspiracy that involves two people going out and deciding they will both go exactly 60mph RIGHT NEXT TO EACH-OTHER. No matter how much I do, I have never gotten a person who is going too slow in the passing lane to actually get over. I'm convinced that these days people do it on purpose.

Anyway, a friend of mine in high school had what the reverend had. He also said it was illegal, but that didn't stop him from using it. Then again, he also used to heckle truck drivers

He also had sounds on his horn. He never even joked about plying the police siren on the road

Posted by: tonyc

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 11:51

As a further tangent, does anyone else HATE the new headlights that are starting to show up on these high-end cars? They have a blue tinge to them, and they supposedly give the driver a much better view of the road. At the expense of everyone else. I don't know if they're technically brighter in terms of candle power or whatever, but the damn things blind the hell out of me, even more than conventional high beams do. Are these things going to be showing up on more and more cars?

Posted by: wfaulk

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 11:55

I absolutely hate them. I don't know who decided that brighter was better. It feels like lawmakers not wanting to raise taxes in order to erect street lights.

I don't really mind the new color in and of itself. What I do hate though, and this seems to have improved on more recent models, is the fact that the color of the lamp is different depending on what angle you view it from. It's white straight forward, becomes more blue as you get towards the sides, and then by the very edge of the cone, is quite purple. I get these transistions all the time as I pass cars going the opposite direction, and it's really distracting.

Posted by: lectric

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 12:10

I used to have an actual police siren in my mustang. They can be bought for next to nothing at city auctions. I just bolted it under my car beside one of the wheel wells. Worked like a champ. In my truck, I went to a junkyard and bought 5 different electric horns for $2 a piece, and hooked 'em all up in parallel. When I hit that horn, I had 5 different tones all shrieking at once. Sounded like a friggin train!

Ahh... I miss my old police siren. I lost it when I hit a pothole and the speaker caught the lip of the pothole. The whole thing just went bouncing down the road. Oh well.

In college, all my friends and I had CB's with PA's attached. We'd set my CB to use the loudspeaker, tune to an odd channel, park in the mall parking lot, drive in his car across the parking lot and mess with people coming out of the building. Also fun is using a scanner to intercept the McDonalds Drive-In feed and broadcast THAT over the PA. People get real upset when they hear themselves coming from a loudspeaker somewhere. Ahh.... the good ol' days.

Posted by: tonyc

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 12:12

Hmm, a police siren is a great idea, until an actual cop is within earshot...

Posted by: tfabris

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 12:13

Kind of like the big rig I noticed one day that had "SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT" mirrored on the front grill in lights...
I used to have this as a window decal on the top edge of my windshield in my GTI. In reverse, of course, so people could read it in their rear-view mirrors.

Didn't help.

Posted by: lectric

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 12:14

Sounds like it's time to buy a BB gun. Yes. I hate them too.

Posted by: jimhogan

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 12:19

As a further tangent, does anyone else HATE the new headlights that are starting to show up on these high-end cars?

I haven't been bothered by those HID lights in oncoming cars where they come factory-installed (so far as I could tell....Audis and such where HID is a common option). I have been somewhat unenthused by HID-equipped SUVs in my rear-view mirrors.

The big-problem, IMO, is aftermarket installs. Some of these just add HID lights (and the required ballast hardware) to stock light housings, so the lateral distribution *meant* for stock, wimpy bulbs is given to more powerful HID bulbs.

Worst, and really bad, is folks taking headlamp kits from RHD markets and popping them in the equivalent LHD cars. This is popular with WRXs where "JDM" (Japanese domestic market) headlamp kits are available. This essentailly means throwing *more* light across the centerline at oncoming traffic. Not DOT-legal and bustable, but doubt many folks get the tickets they should for this. If you encountered a *really* bad set of headlamps, it could have been one of these.

Posted by: 753

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 12:23

does anyone else HATE the new headlights that are starting to show up on these high-end cars?

It sounds like you are talking about Xenon headlights, but those started to appear years ago. Is there a new and even brigther headlight technology out there I didn't hear about?

