Driving at night
Discussion
BrassMan said:
Unfortunately, you get lost in the haze without them. My only crash so far only happened because I was heavily backlit and the chap couldn't see me.
So is the answer then for us all to dazzle each other? Is it ok if I drive on main beam, because I definitely won’t get won’t be lost “in the haze”, will I? RSTurboPaul said:
xjay1337 said:
I disagree . Because generally in "well lit" areas at night IE town centres , due to the higher level of ambient light you are not as easily "blinded" because your eyes have not adjusted to a much darker environment.
Side Lights are very hard to see "at a glance" especially in lines of traffic that have dipped beams on.
Many side lights are way, way too dim, much dimmer than many DRL's.
Also you then end up where some absolute cock muncher is on a wet, dark motorway with their side lights on and no amount of flashing will get them to realise.
So what you are saying is that if everyone used sidelights, one would be able to see each vehicle more easily? Side Lights are very hard to see "at a glance" especially in lines of traffic that have dipped beams on.
Many side lights are way, way too dim, much dimmer than many DRL's.
Also you then end up where some absolute cock muncher is on a wet, dark motorway with their side lights on and no amount of flashing will get them to realise.
Anyway, don't be like Paul. Don't use side lights. What a daft idea.
paulwoof said:
My driver side mirror is also perfectly aligned with any SUV's headlights, Ive been considering tinting it as dumb as it sounds, But having a huge blinding light in your right side of vision is extremely distracting.
I suffer similarly - I'm wondering if a polarising film might be a good option.heebeegeetee said:
BrassMan said:
Unfortunately, you get lost in the haze without them. My only crash so far only happened because I was heavily backlit and the chap couldn't see me.
So is the answer then for us all to dazzle each other? Is it ok if I drive on main beam, because I definitely won’t get won’t be lost “in the haze”, will I? I feel like I'm going to sound old now but I started driving in the mid-90s and traffic after 6pm (outside of 8am to 6pm for that matter) was far less than it is now. I used to drive to rugby training for a 6:45pm meet knowing that I'd hardly see a soul on the 15 mile cross-country trip. I maintain that my Orion 1.6l had the fastest average speed over my ownership of any car I've had!
I did that same journey a couple of weeks ago for the first time in 20 years and the roads are much busier much later so your eyes never adjust to the darkness. The weapons-grade lasers attached to the front and rear of most cars make it impossible. It is an arms race. Plus, people seem to be less courteous in dipping their beams when they see yours approaching. Flashing is definitely required more often and increasingly people revert to full beam before they've even passed! The auto systems are clever, but whilst they protect oncoming traffic from being in direct beam they increase the exposure to having very bright lights in your peripheral vision.
I think when cars were slower, had worse brakes, fewer airbags and s
t headlights people drove slower. Apart from me, in my Orion.
I did that same journey a couple of weeks ago for the first time in 20 years and the roads are much busier much later so your eyes never adjust to the darkness. The weapons-grade lasers attached to the front and rear of most cars make it impossible. It is an arms race. Plus, people seem to be less courteous in dipping their beams when they see yours approaching. Flashing is definitely required more often and increasingly people revert to full beam before they've even passed! The auto systems are clever, but whilst they protect oncoming traffic from being in direct beam they increase the exposure to having very bright lights in your peripheral vision.
I think when cars were slower, had worse brakes, fewer airbags and s
t headlights people drove slower. Apart from me, in my Orion. xjay1337 said:
RSTurboPaul said:
xjay1337 said:
I disagree . Because generally in "well lit" areas at night IE town centres , due to the higher level of ambient light you are not as easily "blinded" because your eyes have not adjusted to a much darker environment.
Side Lights are very hard to see "at a glance" especially in lines of traffic that have dipped beams on.
Many side lights are way, way too dim, much dimmer than many DRL's.
Also you then end up where some absolute cock muncher is on a wet, dark motorway with their side lights on and no amount of flashing will get them to realise.
So what you are saying is that if everyone used sidelights, one would be able to see each vehicle more easily? Side Lights are very hard to see "at a glance" especially in lines of traffic that have dipped beams on.
Many side lights are way, way too dim, much dimmer than many DRL's.
Also you then end up where some absolute cock muncher is on a wet, dark motorway with their side lights on and no amount of flashing will get them to realise.
Anyway, don't be like Paul. Don't use side lights. What a daft idea.
To respond to your first line in your earlier post, I would ask why one needs dipped beam on if there is a higher level of ambient light - presumably a level that is bright enough to let non-motorised users of the highway see where they are going without 2000+ lumens beaming out of the front of them, therefore also permitting adequate forward vision in a vehicle (assuming the Highway Authority has installed appropriately spaced lighting columns and lamp units with a suitable output)?
If the argument is that a vehicle is invisible without 2000+ lumens coming out of it, I fear for the safety of pedestrians.
I would also propose that individuals have eyes that differ - so while you personally might not suffer with glare, that does not rule out the possibility that others suffer glare!
heebeegeetee said:
BrassMan said:
Unfortunately, you get lost in the haze without them. My only crash so far only happened because I was heavily backlit and the chap couldn't see me.
So is the answer then for us all to dazzle each other? Is it ok if I drive on main beam, because I definitely won’t get won’t be lost “in the haze”, will I? 
