Blinding headlights...
Discussion
Following on from the post re illegal HID lights I have been wondering recently what's happened to my eyes. I find it much more difficult recently driving at night as headlights seem so much more blinding than they used to.
My first thought was that maybe my eyes are getting more sensitive in their age. Then I wondered whether it is anything to do with my car windscreen - the car was first released in '94 and maybe the newer windscreens are tinted and mine isn't (This is the olddest car I've had for about 10 years)?? Or is it perhaps these HID light upgrades, which I know little about?
Anyone??
My first thought was that maybe my eyes are getting more sensitive in their age. Then I wondered whether it is anything to do with my car windscreen - the car was first released in '94 and maybe the newer windscreens are tinted and mine isn't (This is the olddest car I've had for about 10 years)?? Or is it perhaps these HID light upgrades, which I know little about?
Anyone??
Diabolik said:
How low is your car? I've realised being in my lower car it is much worse...
Quite surprising how much worse I find this now I sit about 30mm lower in the Audi. Right ballache these days, and the problem is that to accurately tell where the car in question is, you've got to look at it with both eyes and knacker any night vision you'd gained since the last one..Glasses help if you need them.
Also consider getting a piece of smoked perspex 6" square which you can hold in your right hand - to use like a portable sun-glass when needed. I.e. when in use you can see the road in clear but the opposing driver's lights go through the filter before you see them. I sometimes use my hand but a proper shade would be a bit better.
Also consider getting a piece of smoked perspex 6" square which you can hold in your right hand - to use like a portable sun-glass when needed. I.e. when in use you can see the road in clear but the opposing driver's lights go through the filter before you see them. I sometimes use my hand but a proper shade would be a bit better.
Globs said:
Glasses help if you need them.
Also consider getting a piece of smoked perspex 6" square which you can hold in your right hand - to use like a portable sun-glass when needed. I.e. when in use you can see the road in clear but the opposing driver's lights go through the filter before you see them. I sometimes use my hand but a proper shade would be a bit better.
Are you serious??? Also consider getting a piece of smoked perspex 6" square which you can hold in your right hand - to use like a portable sun-glass when needed. I.e. when in use you can see the road in clear but the opposing driver's lights go through the filter before you see them. I sometimes use my hand but a proper shade would be a bit better.
Crusoe said:
When was the last time you polished your glass inside and out, is there lots of scratches on the glass if it has been years since it was replaced?
I haven't polished it properly. Maybe I'll try that. There's a few scratches here and there but the glare doesn't focus on those areas - it's everywhere.Probably a combination of being in a low car and twunts with badly aligned headlights. Was followed by one last night (in the city) who I thought was on full beams, blinding even with the mirror dimmed. Gave him the hazards and didn't turn them off, so put on my rear fogs. Very quickly they turned... to their sidelights. Not sure if they were (VERY) badly aligned or if they just couldn't work out how to pull the light stalk forwards 
freenote said:
Globs said:
Glasses help if you need them.
Also consider getting a piece of smoked perspex 6" square which you can hold in your right hand - to use like a portable sun-glass when needed. I.e. when in use you can see the road in clear but the opposing driver's lights go through the filter before you see them. I sometimes use my hand but a proper shade would be a bit better.
Are you serious??? Also consider getting a piece of smoked perspex 6" square which you can hold in your right hand - to use like a portable sun-glass when needed. I.e. when in use you can see the road in clear but the opposing driver's lights go through the filter before you see them. I sometimes use my hand but a proper shade would be a bit better.
2. Do you ever shield your eyes from the sun? Shielding your eyes from oncoming glare is fine if you can still see where you are going, but a hand is quite opaque - so a piece of dark see-through material should be ideal to reduce the glare. I usually use my hand when people are on full beam or have badly adjusted lights, if you stick to your lane then you are safe, and when he is passed you still have your night vision. It's much safer than being completely blind for seconds at a time IMO.
The worst road for glare IME is the A11 through thetford forest when it's busy, the road is dead straight but you are driving into a huge string of headlamps. Maybe a pair of cut-away sunglasses would be ideal for that, with the top-right corner left as lenses and the bottom left cut away, with a diagonal line left to match the view out? The french used to have yellow headlamps for this reason - I always thought they worked well - wonder why they were dropped?
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