Evening star., 1923-10-21
REGULATION CURBS
HEADLIGHT GLARE
Danger, Standard Equip.
i, ment and Other Phases Dis
CuSSed by N. NJ. A. Chief.

:, "Glaring headlights and insufficient
lighting are two of the greatest
menaces to night driving, and. while
every state in the Union is struggling
are being made by authorities and
lighting engineers that before many
years will result in solution that
virtually will eliminate this great
danger" saws Raymond Beck manag-
ing director of the National Motorists
Association.
States are coming to the decision
rapidly that lens properly de"igned
and! placed in from, of the he damp
VIII eliminate glare, provided the
proper focal adjustment of the bulb
Is made and the proper tilt to the
headlamp is given.
THE eastern conference of motor
Vohicle admin niStratorS, representing
eleven northeastern states, long has
been working under this plan and
through its experience is moving in
the direction of other great improve
ments-viz. the recommendation to
the lamp and bulb manufacturers to
use a specially designed reflector re-
quiring precision bulb that will
have. fixed focus, which will not
require the owner of the car having
such equipment to focus his la..Ips SO
long as he uses the precision bulb.
improper FOCAL adjustment at pres
:snt,,1as si,t; In my opinion" says Mr.; Beck,
headlights. The owner doesn't un-
derstand how to make this adjust
ment in some instances, and on a
make adjustment with any degree of
accuracy due TO the cheap construc-
tton
This recalls another vital point
that the National Motorists Associa-
tion-fs engaged in solving, and that is
the suggestion made by our Maryland
club of the adoption of standard
specifications for lighting equipment
OF all makes of cars. from the cheap
est to the most expensive. that will
Standardize the height of the lamps
from the ground to the center of the
bulbs, the method of fitting the lamps
and the method of aiming them
''Reflectors of the same focal length
ard the same dimensions, rigidly fas-
tened to the lamp base instead of
IN ounted on springs, and lamp doors
all fastened in the same fashion;
lie lses rigidly mounted in the doors, SO
they cannot turn, thereby always re-
m aiming In the proper positions; and,
lastly. that the focal adjusting device
be made with such precision that the
bulb base will fit into the reflector
socket without lost play, that the
Tugs on the bulb base will be in such
position that the lamp filament always
VIII be horizontal and that all bulb
adjustments will be made on the out
side OF the lamp with the lenses in
place.
a number or lamp and bulb manu-
facturers already have signified their
Willingness to cooperate with the
conference in carrying out such plans
as soon as the specifications have
been compiled by the lighting COM
mittee of the conference and sub
m tied to 1t for approval.
fThe lens manufacturers are far
In advance of the lamp and bu ID
manufacturers and we need only the
Standardization of lamps and bulbs
to give the motorist something with
which he can accurately adjust lamps
ard. have them remain so in order
that proper driving light will be
thrown on the road where it is needed
and out of the eyes of the approach
ing driver.
THE Washington Motor Club, the
District branch of the National Motor
tsts' Association, has originated the
idea and recently has installed seven
teen headlight testing stations
throughout the District, where motor
ISIS who do not understand how TO
focus or adjust their headlamps may
have this work done by lighting ex-
perts.
We are endeavoring to establish
additional stations as rapidly as we
can determine upon the proper people
qualified to do this work"