Driving at night
Discussion
Interesting and refreshing to see a thread continue where people of good ability and sight are admitting it can be a chore to drive at night and as yet, nobody has waded in to berate and condemn. Give it time.
I had what is becoming an all too regular experience last night. Raining, dark, single track and met a Discovery who stopped to let me squeeze past but I couldn't see a thing such was the glare and intensity of his lights.
I tried to gesticulate for him to turn them off, which is something many rural dwellers around here do whilst you pass... but in the end I reversed back, I simply couldn't see what was in front of me (ie, the ditch!)
Like has need said on the Mini headlight thread, my auto dimming mirror is permanently dimmed on the motorway now and glancing in the door mirror as something equipped with nuke grade lights overtakes is a brave or stupid man's game.
I'm not sure what the answer is, yellow glasses do help reduce some of the glare but don't help with being plunged into blindness for a couple of seconds as something motherships esque approaches and passes at night. My lights are basically useless for those few moments and it's a case of steer ahead, look away from the lights and hope there's nothing in the road. God forbid a child stepped out or somebody was bumbling along or a pushbike as I'm pretty sure they'd under the car.
It's not good and not enjoyable.
I had what is becoming an all too regular experience last night. Raining, dark, single track and met a Discovery who stopped to let me squeeze past but I couldn't see a thing such was the glare and intensity of his lights.
I tried to gesticulate for him to turn them off, which is something many rural dwellers around here do whilst you pass... but in the end I reversed back, I simply couldn't see what was in front of me (ie, the ditch!)
Like has need said on the Mini headlight thread, my auto dimming mirror is permanently dimmed on the motorway now and glancing in the door mirror as something equipped with nuke grade lights overtakes is a brave or stupid man's game.
I'm not sure what the answer is, yellow glasses do help reduce some of the glare but don't help with being plunged into blindness for a couple of seconds as something motherships esque approaches and passes at night. My lights are basically useless for those few moments and it's a case of steer ahead, look away from the lights and hope there's nothing in the road. God forbid a child stepped out or somebody was bumbling along or a pushbike as I'm pretty sure they'd under the car.
It's not good and not enjoyable.
The other issue (and yes, I'm licking a stamp to put on the envelope handing my licence back in now) is that modern cars' beam pattern have a very abrupt edge, meaning that every time they encounter a bump in the road they appear to be flashing you.
Do car designers just not notice stuff like this?
Do car designers just not notice stuff like this?
28 and struggle with glare a lot. I find it's mostly SUV's who are designed so tall that the head lights are blinding to anyone who drives a normal vehicle. A few times on the M6 I've come up against the same Mitsubishi Outlander and I swear it's designed to illuminate my wing mirror. At the right angle I have to fold my mirror in due to the brightness.
didn't they bring in a law that said headlights have to be a certain height off the floor? I'm sure I remember that having something to do with the MG B GT. Can they not introduce a maximum height so we're not all blinded every time we go out at night?
didn't they bring in a law that said headlights have to be a certain height off the floor? I'm sure I remember that having something to do with the MG B GT. Can they not introduce a maximum height so we're not all blinded every time we go out at night?
greenarrow said:
Definitely car lights on moderns are a problem, great for the driver, terrible for those coming the other way...
..and we've definitely gone backwards in many ways. A lot of the modern tech is I think a hindrance to driving and not necessary. My old school analogue Ford Focus highlights the failings of these moderns.... small wheels (and cheap tyres), great ride quality, -feel-some steering, responsive n/a engine. Also the lack of those annoying "driver aids".... auto lights, auto wipers, collision awareness, lane assist. You just don't need them if you're a competent and half awake driver!
Likewise with our mid 00's Fiesta. A wonderful, relatively simple, car. ..and we've definitely gone backwards in many ways. A lot of the modern tech is I think a hindrance to driving and not necessary. My old school analogue Ford Focus highlights the failings of these moderns.... small wheels (and cheap tyres), great ride quality, -feel-some steering, responsive n/a engine. Also the lack of those annoying "driver aids".... auto lights, auto wipers, collision awareness, lane assist. You just don't need them if you're a competent and half awake driver!
Johnnytheboy said:
The other issue (and yes, I'm licking a stamp to put on the envelope handing my licence back in now) is that modern cars' beam pattern have a very abrupt edge, meaning that every time they encounter a bump in the road they appear to be flashing you.
Do car designers just not notice stuff like this?
Noticed exactly this at the weekend. Wondered what was causing it. Also, car interiors have so much light in them (yes, top middle age!). In my daily driver (freelander) there is a dimmer dial and i turn the dash lights down. I was in the motorhome at the weekend and haven't found a dimmer yet - I may have to read the manual (fail), and the high beam light was particularly bright and irritating. The combination of interior and overbright exterior destroys night vision and is very wearing.Do car designers just not notice stuff like this?
(Goes and shouts at clouds😡)
I did delete mine as it was just saying the same but I am pondering the rise of 4be4 of various sizes. Sat in a queue of around 11 cars the other night and most in front were larger 4be4 (from the smaller ones to the big ones). When they are parked up behind you they are bright. Auto dimming helps as does retractable wing mirrors.
(edit, not saying the same as the above, just it is getting worse)
(edit, not saying the same as the above, just it is getting worse)
Edited by Zirconia on Tuesday 19th November 10:04
nickfrog said:
MC Bodge said:
TREMAiNE said:
Clive-sz8cz said:
S100HP said:
ericmcn said:
If you can't drive at night hand your license in, people are unable to overtake in broad daylight or drive at the NSL let alone at night.
Of f
k off you sanctimonious dick.Biker's Nemesis said:
nickfrog said:
MC Bodge said:
TREMAiNE said:
Clive-sz8cz said:
S100HP said:
ericmcn said:
If you can't drive at night hand your license in, people are unable to overtake in broad daylight or drive at the NSL let alone at night.
Of fk off you sanctimonious dick.ericmcn said:
Biker's Nemesis said:
nickfrog said:
MC Bodge said:
TREMAiNE said:
Clive-sz8cz said:
S100HP said:
ericmcn said:
If you can't drive at night hand your license in, people are unable to overtake in broad daylight or drive at the NSL let alone at night.
Of fk off you sanctimonious dick.Davie said:
I had what is becoming an all too regular experience last night. Raining, dark, single track and met a Discovery who stopped to let me squeeze past but I couldn't see a thing such was the glare and intensity of his lights.
It's not good and not enjoyable.
I had the same thing last night. I stopped to let one through a change priority, and their lights were so bright I had to physically shield my eyes with my hands, like it was some sort of alien craft blinding me. Considering modern cars have such intelligent lighting how do they seem to annoy my eyes so much?It's not good and not enjoyable.
The past 4-5 years have seen xenon light (and now LED) become not only much more popular, but also much more irritating. I'm surprised with so much legislation that there isn't more on lighting, and how it affects other road users.
S100HP said:
ericmcn said:
If you can't drive at night hand your license in, people are unable to overtake in broad daylight or drive at the NSL let alone at night.
Of fk off you sanctimonious dick.
Comes on here to lecture other people about driving when he's one of the worst drivers I've ever seen. Going by his videos his driving is truely appalling. Edited by monzaxjr on Tuesday 19th November 10:42
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