Posted by: mtempsch

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 12:24

Where I live we have trams. Big, heavy, hard to stop, track-bound items to generally keep away from

Anyway, they have a quite distinctive bell/ringer that really cuts through traffic noise. Trams being what they are, people are pretty much conditioned to reacting to them - even if there's no tram or tramline right there. A friend of mine had one of those bells in his car - very effective... Worked even on pedestrians, who otherwise tend to totally ignore cars/car horns.

/Michael

Posted by: jimhogan

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 12:36

It sounds like you are talking about Xenon headlights, but those started to appear years ago. Is there a new and even brigther headlight technology out there I didn't hear about?

Same thing, I think, Xenon HID. If there was any pre-HID Xenon bulb type (there are fake Xenon blue bulbs, but that doesn't count) I'm not aware of it. I think it's just that there are many more of them now, some of them very poorly fitted.

Oh, a HID link and links from howstuffworks.com.

Oh, and what am I doing in the horn thread??? Actually using your horn in Seattle is punishable by death, hissing, or both.....I think I have only used my new horns twice....but it is nice to have ones that really work.

Posted by: JeffS

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 12:44

Actually using your horn in Seattle is punishable by death, hissing, or both.....
You don't need a horn in Texas. That's why they make gun racks!

Posted by: Dignan

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 12:48

Just to clarify what we're talking about here, what are the purple-ish colored headlights I usually see? I absolutely HATE those.

Posted by: tfabris

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 12:52

This essentailly means throwing *more* light across the centerline at oncoming traffic.
You're saying these people install replacement headlights into their cars and then don't bother to aim them properly? I thought all headlights had aiming adjustment screws.

Posted by: dodgecowboy

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 12:58

I was at a car show in arkansas last weekend and a guy actually had a train horn in the bed of his s10 that was bagged. It was incredibly loud, but incredibly annoying after the first time he blew it

Posted by: jimhogan

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 12:59

Just to clarify what we're talking about here, what are the purple-ish colored headlights I usually see? I absolutely HATE those.

Blue, purple-bluish, sure. Xenon HIDs.

Now, what everybody needs is like four of these on a bar on the front bumper to put those folks in Texas off their aim!

Posted by: 753

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 12:59

...some of them very poorly fitted.

The Xenon bulb+stock light housing argument in your previous post was an aha experience, it coincides with my street observations.

Thanks.

Posted by: jimhogan

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 13:07

You're saying these people install replacement headlights into their cars and then don't bother to aim them properly?

No, what I am saying is that the headlamp modules, whether reflective or projector types, are (or can be) different between RHD and LHD cars of the same model -- different part numbers. Each are biased to skew more light to their respective shoulders. So, the JDM lamp units are biased to the left, not good in LHD countries where any bias should go the right. Anyhow, I'm not certain that this is the case with all lights, but it is certainly the case with some that I am aware of such as these cheaper (JDM) WRX projector units (where if the person spent a little more time and money they could get the equivalent Euro EDM part with correct LHD bias).

Make sense?

edit: Oh I have to add a rant:
1) Guy adds higher power bulbs to stock fog lamps.
2) Guy sits in traffic on warm sunny days with fog lamps turned on to show the world he has cool fog lamps.
3) Guy then posts to ____.net car forum bitching about how his cheap, no-good OE fog lamp harness connectors melted!

Another edit: Allowable beam patterns in the U.S. are determined by the DOT and US-market headlamps typically have "DOT" somewhere on them so that a cop can check to see if you are legal. Out-of-US lamps whether JDM or EDM may not conform to DOT, so you could theoretically get cited for either, but I would guess that the JDM/RHD would be easier to notice. Aftermarket kits sold in stores here will say DOT-approved, but sometimes I wonder as I wonder about the units showing up on eBay.

Posted by: lectric

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 13:31

Well, all the cops here are my drinking buddies. Especially those nearer the top. They knew I had it, and I knew better than to abuse it.

Posted by: tonyc

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 13:40

Well, all the cops here are my drinking buddies. Especially those nearer the top. They knew I had it, and I knew better than to abuse it.
Wow. Wish I was that well-connected with the boys in blue.

