Quote from: Anianna on December 01, 2022, 12:37:41 PM

Quote from: EBuff75 on December 01, 2022, 11:19:33 AMI'm not blinding people with them, because I only use the high beams when there aren't any cars coming toward me (or within a half-mile or so ahead of me). 

Thank you.  Can you please come do an awareness campaign in the Richmond area and along the 95 corridor?  -_-

Unfortunately, my entire schedule is booked up with local sessions already.  Around here, when a low beam burns out, people just switch to running their highs all the time, rather than replacing the bulb! 

I have a dash cam that replaces my rear view mirror and it doesn't have a dimmer function (although it does have a coating which is supposed to cut down on glare). When someone has their brights on behind me it can be absolutely blinding, so I'm very aware of how I use my high beams!

And when I upgraded the lights in my Suburban, I spent hours getting the aim just right. I even tested it by putting the truck about 60-80 ft behind my car, turning the lights on, and then getting into the car to make sure that it wasn't blinding me.  It's strange that I can manage to do that with cheap, aftermarket headlamp lenses, but the auto makers can't do it with brand-new LED setups...

Quote from: EBuff75 on December 01, 2022, 11:19:33 AM

Quote from: Mr. E. Monkey on December 01, 2022, 09:06:09 AM

QuoteBTW if you are in a car you have great light source...just point the headlights at direction needed and hit the high beams. That said yes I do have at least one flashlight in every car and as a result I have  never needed one...but I am sure that if i did not have one in the car I would need it...never fails.

Good tip about the high beams, too--that would have been an improvement.  It probably wouldn't have changed the outcome in this situation at all, but it's a good tool to keep in mind.

One of the best upgrades that I did for my car was to put some high-output LEDs in the high beams.  I'm not blinding people with them, because I only use the high beams when there aren't any cars coming toward me (or within a half-mile or so ahead of me).  They light up the road like day time when they're on!

Here's the picture I took right after installing them (everything was extra-dark from a recent rain).  For reference, the neighbor's garage door is 260ft (79m) away.
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Bulb Facts is a great website for headlight reviews, although they haven't posted much in the last few years.  With most cars changing over to integrated LEDs, there really aren't options for people to upgrade their lights on new cars.

My car has the high/low combo bulbs, which I just recently replaced.  I'm not really impressed with them, so I will have to look into the options to upgrade to LEDs.  Thanks!  (Yours look great, btw!)

Quote from: Anianna on December 01, 2022, 12:37:41 PM

Quote from: EBuff75 on December 01, 2022, 11:19:33 AMI'm not blinding people with them, because I only use the high beams when there aren't any cars coming toward me (or within a half-mile or so ahead of me). 

Thank you.  Can you please come do an awareness campaign in the Richmond area and along the 95 corridor?  -_-

I think if he only went where that was needed, the man would always be on the road...those drivers are  everywhere!

Getting back to the topic at hand, using your headlights to illuminate something stationary is a great use of them.  Despite living in the city and always, ALWAYS carrying at least one flashlight on my person, I use my headlights for that purpose on occasion.  Most recently, I used my high beams to help light up a cemetery where I was helping with some brush clearing. 

Recently I saw a video of an attempted carjacking / robbery where the criminal set up marker cones to block off a road.  Stupidly, the person in the car actually stopped and asked what was going on, before driving off whey they saw the guy reaching into his pocket.  The biggest thing that bothered me though was that he left his low beams on!  Upon seeing a car / cones in the road like that, particularly without any other vehicles around to blind, I would've switched to high beams and slowed / stopped far away from the blockage in order to asses the situation. 

Hello, my name is Eric, and I'm a flashaholic.  I want ALL the lumens!! 

Quote from: EBuff75 on December 02, 2022, 10:23:25 AMRecently I saw a video of an attempted carjacking / robbery where the criminal set up marker cones to block off a road.  Stupidly, the person in the car actually stopped and asked what was going on, before driving off whey they saw the guy reaching into his pocket.  The biggest thing that bothered me though was that he left his low beams on!  Upon seeing a car / cones in the road like that, particularly without any other vehicles around to blind, I would've switched to high beams and slowed / stopped far away from the blockage in order to asses the situation. 

When it comes to a carjacking, a Honda Civic (or even a Smartcar)  at 20 mph trumps any hand held firearm (rifle or pistol) when it comes to imparting energy into a bad guy. (~ 6600 ft lbs of energy).

You can even claim it was an accident if necessary due to local laws.

