Talk of The Villages Florida

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-   -   Golf Car Headlights (https://www.talkofthevillages.com/forums/all-about-golf-carts-things-156/golf-car-headlights-37290/)

427dave 03-28-2011 09:38 AM

Golf Car Headlights
 
I wish the golf cars out at night would have their headlights adjusted properly. There are a lot of golf carts that you meet that have their headlights aimed directly into you eyes. It is blinding, dangerous and againist the law. On some of the roads if you meet one in your car they are blinding.

Florida State statue 316.238 states:
(a) Whenever the driver of a vehicle approaches an oncoming vehicle within 500 feet, such driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed that the glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of the oncoming driver. The lowermost distribution of light, or composite beam, specified in ss. 316.237(1)(b) and 316.430(2)(b) shall be deemed to avoid glare at all times, regardless of road contour and loading.
(b) Whenever the driver of a vehicle approaches another vehicle from the rear within 300 feet, such driver shall use a distribution of light permissible under this chapter other than the uppermost distribution of light specified in ss. 316.237(1)(a) and 316.430(2)(a).
(2) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a moving violation as provided in chapter 318.

I have mentioned this before and people say, "My lights can NOT be adjusted". Is that a excuse to not obey the law? I worked on golf carts for quite a few years and this is NOT the case. Some headlights on golf carts do not have adjustments and some do. The ones that do NOT have adjustments can still be adjusted. One method is to lossen the mounting screws and space them with popsycle sticks. There are many ways to accomplish this.

Then we have the people that have added additional lights so they can blind the oncoming traffic!!! If you add extra lights put a dimmer switch on them so they can be turned off when meeting oncoming traffic!

It is just completely inconsiderate of the people who refuse to have their headlights adjusted to keep from blinding on coming traffic, weather it is another car or a golf cart. If you do NOT want to adjust them properly, QUIT DRIVING AT NIGHT, This is dangerous. You could blind the oncoming vehicle and they could hit you. So it is dangerous for both. "GET YOUR HEADLIGHTS ADJUSTED!!!!!!"

Autoshow 03-28-2011 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 427dave (Post 341487)
I wish the golf cars out at night would have their headlights adjusted properly. There are a lot of golf carts that you meet that have their headlights aimed directly into you eyes. It is blinding, dangerous and againist the law. On some of the roads if you meet one in your car they are blinding.

Florida State statue 316.238 states:
(a) Whenever the driver of a vehicle approaches an oncoming vehicle within 500 feet, such driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed that the glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of the oncoming driver. The lowermost distribution of light, or composite beam, specified in ss. 316.237(1)(b) and 316.430(2)(b) shall be deemed to avoid glare at all times, regardless of road contour and loading.
(b) Whenever the driver of a vehicle approaches another vehicle from the rear within 300 feet, such driver shall use a distribution of light permissible under this chapter other than the uppermost distribution of light specified in ss. 316.237(1)(a) and 316.430(2)(a).
(2) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a moving violation as provided in chapter 318.

I have mentioned this before and people say, "My lights can NOT be adjusted". Is that a excuse to not obey the law? I worked on golf carts for quite a few years and this is NOT the case. Some headlights on golf carts do not have adjustments and some do. The ones that do NOT have adjustments can still be adjusted. One method is to lossen the mounting screws and space them with popsycle sticks. There are many ways to accomplish this.

Then we have the people that have added additional lights so they can blind the oncoming traffic!!! If you add extra lights put a dimmer switch on them so they can be turned off when meeting oncoming traffic!

It is just completely inconsiderate of the people who refuse to have their headlights adjusted to keep from blinding on coming traffic, weather it is another car or a golf cart. If you do NOT want to adjust them properly, QUIT DRIVING AT NIGHT, This is dangerous. You could blind the oncoming vehicle and they could hit you. So it is dangerous for both. "GET YOUR HEADLIGHTS ADJUSTED!!!!!!"

Headlights on most or older golf carts are not adjustable,unless you tinker with them yourself,they can be lowered by shimming up the top of the light or frame that holds the headlight.

macro 04-16-2011 08:26 AM

I Agree.....
 
