Beam Benders...anybody bothering ?

[RedexR]

When I was a lad I remember my Dad sticking on two pieces of sticky back plastic on his headlamps to blank the beam off going to the left before hopping the channel , I asked a friend what he used on his Mustang and he said he had these wonderful modern Beam Benders that correct the rays , fantastic except he came out from the hotel on the 2nd day and they had both fallen off after getting slightly damp..not the best investment at £8 a pair , what will you be using ? if indeed anything at all ??

[Captain Volvo]

Volvo do custom headlamp protectors for my car - like those plastic stone chip covers but with blanked out bits. I'll be putting them on (if I can figure them out) as my car has HIDs so will be pretty bright and as the dipped main beam is on all the time I don't want to give M. Gendarme any reason at all to pull me.

[BigMansZetec]

Last year I did put them on, but they made fk all difference (unless I put them on wrong ) so this year I'm not going to bother. Plenty of people seem not to.

[Gingerbread Man]

I thought it didn't make that much difference unless you were kicking out full beam.

[Blue-Shark]

In a VW Camper this year, so won't need to worry about dazzling anyone (or speed cameras for that matter).

My only concern will be getting back to Boulogne in time for the ferry on Monday.

[Fruitcake]

Are they a legal requirement? (i.e. somthing for le rozzers to make money out of us by).

[jamiebae]

Gingerbread Man said:

I thought it didn't make that much difference unless you were kicking out full beam.

Other way round, they should make no difference to full beams but chop the left hand raised bit off the dipped beams.

As for the original question, I'll have some beam benders in the car but might 'forget' to fit them unless I'm going out in the dark.

[MaestroDave]

I'd recommend fitting them, they do make a difference if fitted correctly. You can achieve the same effect with some black electrical tape - just look at the beam pattern on your garage door and place the tape to make the beam flat, rather than angled up to the left. At least make some effort even if it's only for the sake of the Gendarme.

Incidentally, lots of modern cars with HID have a little mechanical lever inside the lense unit that will level the beam.

Dave

[LeoZwalf]

I've driven in Europe a zillion times and never bothered and never had any problems.

(probably blinded a load of frogs though... )

[Skywalker]

I'll have a set in the motor, but will only use them if I have to drive any distance when it's dark.

[blueyonder]

Don't plan on driving at night!

[RedexR]

We are 7km from the track , we don,t have the option not driving at some stages in the dark to enjoy the night racing , also drinking will have to be done in stints with my copilot taking over.. lol

Edited by RedexR on Tuesday 3rd June 21:19

[rlw]

LeoZwalf said:

I've driven in Europe a zillion times and never bothered and never had any problems.

(probably blinded a load of frogs though... )

..and every one else...how much effort does it take to mask your fecking headlights and show a bit of courtesy?

Every year at LM you can spot the unmasked rhd cars at night as they blind you dipping the wrong way and make it a total PITA for people with less than brilliant night vision

[Gizmo!]

I just use a bit of electrical tape.
Although this year it may have to be gaffa - I can't find the electrical tape.

[rlw]

Just reading some of the replies here really pisses me off - we are supposed to represent the portion of the public that thinks driving is a good thing so, therefore, we need to be more considerate, more polite, more fecking concerned for our fellow drivers than most - if you cannot be arsed to stick a bit of black tape on your headlights to stop others being inconvenienced at night, then you should not be on this forum.

[Fruitcake]

rlw said:

Just reading some of the replies here really pisses me off - we are supposed to represent the portion of the public that thinks driving is a good thing so, therefore, we need to be more considerate, more polite, more fecking concerned for our fellow drivers than most - if you cannot be arsed to stick a bit of black tape on your headlights to stop others being inconvenienced at night, then you should not be on this forum.

Calm down.

[Moose.]

The lights on my Se7en are only marginly better than candles, so I don't tend to bother. It's easy enough to twist the whole headlamp right a bit should they pose a problem. The Gendarmes who gave us a police escort from Le Mans to the circuit at 11pm didn't have a problem with them

[Mat C]

In all the years i have been going to LM i've never needed to drive at night as i always camp there and at night i get beered-up so driving is out of the question ! Therefore i see no need to have them on as during the daytime my car is no different to any others, regardless of what nation they have driven from !

[Marvindodgers]

Personally, I always fit them, but do you ever see any of the growing number of foreign cars over here with beam benders?
Also, bloody Audi's, Mercs etc with those awful xenon lights are far more dazzling in normal operation than a few 7's, Elise's etc with candle power headlights with no beam benders ever will be in France.

[littleandy0410]

Didn't bother last year, but that was because I didn't do any driving at night, and I had pop-up headlights so the Gendarme couldn't tell anyway!

This year I will use black leccy tape, probably applied in the queue for the ferry at Dover.