Quote from: Anianna on November 30, 2022, 10:06:19 AM

Quote from: flybynight on November 30, 2022, 04:03:40 AM

Quote from: Anianna on November 29, 2022, 05:11:25 PMThat's wild.  I was hoping to learn more about what happened.  It's so frustrating when you see something like this and nothing more ever comes of it.  I assume that if the fire was deliberate, it wasn't meant to cause harm but to destroy evidence or maybe it wasn't deliberate but the driver was somehow aware that danger was imminent.  That the truck was stolen doesn't rule either out.  If the driver was supposed to be in the truck, they likely would have stayed nearby if they sensed danger, but a thief would run, so either is still possible. 

Criminy.  I just hate a lack of information, it makes me speculate. 

I'm not sure there's much you could have done differently.  Listening to that gift of fear upon finding the cab empty was a good move and locking your doors to be safe while on the phone was spot on. 

I keep meaning to put a better flashlight in my van, but I don't because I have precisely one flashlight that I actually like and it's not available to purchase any more of.  I have flashlights in my van, I just don't like any of them.  I'm very annoyed by not being able to find another flashlight I actually like and I'm very annoyed that the one I do like is no longer available.  I have been in the flashlight thread and tried a myriad of recommendations from there and from flashlight and EDC snobs on Reddit.  I guess I'm just too picky.

Ok Which is the flashlight you like. And we'll go from there.

And you should always have a flashlight on your person

Many have tried to go from there, but I'll humor you.  It's a Coleman Max purchased from a Walmart probably a decade or so ago.  I'm pretty sure I posted a photo and description of it in the flashlight thread. 

I have flashlights in every car and one on my keyring as well as several in key locations throughout the house.  Raptor sent me several to try out that have made it into my army of illumination.  I'm never without a flashlight, but have been in situations where I needed one and completely forgot the location of every single one to go in search of wherever I last had The One.  😂

Yea can't find it.
More alternatives
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08HQTXSWF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
we have these for house and emergency lights. Trust me , it's not 1000 lumens  . Nice small light

Other extra lights we have of course are these. They are nice everyday lights that  are really nice with 14500 batteries
https://www.amazon.com/Flashlights-Flashlight-Adjustable-Zoomable-Emergency/dp/B07GR3RL5G/ref=dp_prsubs_3?pd_rd_w=Yj96C&content-id=amzn1.sym.ec3cee7c-6bd8-496a-8166-4fdb6d51cad1&pf_rd_p=ec3cee7c-6bd8-496a-8166-4fdb6d51cad1&pf_rd_r=X8HJGFB6HSHHJEWJEZCD&pd_rd_wg=c6R8D&pd_rd_r=6c7f9285-3e84-400f-8697-e9ef1deb95df&pd_rd_i=B07GR3RL5G&psc=1

Too be honest..... This is a Olight.

https://www.amazon.com/Olight-I3T-EOS-Lumens-Dual-Output/dp/B07DLRK7Q5/ref=sr_1_23?crid=WN89HHNCNYTL&keywords=ROTARY%2BSWITCH%2BFLASHLIGHT&qid=1670036108&sprefix=rotary%2Bswitch%2Bflashlight%2Caps%2C127&sr=8-23&th=1

Olight's a fine brand.  The I3E EOS is what I keep on my keyring (in purple, which appears to be a color they don't carry anymore though it is still available in black and bronze, maybe some others).  It still works just fine despite four years banging around with everything else on my keyring.

Edit to add:  I just found an Olight I3E EOS available for Subscribe and Save on Amazon.  🤣🤣

Quote from: Anianna on December 02, 2022, 09:47:11 PMOlight's a fine brand.  The I3E EOS is what I keep on my keyring (in purple, which appears to be a color they don't carry anymore though it is still available in black and bronze, maybe some others).  It still works just fine despite four years banging around with everything else on my keyring.

Edit to add:  I just found an Olight I3E EOS available for Subscribe and Save on Amazon.  🤣🤣

I have them in black, blue, and olive green (UV)

Quote from: NT2C on December 02, 2022, 11:50:30 PM

Quote from: Anianna on December 02, 2022, 09:47:11 PMOlight's a fine brand.  The I3E EOS is what I keep on my keyring (in purple, which appears to be a color they don't carry anymore though it is still available in black and bronze, maybe some others).  It still works just fine despite four years banging around with everything else on my keyring.

Edit to add:  I just found an Olight I3E EOS available for Subscribe and Save on Amazon.  🤣🤣

I have them in black, blue, and olive green (UV)

All of my Olights are black save for the purple I3E EOS.

The only OLight I own is a small black one. I believe the model is the Ir2 EOS (NT2C sent it to me awhile back after I sent him some AR charging handles).

It's a neat little light and lives on a keyring next to my nightstand.

Hawaiian shirts aren't my only bright and colorful addiction.

