Not stupid at all. On wet pavement (rain probably wasn't the best term) you can barely even tell they are on. Granted they will still illuminate more reflective objects, it's just not very confidence inspiring. I believe this has to do with the blue coating.

 

I put the Nighthawks in mine, so far have been impressed (they have no coating on the bulb). The blue coating on the Silverstars filters out light, making them appear "whiter" but they really aren't any brighter. The yellowish headlights are good in fog and rain, that's why many European cars have yellow fog lights.

Do a search on google groups on this topic, loads of information.