If you have HIDs then either follow the advice of flstffxe or be prepared to be flashed, assuming the alignment is correct to start with of course. As a general rule, except in nose to tail traffic, you should not be lighting up the interior of the car in front of you except perhaps for some reflected light, as in nose to tail traffic. If you can see direct light inside the car in front though, your lights are too high. Also bear in mind the new Foz is a bit higher than the old one so extra awareness is perhaps needed. One could be on the look out for another 2014 car, (any type as lighting regs are the same for all vehicles, it's just that a new car is more likely to have correct alignment) parked facing a wall, perhaps in a car park at night, and ask the driver if you could test your lights against his, for level, by parking next to them or putting a marker/tape on the wall and then parking in the same place?
I have a major bug in my a*s regarding HIDs and I don't care if they are factory fitted. Even with the correct lense and reflector, they still glare oncoming traffic and in the rear view mirror. Upper end European cars with Xenon lights driving behind me at night catch me in any reflective surface and when they overtake I have to deal with their overly bright but legal LED tail lamps and hope they don't hit the brakes while in front of me, especially if it's raining. I have fitted discharge lights on a previous car but they were only on the high beams (Honda Accord, uses h4 on the low and H3 on the high but the low stays on all the time).
While oncoming traffic used to regularly flash dazzling cars because they assumed the other guy was on full beam, I think folks have come to recognize HIDs and realise persistent flashing will make the other driver light up his high beams at which point you are blinded and have to pull over for a while. I think this results in drivers becoming complacent, from both sides, because of the fear of being blinded, and then the owners with incorrectly aimed lights/retrofit HIDs (also a PITA) cease to be 'warned' and so think all is ok. Just because oncoming traffic isn't taking issue doesn't mean your lights aren't bothering them.
The other issue I find a lot is drivers who replace incandescent light bulbs but don't seat them properly so one beam is usually pointing high, almost in the full beam position, and they can't understand why people flash them. Do drivers not look at the beam pattern on the road? Do they not see the lack of light that incorrectly aimed bulbs produces in the dipped position?
I use Ring +120% (still only draw 55/60watt) halogen bulbs which are road legal but way brighter than a stock lamp and feel the need to regularly check on the interior of the car in front and the wall at the end of my road as I leave in the evening. I have also asked friends whom I have travelled behind at night if there is a glare from my lights, and they are decent enough to actually tell me. While I may be making myself out to be a paragon of virtue in this respect that is not my intention. The more advanced cars become, the more complacent drivers are and we forget the basics of what it is we are doing once the key is turned which is one of the reasons I like the Forester, it's not that well insulated from the road, engine and transmission. I also have a particular reason for getting hot under the collar on this subject, I suffer from migraines and a few minutes with some twit in a Mercedes tailgating me at night is enough to set one off as are repeated oncoming cars with glaring (not necessarily Xenon equipped cars) lights. I have yellow night driving spectacles which reduce the force but even these are only effective for a certain time. Anyone who is afflicted with these headaches from hell will understand my irritation on this subject as they can incapacitate me for over 24 hours sometimes, even with medication. Some might say "you shouldn't drive at night then" and I have had this suggested to me although due to the crass nature of such a response to this situation, I won't bother mentioning my replies. Alternatively, perhaps more drivers could pay attention to the world around them, show more courtesy and care, be more aware of the the vehicle they are driving and its impact on the environs/other road users/pedestrians etc and then perhaps less road rage might ensue resulting in fewer accidents.
Rant over, apologies if some are offended and especially to you Beergut as you were the OP and this isn't actually what you asked for :lol:.
