Mount a spoiler on the back with a highly reflective mirror array designed to bounce back light at a slight upward angle.

This bounces back headlights from following cars with high beams, or ones tailgating, or SUVs. No effect on cars with dipped beam on.

Also, the impact is progressively dazzling as the following car gets closer, so there is plenty of opportunity to switch to low beam before the offending driver is blinded.

Also, I am not aware of any law that prohibits having a shiny car.
-- FloridaManatee, Feb 29 2004

Reverse Headlights (High Beams) http://www.halfbake...ts_20(High_20Beams)
Inspiration, but different [FloridaManatee, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

I'll have to fishbone this one. While the sentiment is understandable, there was a generation of Ford trucks with chrome tailgates. Regardless of the vehicle you were in or the distance you were at, you got blinded if you were behind one. Not practical to tune it to discriminate between innnocent followers or aggressive tailgaters [who often are trying to remind you to speed up or get out of the fast lane].
-- normzone, Feb 29 2004


[reensure] You got it, that's the correct approach. Just enough message to get the point across. If they are capable of getting a clue, they usually respond pretty quickly. If they're not, well, they probably got their license from a cereal box or a state with as many cows as cars.
-- normzone, Mar 01 2004


Re "chrome bumper"

[normzone], that's why I said spoiler. It's as high as the back window and there shouldn't be a beam shining that high.
-- FloridaManatee, Mar 01 2004


Actually it was [ chrome tailgate ]. I don't know if you can rely on beams being that fine-tuned to stay below the level of the top of your trunk lid. Allowing for variation in vehicle height and beam adjustment, the tolerance ranges probably overlap.

Now, with the mirror adjustment recommendations on the two ideas of this type currently being bantered about, I could see a "smart mirror" device that responds to high light levels and automatically adjusts to reflect back at source.

Cadillac had a device that would dim your high beams when you met an oncoming car. Cross that sensor with some measuring and mobility software, and you've got an automated response to high beams behind you. You could program it to reset every few minutes, or pulse annoyingly.

Come to think of it, I want one.
-- normzone, Mar 01 2004



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