Posted by: loren

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 13:40

If you hate HID's... you've never driven with them. They are amazing. When properly mounted and aimed, they shouldn't get in anyone's eyes any more than normal headlights. The difference to the driver is one of those things that makes you go wow. Getting back in my car with stock lights made me feel like i was driving blind.

Posted by: Dignan

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 14:02

I know I've seen these lights, because the area I live in has a large number of luxury sedans which seem to be getting them more and more now. My dad's car has them, actually, and I've driven head-on with him at night and the lights bothered me. I've also driven in his car, and I remember thinking that the lights were bright, but that they illuminated far too much.

I've never had any problem seeing at night. I never use my high-beams.

Posted by: wfaulk

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 14:08

I've never had any problem seeing at night. I never use my high-beams.
Other than when my windshield's dirty (which seems to be more often than not, lately), I'm exactly the same way.

Posted by: lectric

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 16:40

Actually, it's kinda funny. I actually married one of their daughters. Fun bunch of guys. Basically, I started hanging out with a girl from work. Eventually, we started going out with her folks when they played darts every thursday. Danna's (my wife) dad is 30+ year friends with all the guys in the PD, and since we hung out every thursday night, we soon became friends. Turns out, once you're "in" with this particular group, all the cops want to be nice to you.

Posted by: tonyc

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 17:59

*now adding "marry the daughter of a top cop" to my to-do list*

Posted by: gbeer

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 21:23

How about one like this.

Call Jake or Elwood for more info.

Posted by: muzza

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 22:17

My dad has a solution to the bright oncoming lights problem. Make it mandatory for all cars to be fitted with windscreens and headlight lenses which have a 45 degree polarization to the right. You would still be able to see the reflection of your headlights but the oncoming traffic would be 90 degrees polarized to yours and therefore significantly dimmed.

Posted by: muzza

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 17/04/2003 22:28

Some of those train horns look like a perfect deterant for people intent on stealing your foglights off the front of the car. Put in an alarm sensor right behind them and set it with a close range. you'd need a timer circuit to only blast them for 10 seconds or so.

Posted by: frog51

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 18/04/2003 13:29

I vaguely thought about Xenons for my Scooby, and then decided they would really piss people off, so I just went for nice 120 watt bulbs all round[smile} Definitely works at night in the highlands.

Posted by: Dignan

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 18/04/2003 15:00

I'm curious, Dylan, what kind of car do you drive? I've come to the decision that all Japanese cars have the wussiest horns ever conceived. Every non-Japanese car I've driven has at least a much better horn, and the Land Rover I drove had a very nice one. Not only was the entire center-area of the steering wheel pressable for the horn, but it sounded like it. The only thing and SUV is good for is barreling down on people and blasting them with your horn to make them stop going 50 in the left lane. I only miss that part.

For some reason, people just aren't intimidated by my Odyssey

Posted by: andym

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 18/04/2003 15:18

My first car was an old ford fiesta that had the wussiest horn I've ever heard. It sounded like something noddy would have had!

Posted by: canuckInOR

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 18/04/2003 20:18

The only thing and SUV is good for is barreling down on people and blasting them with your horn to make them stop going 50 in the left lane.

That doesn't intimidate me. It just makes me slow down to *exactly* the speed of the other car. If you'd stayed back and kept your distance, I'd have finished passing and pulled back over into the right lane, but as soon as you start tailgating, flashing lights, honking, and all the rest, I'm going to be an ass right back at you.

Posted by: wfaulk

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 19/04/2003 06:49

Flashing lights at a slow-moving driver is the generally accepted way of asking them to move over amongst the driving cognoscenti. Getting mad at it would be the same as getting mad at someone in a crowded grocery store aisle saying to you ``Excuse me, could I squeeze though, please?''

Of course, if he's also blowing his horn and weaving about the road, or failing to give you an appropriate amount of time to get over, then get mad all you want.

I just wish that I could avoid passing people on the right, and flashing lights seems like the best signal, seeing as how it's pretty much defined to be so.

Posted by: Dylan

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 19/04/2003 13:01

I guess my horn isn't as wimpy as I thought. I just measured it at 110 db with the hood up and the meter as near as I could get it to the horn. Looks like I'll have to get an air horn if I want a big improvement. Not sure if I'm willing to go that far for my little obsession.

