Driving at night

[MitchT]

Pica-Pica said:

Jimi.K. said:

Ah yes good point. I've recently switched to an Audi A5 and I have the seat as low as it goes so that explains why I've been finding it worse recently! My rear mirror is almost permanently dimmed at night now as I'm tired of being blinded by drivers behind!

Is it not auto-dim? My 1998 E36 had auto dim back then.

He said it's "almost permanently dimmed" so, perhaps it has auto-dim but it's working overtime. Anyway, I have an E36 too. The auto dim is pretty good though vehicles behind with HIDs - particularly SUVs - are still an issue. It's much worse on my OH's 1 Series though. In the case of both cars it's dazzling via the door mirrors that's a bigger issue. I've taken to repositioning them if I'm driving at night. Means I have to lean a little to use them but at least the intermittent bright flashes cease to be a problem.

[Jimi.K.]

MitchT said:

Pica-Pica said:

Jimi.K. said:

Ah yes good point. I've recently switched to an Audi A5 and I have the seat as low as it goes so that explains why I've been finding it worse recently! My rear mirror is almost permanently dimmed at night now as I'm tired of being blinded by drivers behind!

Is it not auto-dim? My 1998 E36 had auto dim back then.

He said it's "almost permanently dimmed" so, perhaps it has auto-dim but it's working overtime. Anyway, I have an E36 too. The auto dim is pretty good though vehicles behind with HIDs - particularly SUVs - are still an issue. It's much worse on my OH's 1 Series though. In the case of both cars it's dazzling via the door mirrors that's a bigger issue. I've taken to repositioning them if I'm driving at night. Means I have to lean a little to use them but at least the intermittent bright flashes cease to be a problem.

Nope, unfortunately my 2010 A5 doesn't have an auto-dimming rear mirror (not sure if it was available as an option or not). My 2005 Lexus GS300 had both auto-dimming rear and side mirrors which was a brilliant feature that I do miss at this time of year!

[ric p]

I think some of the problem with the most modern and brightest headlights is that they are a very bright but pure and harsh white. Compounding this the beam has very sharp edges rather than fading at the extremes. This over undulating roads appears to give the impression of flashing or brief main beam illumination.

I have pretty good eyesight at +0.25, not requiring glasses, and tested every 6 months through a work medical but still struggle occasionally, especially when tired.

I'm currently wearing a variation of these at night and they do take the edge off the intensity:
https://www.fostergrant.co.uk/foster-grant-uk-nigh...
But you do have to accept you look a fool (or a singer in a once great but now pompous band)
Have read up about the slightly unconvincing science but they do seem to help. And for £15, had to be worth a try for my nearly 50 year old eyes.

[Total Drivin]

RemyMartin81D said:

You've not suffered until you've ridden a pre facelift fzs600 fazer. They are outrageously bad.

Agreed. I fitted these to mine.



Best mod I did.

[Pica-Pica]

Robmarriott said:

Pica-Pica said:

If oncoming traffic headlamps are too bright - you don’t have to look at them, you know! As you drive, your eyes must be scanning everywhere, and that includes the kerb-side. If you feel blinded by headlamps, direct your eyes to the left hand edge of the road and focus there. That will help a lot.

Nonsense, your pupils narrow to compensate for the brightness so the darker bits appear darker, that's the problem.

Old halogen lights were dimmer, high pressure sodium street lights were dimmer and a combination of those meant that you could see more at night, despite what you'd think.

Works for me, so not nonsense for me.

[Mr E]

I genuinely thought my eyes were going. All sorts of difficulty with oncoming headlights.

Then I bought a car that didn’t have a screen more pitted than the surface of the moon, and my optician pointed out that my glasses were 4 years old and buggered.

It’s much better with those corrected. It might be your eyes. But it might be something else.

[MitchT]

Good point. The screen on my E36 is scratched to buggery. The whole car needs a refresh which it's going to get as I've had it from new and am really attached to it, so it'll get a new screen. That should help a lot as it's clear sometimes that the light from oncoming vehicles is getting caught in all the tiny scratches and creating a sheet of light across the whole screen.

[RemyMartin81D]

Total Drivin said:

RemyMartin81D said:

You've not suffered until you've ridden a pre facelift fzs600 fazer. They are outrageously bad.

Agreed. I fitted these to mine.



Best mod I did.

more details please!

[Butter Face]

OP, get some cheap yellow safety goggles, like these..

https://www.diy.com/departments/site-amber-safety-...

I wear them when driving at night and they've solved my issues (I have light hazing which will eventually become cataracts) worth a go for £3!

[The Don of Croy]

This is the second winter where I have garaged the MR2 and used my Volvo for commuting, but also wearing cycling glasses (yellow tint and very mild polarisation).

Only an issue after dark and worse if wet - the extra diffraction creates too many bright points.

Never used to be a problem, but aging manifests itself in various curious ways. Also you become aware of the many vehicles with poor alignment, and the super bright lights fitted to current 4x4's.

Bring on the longer days...

[Mr Tidy]

Total Drivin said:

RemyMartin81D said:

You've not suffered until you've ridden a pre facelift fzs600 fazer. They are outrageously bad.

Agreed.

No, you've not suffered until you've ridden a 1970s RD Yamaha with a 35w headlight! Youngsters - don't know how lucky they are!

[lbc]

I wear glasses and hence have no problem driving at night,

The only problem is getting stuck behind other drivers who obviously can't see where they are going, as they are driving too slowly.
These are usually the people that brake whenever a car comes towards them.

[Rich Boy Spanner]

I tend to drive later evening or at night whenever possible, for going to overnight hotels on business trips within the UK and because it's the only time I can get anywhere without endless traffic, and the supermarkets are quiet too. I think 30 years of the M6/62/61/60 etc has made me utterly despise traffic.

[xjay1337]

RemyMartin81D said:

You've not suffered until you've ridden a pre facelift fzs600 fazer. They are outrageously bad.

haha. I can relate
I had one as a commuter bike alongside a Street Triple R

It was awful. I put in Osram Nightbreakers and wired up the bulbs so the dipped part of the 2nd headlight was also on.

This was still terrible. In the end I gave up and rode around with full beams on - Never got flashed , the beam pattern was basically that of a poor set of dipped headlights from a car.

[Jimi.K.]

lbc said:

I wear glasses and hence have no problem driving at night

Sunglasses?

I have anti-glare prescription glasses and even when perfectly clean I find it easier driving at night wearing my contact lenses.

[MitchT]

Butter Face said:

OP, get some cheap yellow safety goggles, like these..

https://www.diy.com/departments/site-amber-safety-...

I wear them when driving at night and they've solved my issues (I have light hazing which will eventually become cataracts) worth a go for £3!

Bought some of these from B&Q this evening and wore them to drive home. They're great. They totally cancelled out the glare of HIDs without compromising visibility.