Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-11-16


hard surfaced roads in the United
States out of total of 2, 273,000 miles
of public roads, or 1913 per cent.
Last year 6,S05 miles of state roads
ing the total of new roads built with
such funds to Jan. l last 80, All miles.
Secretary of the State, Charles d.
Burnes, because of the number of au-
tomobile accidents caused through
dazzling headlights, has issued a
statement telling how the glare" may
be avoided and the danger reduced.
The statement follows:
Numerous motor vehicle accidents
have been caused indirectly by the
dazzling effects of brilliant automobile
lamps. but, strange as it may seem,
the lamp that causes the most dazzle,
or glare, is not necessarily the most
effective and efficient headlight. AS a
matter of fact, the most successful
lamp is one so constructed and adjust
ed that it will direct the greater part
of the projected rays upon the surface
of the road. and not up in the air.
1t must be remembered that the OBJ
ject in view is to illuminate the road
and not the atmosphere above it.
Numerous methods of preventing
headlight glare have been devised, the
majority of which restrict or shade
the light to the great disadvantage of
the motorist.. Night driving with re-
stricted or shaded lamps is positively
dangerous when approaching a pair
of glazing headlamps. 1t is, therefore,
unreasonable to, ask any .motorfst to
alter his lamps unless the law will
protect him against the effects Of
powerful lights on otherzcars. sf
Oddly enough, however, operators
who are put Co annoyance and even
risk, by the glare from others'i lamps,
often are unaware that they them
selves are similarly offending. / am
convinced that the majority of cases
of glaring headlights are the actual
result of ignorance on the part of the
owners, rather than a desire to hog
the road at. Knight, ~ !
5qsH operators would pay as much at
tention to the headlights as they do
to the carbureter or other parts of the
car, the effect of glare could be
reduced to a minimum.
This neglect is excusable when one
considers that few, if any, instruction
books supplied with the cars contain
information regarding the proper care
OF headlights. No great difficulties are
involved in reducing the glaring eff
fects of any lamp to the lowest point
consistent with its design, however
Every electric headlamp, consists of
parabolic, reflector in which is
mounted an electric bulb. If the fila
ment of the bulb is placed at the
focal point" of the parabola, the light
will be reflected in the form of almost
parallel rays. The filaments of cleo
trio bulbs are not mathematical points,
but cover a relatively large area,
whereas the reflector is designed up
on the theory that the source of light
is merely a point. Thereafter, even
with the best possible adjustment OF
the bulb, the light is projected at an
angle depending on the compactness
of the flament.
Filaments of electric bulbs that are
loosely wound cover a considerable
area and are the ones most apt to
spread the light on the road in the
form of rings, while filaments of small
area, such as those employed in the
new nitrogen bulbs, are so compact
that the projected light takes the form
of a small, but powerful, beam. 1t is
advisable, therefore, when purchasing
new bulbs to see that the filament
is as compactly formed as possible.
Almost all the electric headlamps
have a means for focusing the bulb
within the relector-in other words,
moving the bulb in or out so that the
filament may be placed at the focal
point. This adjustment is of great inn
portance, as by locating the bulb in
its proper position the light may be
directed in the best possible manner,
while Shadows or black spots in. the
road may thus be eliminated.
After a lamp has been properly To-
cused it will be noticed that con-