The car is an Audi allroad and it has those fancy schmancy headlights that everyone hates. They shouldn't be a problem for oncoming drivers if they are aimed correctly (my car auto levels them). In fact, I think mine would be less distracting because they have a very sharp dropoff while standard halogen lights have a gradual dropoff. I agree with what someone else said that the ones people hate are probably from aftermarket installs (were they on a Honda by chance?)

I'll tell you what, though, from the driver's perspective the HIDs are awesome. I never cared about headlights before and I never thought I had a problem seeing at night. But now that I've experienced these I will never go back.

-Dylan

Posted by: Dignan

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 20/04/2003 17:48

Oh, believe me, honking and getting mad was always my last resort. I agree that a quick flash of the headlights is good way of politely asking someone to move into the next lane (even though they should know to get over for faster moving traffic).

Also, like I said earlier, I don't get mad if they are taking they're time (at their own speed) to pass any cars on the right. It's when people stay fixed in the left lane that gets to me. I was very polite once, and actually had a guy signal for ME to go around HIM on the right. There wasn't anything wrong with his car, he was just too lazy to get over when there was plenty of space.

It just makes me slow down to *exactly* the speed of the other car
I'd suggest that slowing down when someone is mad at you and driving erratically, just to "teach them a lesson" is probably one of the worst things you can do.

Posted by: DWallach

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 21/04/2003 10:21

FYI, Consumer Reports had an article all about HID headlights in their April annual auto issue titled "Blinded by the light." The gist of the problem: it's not that HID headlights are brighter. It's that they have a sharp cut-off edge in their brightness pattern. Says the article:

HID headlights tend to define the top of their beams with a sharp horizontal line, compared with most halogens' smoother fade to darkness. Bumpy roads can cause that sharp beam to flash at oncoming drivers and in the mirrors of cars ahead as it bounces in and out of view.

So, do HID lights give more light? Says the article:

Unfortunately, while many HID lights we tested were among the better performers, even the best didn't outdistance the best halogens.

Turns out, the best headlights they measured were the halogen lights on the Mazda Protege5, which lit up a marker at 600 feet. Contrast that with a HID-equipped Audi TT that only illuminated something 200 feet out.

Posted by: tonyc

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 21/04/2003 10:27

Nice. It's good to see someone's got it right. The way they describe it makes perfect sense.

Posted by: loren

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 21/04/2003 10:35

very interesting. so can anyone recommend some good halogens?

Posted by: wfaulk

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 21/04/2003 11:00

Hmm. I don't think that it's the edge that makes the difference. Maybe what they're saying, though, is that the halogens fade towards the edges and the xenons don't, but the edges are still the same distance from the center, so that an oncoming car 45 degrees to your side is still very bright with xenons, but halogens aren't so bright at that same angle. Is that it? The first time I read your post, I thought you were saying that the edge cutoff for xenons was closer in and the flashing between inside and outside the cone was waht was causing the problem, which is something I haven't seen.

It could be the color temperature of the xenon bulbs reduces night vision sensitivity, too. Actually, I think that makes sense, since red, orange, and amber lights are used in darkroom areas where you're trying to retain night vision and xenon bulbs are on the bluer end of white from halogens.

Posted by: Dylan

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 21/04/2003 11:02

You misquoted them. They didn't say the "best" they said the "farthest" for the Mazda. There is only so much light that can be produced by the lamp. Where that light goes is determined by the reflectors. For the Mazda to illuminate so far in the distance the reflectors must create a narrow dispersion pattern. This is not necessarily ideal as explained above in the article in the section on pedestrian injuries.

A well designed HID lamp will produce more light then a well designed halogen lamp. That extra light is channeled to the sides so as not to blind oncoming drivers. The wide dispersion pattern, combined with the higher color temperature, is what makes HIDs more effective (at least for the driver of the car that has them).

Here is the article.

http://www.consumerreports.org/main/detailv2.jsp?CONTENT<>cnt_id=302617&FOLDER<>folder_id=113261

-Dylan

Posted by: tonyc

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 21/04/2003 11:33

(at least for the driver of the car that has them).
Yeah, screw the poor saps like me who have to deal with a Blinkenlights display in the opposite lane.

