Originally Posted by
Llamero
This is why I like to wear a retroreflective vest. The light returning back to the driver is directly proportional to the light they shine at me; they high-beam me, I high beam them back (I have had many cars switch to low beams when they get near me, it really works!). My headlights serve only as a back-up in case their lights are not yet shining at me, and, just like with car headlights, all of my LEDs point towards the ground and never shine directly at the driver.
I'm not a believer in passive lighting. There are too many situations...cars coming from side streets or cars coming over hills as examples...where the car's lights might not hit your reflectors until too late. There's nothing wrong with having reflectors as back up...and they are usually required by state laws...but, personally, I rely on active lighting over passive.
Looking at your picture, I'd say your lights are a little high. It could be a trick of the camera. Mine are aimed about 2 car lengths ahead for the hotspot on the bars and about 2.5 car lengths ahead for the helmet light.