[WanderNomad]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

I disagree. Roof lights if half-decently mounted blind much lesser than most headlights and provide much more usable light (from exp with a shoulder level spot beams on a bike)

Take the stupid design of the Santro Xing headlights. Illuminates crap and disperses most of it. Add in 90/100s and its by far the most blinding/irritating small car around. Way below waist level and singularly blinding.

Strongly disagree! Recently drove two Santro's and they have the best illumination I have seen on a car. I was actually surprised to see such a nice throw and road illumination. Also the whole setup in both was stock.

P.S. I dont have any affinity towards Santro otherwise.

[suman]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

a. face up a Santro Xing (old one was better) with 90/100s. Its blinding. Not just me - the thread says so.

First time I've heard of having to face up to a car to decide if the illumination is good - shouldn't it be from inside the cabin???

[phamilyman]

Suman da,

Looking london, replying tokyo - you judge the dispersiveness (sic?) or blinding attributes from the outside, no? You're talking illumination, which was point b!

WN,

Ah Okay. And what is your opinion about how blinding they can get?

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by WanderNomad

Strongly disagree! Recently drove two Santro's and they have the best illumination I have seen on a car. I was actually surprised to see such a nice throw and road illumination. Also the whole setup in both was stock.

P.S. I dont have any affinity towards Santro otherwise.

We're going off-topic, but still.
I got to drive my friend's new Santro Xing and i was terribly dissapointed by the light throw. It felt so .. useless. Its no wonder most Santro guys drive with their high beams on.

[sgiitk]

@phamilyman: I am a practising Physicist (did my PhD in the subject in1976!).

Swift lamps as supplied are pathetic. So many upgrade them to 90/100W much to my disapproval. I hear that HID projectors are available for the Swift but cost a lot! My son has a Swift so I should know.

I have no intention of looking at illegal cars and hurting my eyes. I would not mind locking away all those who drive on full beam in town! May add all the 90/100W wallahs as well. Will reduce traffic manifold!

[leadf00t]

Originally Posted by WanderNomad

Strongly disagree! Recently drove two Santro's and they have the best illumination I have seen on a car. I was actually surprised to see such a nice throw and road illumination. Also the whole setup in both was stock.

P.S. I dont have any affinity towards Santro otherwise.

there is no case to agree and disagree..

one talks of best illumination from inside ( the more the better)
the other talks of blinding illumination from outside ( the lesser thte better)

both right in their own sense.

I drove a friends Santro Xing and found stock headlights pathetic
but hey that may be my perception due to the 100/90's i use in my "correctly focussed" lancer

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

@phamilyman: I am a practising Physicist (did my PhD in the subject in1976!).

Swift lamps as supplied are pathetic. So many upgrade them to 90/100W much to my disapproval. I hear that HID projectors are available for the Swift but cost a lot! My son has a Swift so I should know.

I have no intention of looking at illegal cars and hurting my eyes. I would not mind locking away all those who drive on full beam in town! May add all the 90/100W wallahs as well. Will reduce traffic manifold!

Ah,
I see we're talking on the same topic but are diverging.

I am talking reflectors here really. Swift's reflectors are quite good. I upgraded to +30%, then +50% and now finally run 90/100W in left light and 60W +50% in the right side. I normally switch on high beam only for retards (i.e all local roads in gurgaon always dipping!) and above 100 kph.

Stock bulbs are some crap local brand. As even the backup bulbs!

I've done 24k on the VDi in 9.3 months and do alot of night driving. Its maybe a 1 vs 1 case but Santro Xing is nowhere as good when it comes to sheer throw.

And I've even tested my HLs by standing almost 100 ft out and seeing how irritating it gets for the opposing person.

[WanderNomad]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

WN,

Ah Okay. And what is your opinion about how blinding they can get?

I didnt check from outside (very few gems like you check from outside ) so cant comments how blinding they were. I am the one who rarely finds headlight of any car good, have two pairs of HIDs on my scorpio and still feel I need more.

But for the first time in my life I found the illumination and throw of a car good and it was Santro.

Well maybe it was by fluke, a flash in the pan.

[Parm]

"fog lamps" as the name says are to be used in foggy conditions when driving on the road.

they are placed as low as possible below the main head lights. why they are placed below the headlights, let me tell you why!

its because in a fog you want to see the road you are driving on or the extreme right or left of the road markers. how fog lamps work best, its to switch off the main headlights and switch on just the fog lamps.

both ends of the road should be marked with a reflective paint line( mostly its white colour) which get aluminated by your fog lamps which makes it easier to follow the road.

i think in NCR you can find the center road divider/median has a white paint strip which runs parallel to the center road divider, ever wondered whats it there for?

[bigman]

Mahindra fitted such lights on the Legend.



Picture source: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/511526-post17.html

[sgiitk]

@parm : I agree that switching off headlamps in fog is a good idea but I prefer to keep my parking lamps on. when using fog lamps. Otherwise the rear lights are not on and following traffic cannot see you.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

@parm : I agree that switching off headlamps in fog is a good idea but I prefer to keep my parking lamps on. when using fog lamps. Otherwise the rear lights are not on and following traffic cannot see you.

I always thought one cannot switch on the OEM fog lamps unless the parking lights are switched on. Isnt that so on the Santro?

Between, i believe we have digressed quite far from the original topic.

[Parm]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

@parm : I agree that switching off headlamps in fog is a good idea but I prefer to keep my parking lamps on. when using fog lamps. Otherwise the rear lights are not on and following traffic cannot see you.

i agree with you on this

i think i should have mentioned this in my reply!

thanks for the pointing it out Sgiitk.