Posted by: Dylan

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 21/04/2003 12:49

In reply to:
Yeah, screw the poor saps like me who have to deal with a Blinkenlights display in the opposite lane.

That's right! I'm going to take my 8 billion lumen HIDs and 400 db horn and scare you so bad you'll have to throw out your underpants.

Seriously, I never considered my headlights to be a problem for others because I generally don't have a problem with properly aimed headlights from other cars - whether HID or halogen. What I do have a problem with are SUV/truck headlights and aftermarket HIDs that aren't aimed properly.

-Dylan

Posted by: morrisdl

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 21/04/2003 13:50

Posted by: DWallach

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 21/04/2003 15:16

Ahh, I didn't realize they had the article online. It's recommended reading for everybody who cares about headlights. Consumer Reports says they'll be including headight tests as part of their standard car ratings. I don't know if it will change how anybody chooses what car they want to buy, but it will definitely cause some heat with manufacturers who disagree with the ratings.

Posted by: g_attrill

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 22/04/2003 12:16

The height adjustment of the HIDs in the Audi TT is computer controlled (another example of German engineering overkill). There are sensors on the sway bars to determine the pitch of the car and adjust the headlights up and down to compensate for hills (a vertical version of the Tucker). I have see disputes of the consumer reports that they did not take this into account when measuring the distance.

In the UK the self-levelling mechanisms are mandatory for HID/Xenon lamps.

I've found most HID systems are implemented pretty well, but I guess one in four cars annoy me

In my Camaro the previous owner fitted aftermarket Cibie lamps and they are very, very good. On the Caprice the stock lamps are very poor - the pattern has many mishapen blobs all over it! It's made worse because I have to put tape on the lenses to cover the LHD kick-up. Unforunately the Caprice was never sold in RHD form and the best upgrade is a set of $400 glass headlamp units made by GM for the German/Middle East market. I'll probably get a set before this winter - it really does annoy me.

Gareth

Posted by: BleachLPB

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 24/04/2003 09:10

The height adjustment of the HIDs in the Audi TT is computer controlled

Wow, didn't know that. Is it something you would notice when driving at night?

I get people that flick their high beams at me all the time - mostly because of that top edge is so sharp and distinct, and people think you are flicking high beams at them. I just flick mine back anyway. Usually I wait until the last minute before turning my high beams off so people can tell the difference. Funny though, when driving in the city and well lit areas, I never get people flicking high beams at me, its only in the dark country side.

I think the aftermarket/knockoff xenons have the bluish twinge to them - probably because some riceboy put a xenon bulb in his normal not-designed-for-xenon lens. I've seen other Audis and even Acuras and BMWs with xenon bulbs and they don't look very blue to me.

So now that everyone is complaining so much about people with HID lights - #1: Tough and #2: What about all these people in their SUVs and stuff? I've been fooled many times thinking the oncoming vehicle's high beams were on only to find that it was some tall SUV or truck or something, the lights are that much higher and pointing right down at you.

Either way, HID is the way to go. Once you drive with them you'll know why.

Posted by: tonyc

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 24/04/2003 09:16

So now that everyone is complaining so much about people with HID lights - #1: Tough and #2: What about all these people in their SUVs and stuff? I've been fooled many times thinking the oncoming vehicle's high beams were on only to find that it was some tall SUV or truck or something, the lights are that much higher and pointing right down at you.
We already had a nice, long SUV-bashing thread. I hate them, too. An SUV with HID lights is/would be the worst (I'm sure it's been done, just can't think of any examples off the top of my head.) But really, saying that because SUV's blind people, that regular cars with HID lights should also be allowed to blind people... That's not sound logic. I say more regulations should be placed on how bright regular lights can be, and whatever it is about the HID's, whether it's aiming angle, the color, the "blinkiness" or whatever, should be regulated. Not every car with HID lamps blinds me, but I'd say a good 80% of them do. To me, that points to a problem that needs to be addressed.