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My EDC light is a Bushnell Pro (not sure of the exact model name at the moment) and it's a good light. I think it's like 200 lumens or so, which is plenty bright for me.

I also carry a Streamlight Stylus Pro pen light in addition to the Bushnell Pro.

Quote from: NT2C on December 03, 2022, 03:18:28 PMHawaiian shirts aren't my only bright and colorful addiction.

IMG20221203161510.jpg

I feel like you might like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFDNSK3D/ref=twister_B086W3WCTL?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

Quote from: Anianna on December 03, 2022, 05:04:02 PM

Quote from: NT2C on December 03, 2022, 03:18:28 PMHawaiian shirts aren't my only bright and colorful addiction.

IMG20221203161510.jpg

I feel like you might like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFDNSK3D/ref=twister_B086W3WCTL?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

I bought my wife one of those in blue for Christmas a year or two ago.

BTW, you'll never guess what got returned from your old PO box today.   

I slapped a new label on it with the corrected address and it will go out again Monday.

Quote from: 12_Gauge_Chimp on December 03, 2022, 11:50:56 AMThe only OLight I own is a small black one. I believe the model is the Ir2 EOS (NT2C sent it to me awhile back after I sent him some AR charging handles).

It's a neat little light and lives on a keyring next to my nightstand.

Aha... thanks for the idea on what stocking stuffer might go well in your (going to be late because I blew my budget on new shirts) Xmas present. 

Quote from: NT2C on December 03, 2022, 05:17:52 PM

Quote from: Anianna on December 03, 2022, 05:04:02 PM

Quote from: NT2C on December 03, 2022, 03:18:28 PMHawaiian shirts aren't my only bright and colorful addiction.

IMG20221203161510.jpg

I feel like you might like this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BFDNSK3D/ref=twister_B086W3WCTL?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

I bought my wife one of those in blue for Christmas a year or two ago.

BTW, you'll never guess what got returned from your old PO box today. 

I slapped a new label on it with the corrected address and it will go out again Monday.

Heck yea! 

Stress does amazing things for us in the short term. But it will wreck us when maintained long term.

I think if you'd been in, what in hindsight appears to have been the ideal mindset and handled everything absolutely perfectly, it would be a sign of bad health for your life.

You probably should have had your phone on you and remembered you had a good flashlight available. Those are pretty small things though until you start looking back and churning through all the "what if" scenarios that spiral into worse and worse possibilities. But in all the more likely possibilities they don't matter.

It wasn't very long ago that we didn't have those phones and small quality flashlights available. Many of us don't have it ingrained into us that such conveniences are "normal" yet when stress hits. We may soon be in a world where phone reception degrades and maintaining batteries gets more difficult. It's possible being able to function without them during crisis will become an advantage. 

While we're all picking this apart in hindsight, do you have a trauma kit in the car? What if the driver had been adjusting something heavy and dangerous and you found them trapped with a crushed limb? Could you throw a tourniquet around the limb if the bleeding was bad? Or have a trauma bandage available if they'd been shot in a robbery? 

Quote from: RoneKiln on December 04, 2022, 11:24:56 AMStress does amazing things for us in the short term. But it will wreck us when maintained long term.

I think if you'd been in, what in hindsight appears to have been the ideal mindset and handled everything absolutely perfectly, it would be a sign of bad health for your life.

You probably should have had your phone on you and remembered you had a good flashlight available. Those are pretty small things though until you start looking back and churning through all the "what if" scenarios that spiral into worse and worse possibilities. But in all the more likely possibilities they don't matter.

It wasn't very long ago that we didn't have those phones and small quality flashlights available. Many of us don't have it ingrained into us that such conveniences are "normal" yet when stress hits. We may soon be in a world where phone reception degrades and maintaining batteries gets more difficult. It's possible being able to function without them during crisis will become an advantage.

While we're all picking this apart in hindsight, do you have a trauma kit in the car? What if the driver had been adjusting something heavy and dangerous and you found them trapped with a crushed limb? Could you throw a tourniquet around the limb if the bleeding was bad? Or have a trauma bandage available if they'd been shot in a robbery?

Those are all some very good insights.  The FAK does have a pressure bandage, but not a tourniquet.  Had that been needed, I would have had to use my belt, most likely.

QuoteStress does amazing things for us in the short term. But it will wreck us when maintained long term.



I think if you'd been in, what in hindsight appears to have been the ideal mindset and handled everything absolutely perfectly, it would be a sign of bad health for your life.

Yeah, being too "high strung" didn't work well for Johnny Ringo.  

Seriously, though, being aware of one's surroundings without being permanently on-edge, and being able to adapt to changing situations is definitely better than constantly expecting the worst.  I think you're absolutely right about that.