On Tuesday I drove most of my way home with my hand over the door mirror because the car behind me (a Q5, I think?) had a couple of spotlights on the front. It's lights were dead level against the hedgerows at whatever height it's lights are (four feet?) and my car was casting a shadow.
I guess this is the price we pay for accepting cookies, but it can't be a coincidence that an advert for this company has just appeared on my Facebook timeline 10 mins after reading this thread - https://www.thamesowl.co.uk/products/night-vision-...
JONSCZ said:
I guess this is the price we pay for accepting cookies, but it can't be a coincidence that an advert for this company has just appeared on my Facebook timeline 10 mins after reading this thread - https://www.thamesowl.co.uk/products/night-vision-...
Or get (what is very likely) the exact same for like £6 off Aliexpress.https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33038775245.html?s...
Second Best said:
I'm 29 and I find myself getting dazzled more often than I expected during nighttime driving, particularly by Xenons.
I've always been proud of my eyesight and since the nights have been drawing in I've genuinely been concerned that as I head into my 30s my eyes are losing their edge. I can still read small text from ridiculously long distances but as everybody's eyes are different, perhaps mine suffer more to brightness.
I am nearly 60 and wear glasses mainly just for driving.I've always been proud of my eyesight and since the nights have been drawing in I've genuinely been concerned that as I head into my 30s my eyes are losing their edge. I can still read small text from ridiculously long distances but as everybody's eyes are different, perhaps mine suffer more to brightness.
As most of my driving, 80% is on rural unlit roads, I only own vehicles with HID/Xenon headlights, and I can see perfectly well at night regardless of oncoming traffic.
Without glasses my night vision is very poor and safe driving would be impossible, but in daylight I could get away with driving without glasses but would not be comfortable about it.
I am often frustrated at being stuck behind drivers doing 20mph below the speed limit in the winter months, as either they must have poor eyesight at night, or they are driving a car that is unsuitable for rural driving at night due to poor headlights or dirty/defective windscreen.
MC Bodge said:
I tried my new pair of clip on polarised yellow lenses this evening.
They worked very well. Much better than I expected them to.
They work well for me too.They worked very well. Much better than I expected them to.
I have cataracts in one eye (the other eye has already been corrected). Polarised yellow glasses do the trick for me and I am currently commuting in a Smart Roadster in the dark, 15 miles each way. So my car is lower than a low thing - may be the headlights just go over my head??
Polarised windscreens and headlights wouldn’t be a great idea. https://www.quora.com/Why-arent-headlights-and-win...
Last night was the worst night so far by far...
Relentless drizzle coated the screen as fast as the wipers on the Mustang could clear it, every oncoming car seemed to be blinding...
Plus, last night seemed to be the worst ever for badly parked cars, and pedestrians wandering in the road all dressed in black. On a couple of occasions I had to stop short of a parked car, as an oncoming car was blinding so much, I couldn't actually see the gap, and as the Mustang is pretty wide, you really want to see the gap.
Going to book in for an eye test, invest in a pair of those yellow glasses, and I've also been out this morning and given the windscreen a clean inside and out with fast glass, just in case the local polish boys have used an oily rag on the glass at some point leaving a film which isn't helping.
Relentless drizzle coated the screen as fast as the wipers on the Mustang could clear it, every oncoming car seemed to be blinding...
Plus, last night seemed to be the worst ever for badly parked cars, and pedestrians wandering in the road all dressed in black. On a couple of occasions I had to stop short of a parked car, as an oncoming car was blinding so much, I couldn't actually see the gap, and as the Mustang is pretty wide, you really want to see the gap.
Going to book in for an eye test, invest in a pair of those yellow glasses, and I've also been out this morning and given the windscreen a clean inside and out with fast glass, just in case the local polish boys have used an oily rag on the glass at some point leaving a film which isn't helping.
I spend a lot of time in a van and whilst it's not the answer, being a couple of feet higher than the SUV sort of headlight level definitely helps. Getting back in the car again makes me realise just how bad some lights / cars are for rendering almost blind as they approach. I also agree that dimming as much inside the car helps... focusing on a bright dash then dark road ahead definitely results in a bit of delay as my eyes readjust.
MC Bodge said:
I tried my new pair of clip on polarised yellow lenses this evening.
They worked very well. Much better than I expected them to.
Until I read this thread, I had ummed and ahhed about getting these. I finally bought some (at the extortionate price of £3.60 including postage) and tried them for the first time tonight. So far, I am really impressed. I definitely found the oncoming headlights less dazzling.They worked very well. Much better than I expected them to.
I'm glad so many other people feel the same way, I thought it was just me going crazy. Now own my first car with Xenon headlights which I thought would make a big difference, but they don't (although this could be the car). I casually mentioned it to people at work at they all agreed how difficult it was at the moment, and how ridiculously bright a lot of modern headlights are. As an aside, one of them is Portuguese and mentioned she was surprised how many unlit roads we have compared to over there, which can't help.
A Winner Is You said:
I'm glad so many other people feel the same way, I thought it was just me going crazy. Now own my first car with Xenon headlights which I thought would make a big difference, but they don't (although this could be the car). I casually mentioned it to people at work at they all agreed how difficult it was at the moment, and how ridiculously bright a lot of modern headlights are. As an aside, one of them is Portuguese and mentioned she was surprised how many unlit roads we have compared to over there, which can't help.
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