Somehow I missed this thread while researching HID's, and I wish I didn't miss it. I was having trouble seeing anything, as oncoming traffic was blinding me constantly, so I thought that I needed to get some brighter bulbs so that I can at least see. Most of the harsh glare that I am getting is actually from the more modern cars equipped with higher intensity headlights.
Needless to say, I was another one of those pathetic n00bs who thought that just purchasing brighter headlights will solve the problem. I have to say, a 35W 5000k HID setup DID solve my visibility problem, although, now with more knowledge, I realize that this isn't best for oncoming traffic.
At least in my defense, I was smart enough to look up the lumens, and out of respect for other drivers, I picked the lowest kelvin rating from the manufacturer that I purchased from. I also made sure that my beam was angled low enough, and stood in front of the car to ensure that I wouldn't blind anyone. Glare seems low, but definitely higher than regular halogens.
So now, because I don't want to rip my HID setup out, and have it sit on my shelf forever, I am looking for a good headlight assembly for HID's... and... that's not going so well. Cheap china quality EVERYWHERE!