It would be nice if some of these carts would have their lights adjusted. As I get older I notice night driving gets harder with headlight glare, dirty windsheilds, rain, etc.. Meeting a cart with extremely bright lights on bridges, narrow paths (like the bridge to Sumter), and tunnels can be very scary and dangerous. Bright lights behind you can also be blinding in your mirrors.
My question is how to address the problem of 6-8 volt batteries. Lights are designed for 12v and with 8v batteries, you have a choice to run the lights at 8v or 16v. I know you can install a converter for around 130-150 to give a 12v output that balances the load across the whole batttery bank, but that isn't always a viable option. So, what do we do?

P.S. BTW Dave, Where is Lakewood?

Shimpy 04-16-2011 08:33 AM

I fully agree about lights that hit you right in the eye. I'm sure most people are not aware that their lights are doing that.

ajbrown 04-16-2011 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macro (Post 347149)
<Stuff cut from post by Alan>
My question is how to address the problem of 6-8 volt batteries. Lights are designed for 12v and with 8v batteries, you have a choice to run the lights at 8v or 16v. I know you can install a converter for around 130-150 to give a 12v output that balances the load across the whole batttery bank, but that isn't always a viable option. So, what do we do?

When I bought one of my carts it had the accessories powered by 16V (two batteries). My tail lights melted a bit. I do not know if that was caused by 16volts to 12v fixtures which caused heat?? I never looked into as I was rebuidling cart and went with a 48-12V converter.

You do not need to get a 48v to 12v converter, you can get 16v to 12v for much less money. Here is an example:

http://www.everythingcarts.com/p-502...s-28-amps.aspx

The potential downside to this is for folks that use the accessories a lot. You will be taxing the two batteries more than the rest of the pack. If you have no radio, do not do a ton of night driving that reducer should be fine.

raynan 04-16-2011 09:53 PM

In our case, we bought a new Par Car and we didn't know that the headlights were installed upside down until a tech came out for another reason and we asked if the lights could be adjusted because we seem to be lighting up the trees overhead. He said you can tell when the weep holes were up instead of down. FYI.

Bryan 04-17-2011 04:40 AM

FS 316, the law on State Uniform Traffic Control, does not apply to golf carts operated on our multinodal trails. That is why the local law enforcement cannot ticket vehicles on those trails. Once on a public road, different story.

427dave 04-28-2011 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macro (Post 347149)
P.S. BTW Dave, Where is Lakewood?

Lakewood is on highway 32 north of Green Bay about 75 miles.

Zass38 05-04-2011 09:34 AM

High and Low Beam
 
I won a Polaris cart and I have a High Beam and a Low Beam control for the headlights. It is very possible that many drivers do not realize that they are driving around with the high beams, as there is no indication on the "dashboard"

TommyT 05-04-2011 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimpy (Post 347153)
I fully agree about lights that hit you right in the eye. I'm sure most people are not aware that their lights are doing that.

I know mine are shinning a bit high, especially my left headlight. I've looked at trying to adjust them down, but can't figure out or even if they can be moved. We have a 2010 Yamaha.

Several weeks ago, we got behind some slower moving carts in a long line coming back from an evening at LSL. The cart in front of us was a four seater and I really felt bad for the folks in the back seat. So bad that I shut off my lights and just pressed by brakes when a car was coming up from behind. When I got to a spot I could get around them, everyone said "Thanks for switching off the lights".

Shimpy 05-04-2011 04:20 PM

[QUOTE=TommyT;351884]I know mine are shinning a bit high, especially my left headlight. I've looked at trying to adjust them down, but can't figure out or even if they can be moved. We have a 2010 Yamaha.

Your owners manual gives you info on how to adjust them. I have the same year.

Bill-n-Brillo 05-04-2011 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TommyT (Post 351884)
I know mine are shinning a bit high, especially my left headlight. I've looked at trying to adjust them down, but can't figure out or even if they can be moved. We have a 2010 Yamaha. ......

Tommy - PM me if you'd like - I can try to 'splain the process. I had to do this on our '11 Yamaha cart - fairly straightforward process. I couldn't find anything about it in our owner's manual.

Bill :)

JeffBorn 05-04-2011 09:38 PM

I took delivery of my remanufactured 2007 Yamaha last month with new headlights. The left beam was lighting up the top of the tunnels and the carts in front of me were uh-hum well lit. I called the dealer and he told me to use a pencil at the top of the beam to pry and pivot them down. Couldn't make the needed adjustment. The repair rep came out to check on belt noise and he used a screw driver and pryed them down working left to right and back again to get them lowered. Works perfectly and resolved the issue. I parked in front of my closed garage door to see where the two beams were set vertically.


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