Driving at night does everyone find it hard

CoastingHatbox

I think this is a problem exacerbated by incredibly bright headlights on modern cars. Your eyes are regulated by the brightest light source in the field of vision so as to avoid glare and damage to retinas. This means it is more difficult to see anything in the unlit portion of the view.

Take a night time walk in an unlit area - after 20 minutes or so it's amazing what you can see and make out. Then turn on a torch. Turn the torch off. You will be surprised at the difference.

I had a VW Caddy with truly awful headlights. Well, they were fine on a quiet road - I could see quite well by them. Until a modern BMW drew up behind me and started tailgating me. I couldn't see a thing because of the shadow of the van itself cast on the road and had to pull over into the next lay-by to let them pass / let my eyes re-adjust.

Spinybif

There are different types of cataract, some cause problems earlier than others. Normal eye tests only test vision at high contrast / no glare which is the opposite of night driving. Also some chains are only interested in selling you glasses, why refer for surgery if you can sell new pairs every time your prescription changes.

Risk of surgery - coming out no better than you went in 1 in 200.  Complete loss of sight 1 in 2000 and is the reason they only do one eye at once - you can legally drive with one eye once habituated ( 3 months) and informed the DVLA. NHS England do a very good guide to cataract surgery - google NHS England - making a decision about cataract surgery.

Be aware some CCGs have tried to impose vision standards for accepting people for surgery - usually 6/12 (driving standard), but NHS England have said this is not allowed although they all use an EUR ( economic use of resources) to decide eligibility. 

If you decide surgery is not for you talk to your optician about specialist night driving filters - the best known ( & most expensive) is the Zeiss Drivesafe which has now been copied by other manufacturers.

mgfvvc

Longwalker said:

And that is really what driving is all about, learning the route, by repetition. You know how to get to work, you know how to get to town. The next route you learn is work to town.

I find that approach to driving disturbing. Driving is about reading the road and anticipating hazards, not learning routes.

On familiar routes you may be better because you know where the usual hazards are, but you may also be complacent and miss a great deal because "nothing has happened here previously".

A competent driver who can read the road can handle unfamiliar routes without having to learn them.

diystarter7

mgfvvc said:

Longwalker said:

And that is really what driving is all about, learning the route, by repetition. You know how to get to work, you know how to get to town. The next route you learn is work to town.

I find that approach to driving disturbing. Driving is about reading the road and anticipating hazards, not learning routes.

On familiar routes you may be better because you know where the usual hazards are, but you may also be complacent and miss a great detail because "nothing has happened here previously".

A competent driver who can read the road can handle unfamiliar routes without having to learn them.

Hi

The highlighted bit. Sure they can but clearer road markings etc do help, go a long way to help.
EG, rally drivers have a co-pilot telling them what is ahead. Drivers get warnings re sharp bends, slippery surfaces, dual lanes merging, etc, etc.  The majority of drivers are "competent" but the fact remains that clear signs aids all drivers.

I agree with the "complacent" bit as many just speed along on the motorway in the dark as in good light until the hit the debris in the road.

Thanks

Grandad2b

Grey_Critic said:

It would be a lot better if headlights were correctly aligned.

I have number of theories about this.

1. LED headlights are much brighter which makes them intrude more when you're facing them.
2. There's more light spill from LEDS 
3. Some vehicles automatic dip systems don't work.
4. A small number of vehicles do need their headlights aligning 
5. It's becoming impossible for drivers to turn off their lights when they stop on the wrong side of the road e.g. to drop off a passenger which means oncoming drivers are blinded even if the lights have been dipped.

Grandad2b

MikeJXE said:

I'm 82 and have cataracts and my optician referred me for surgery and told me I am on the borderline and must wear glasses, that was July 2021, I saw My optician agin this year and had new glasses that I wear for driving, I got to the top of the queue in August and asked to go in for what you might call a pre-op. After reading the paperwork I am going to have to sign, like, could bleed, could have complications, could need other surgery. What did me was the last item, could lose my sight, I rang them and cancelled. My sight is more precious to me than my life 

I hope you see sense before you lose your sight to the cataracts. Of course they have to list all the possible complications. Did you think to ask how many cataract operations they perform each year and how many of those result in the patient losing their sight?

Grandad2b

Keep_pedalling said:

Bit of an expensive solution as you would need to buy a car already fitted with them but nothing can beat full matrix LEDs. My ID3 is the first car I have had with them and they are brilliant. I don’t do that much night driving but at this time of year our weekly trip to our daughter’s requires us to drive back in the dark on a mixture of country roads and A roads and I just leave them on auto the whole way back.

Not only do they light up the road ahead they illuminate quite a bit of the surrounding area, so if there are wild animals about you are unlikely to be surprised by one running out in front of you. That still works when you are following another vehicle as the light is only blocked in the immediate area of that vehicle. Works well fo oncoming traffic as well, I have yet to be flashed by someone coming the other way. 

You make my point about badly adjusted lights perfectly. Thank you

born_again

Can anyone else remember being trained NOT to look at oncoming lights? You look to the left of them.😶‍🌫️

SergeantBaker

born_again said:

Can anyone else remember being trained NOT to look at oncoming lights? You look to the left of them.😶‍🌫️

Now you mention it, yes I can.

diystarter7

Hi

I've been looking researching night glasses thought I am a bit dubious. I wear glasses with anti=glare for all driving

Have you tried similar glasses or same and what do you think?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Polarized-Reducing-Anti-Glare-Sunglasses-Protection/dp/B07DBM8N8H


Thanks