Posted by: peter

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 24/04/2003 09:32

What about all these people in their SUVs and stuff?
As ranting season seems to have come early this year, what is it with people who don't think it's necessary to dip their headlights if it's "only" a cyclist coming the other way? More than once I've had to screech to a halt because I can't frickin' see -- cycle paths, say the one on the A603 west of Cambridge, often have much less margin for error than the main roadway.

Having said that, that's the same cycle path where, one dark and moonless night, I was belting along when a voice comes from the dark, "You can't see me, but I can see you. You go right, I'll go left". Fortunately I was a quicker thinker than he, and disobeyed him and went to his right, my left, to be rewarded by the sight of a completely lightless cyclist swishing past at a combined closing speed of maybe 30mph. Crack-smoking psycho [censored][censored]!

Peter

Posted by: wfaulk

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 24/04/2003 09:34

Assuming that you have lights, I suggest that you figure out a way to install brights to flash at the oncoming traffic. Maybe something like one of these.

Posted by: tonyc

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 24/04/2003 09:37

You can't see me, but I can see you....
Something you definitely never want to hear emanating from the darkness. Particularly in Central Park.

Posted by: BleachLPB

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 25/04/2003 09:25

But really, saying that because SUV's blind people, that regular cars with HID lights should also be allowed to blind people... That's not sound logic

No, thats not what I said. I said that oftentime I think an oncoming car has its brights on and it turns out to be a truck or an SUV - with normal, non-HID lights. More regulation? What about all the people that buy aftermarket fog lights, like PIAAs? Yes, I agree, its annoying being blinded by HID lights or non-HID lights. HID lights can be regulated until they're no brighter than 2 candles - but what about SUV's and trucks? And no, this isn't meant as a slam or bash on SUVs themselves - but are there going to be regulations to build the headlights lower on the front? What about plows? I could go on...

My point is that yes it is annoying but deal with it. Unless if anyone has any statistics of accidents caused by blinding by headlights? Could that be narrowed down to accidents attributed to HID lights? What about some yahoo driving down the road with their brights on - which in my opinion is far worse. Accidents caused by blinding is a very valid argument, but has it been mentioned?

Just my $0.02.

Posted by: wfaulk

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 25/04/2003 09:28

Accidents caused by blinding is a very valid argument, but has it been mentioned?
I think it's implicit. We aren't complaining because we think it's unattractive.

Posted by: tonyc

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 25/04/2003 09:35

but what about SUV's and trucks?
...
My point is that yes it is annoying but deal with it.
I guess you didn't read my post carefully. I'm in favor of regulations on SUV's, trucks, etc. as well. I don't have statistics, I don't have studies, I just know that I've personally been near-blinded while driving by both HID lights and SUV's with conventional lights. I would like to see regulation on how bright these damn things can be, SUV, HID, or otherwise.

The only other point I was trying to tack on is that the HID lights are new, and maybe they need special regulation due to the different "kind" of light they throw. There seems to be something about them in particular that's got magazines writing about them, not to mention us complaining about them.

The "it's annoying but deal with it" comment I'm going to just let go, because you probably didn't mean it to be as arrogant as it comes off sounding in your post.

Posted by: pedrohoon

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 27/04/2003 02:23

Posted by: tonyc

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 27/04/2003 15:24

I have been told that the police here in Western Australia will book people having HID spotlights (eg. Hella Predators) fitted to anything smaller than an eight ton truck. Apparently this is to stop the wankers who drive around the suburbs in their 'weekend warrior' 4wds with 4 or 6 on a lightbar above the cab.
Well, that's a good start. Maybe as the HID headlights show up more and more, people will realize how distracting and often-times blinding they are.

On an unrelated note, I need to start using the word "wanker" more often.

Posted by: pedrohoon

Re: Where can I get a really loud horn for my car? - 27/04/2003 16:44

However, jumping over to the other side of the fence for a moment, a potential safety advantage of Xenon lights may be:

Lastly xenon headlights have a similar lifespan to normal headlights (about 1500 hours) but do not fail suddenly. Instead they gradually go dim as the gases properties weaken.

(From this site.)

This is in addition to their lower power consumption for a given light output compared to Halogen lights.