to hate driving at night

[frenchisbest]

I passed my test 10 years ago.. And think i am a goodish driver during daylight, even in bad weather or motorway... But at night, I am awful, I just cant see properly, get blinded with the glares of other cars, get nervous on a roads with loads of bends and stress so much because i am holding the traffic as i am driving so slow... Just today a hour drive through the country from a family party turned into 1 and half hour of hell after the sat nav decided to send me through the tiniest lanes and just the biendiest country roads.. I could feel myself sweating and shaking... And felt even worse since i had my 2 little ones in the car.. And cant not drive as my partner has a condition which doesn't allow him to drive and live in a village...
Please tell me I am not the only one...

[IloveJudgeJudy]

Try kind of looking to the nearside verge and not into the headlights of oncoming cars. My DM used to have a bit of trouble with this. Do you wear contacts? If you do, you might find it better to change to glasses if you have to drive at night. I don't know if the AA or IAM (Institute of Advanced Motor..) do special driving at night lessons.

I also think that you're building it up in your head to worse than it is. Don't rely on sat nav. If your partner can't drive, he can map read. Maybe changing from looking at the satnav to looking at the road isn't doing you any good? I don't have a satnav, we rely on maps here .

[BuntyPenfold]

Nope, me too, I hate it :(

[frenchisbest]

Nope,no glasses or contacts... but will try your trick of looking on the verge side, as for the sat nav.. nearly trown it out of the window yesterday and currently on e-bay...so should buy a map when next into town... thank you very much all the same...

[PercyFilth]

I hate it too. I find it very hard to judge distances at night, eg joining a main road from a slip road I can't tell how far away the oncoming headlights are ...

And lights from the car behind dazzle me in the mirrors, if I avoid the main mirror they get me in the wing mirrors.

And when alone in the car I get spooked when a car behind me seems to be flashing its lights - I know it's just an effect of bumps in the road but I get all jumpy.

[BaronessBomburst]

Do you have blue eyes? My DM, who has blue eyes and struggles to drive at night, read in a scientific journal that it's to do with the rods and cones in the eye not reacting as quickly to the changes in light/ on coming cars and it's this that causes the dazzling. Apparently other colour eyes are less prone.

But I agree, ignore the satnav and stick to the main roads - it's much easier at night.

And YANBU to hate it. YWBU if you let it limit your life though.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Definitely look at the left hand verge. Even country lanes have a continuous white line painted along the edges for that purpose. Try to drive positively and assertively rather than creeping along timidly because it's safer. Put the main beam headlights on if there's nothing oncoming or in front of you so that you can see where you're going clearly. Flick them off again if something is coming the other way.... which is easier to see at night.

And make a concerted effort to get out and drive in the dark more often rather than avoiding it. Like any other skill, you get better the more you do it.

[PercyFilth]

Even country lanes have a continuous white line painted along the edges for that purpose

They certainly don't where I live.

[Pixel]

I've not seen many country lanes round here with white lines I must say. That's interesting about blue eyes, mine are blue and I have terrible trouble seeing properly when I drive at night, whether in town or not. I get a really bad 'starring' effect from all the lights. I've discussed it with my optician and have a special coating on my glasses but it doesn't seem to help much.

[AriesWithBellsOn]

"Country lane" to me indicates single track road sometimes with grass growing down the middle. They certainly don't have white lines.

[Aquilla]

I feel the same way! It may make you feel better to know that women's night vision is poorer than men's. I read that snippet in one of those 'Men are From Mars' type books. So don't feel too bad. Just slow down until you learn the roads better.

[valiumredhead]

No white lines on lanes round here either

YY to looking at the verge though - very useful tip I learned on MN and works a treat. I realised I was staring AT The headlights. Doh!

Get your eyes tested - I recently had mine tested and need them for driving and also have an anti glare lens, I can't tell you how much of a difference it has made.

[gordyslovesheep]

I drive looking slightly to the left avoiding the on comming lights

I don't mind night driving although it is tiring but I do hate headlight glare in my mirror - and people who have foglights on to compensate for having no actual working lights etc!

[LadyWellian]

That's interesting about the blue eyes. I always thought it was something to do with my glasses, but I get really dazzled too. Dark and raining is even worse.

[valiumredhead]

Blue /grey eyes here too. Interesting!

[Tortington]

i was prepared to come on here and say - stop being a girly whimp cliche - but actually ...
YABVR to admit that your shit driver at night

so if you would stop driving at night - that would be excellent

[LadyWellian]

Custy obviously has brown eyes

[Mmmcoffee]

I had rotten night vision, not dangerous but had to squint and really concentrate when driving at night. I wore contact lenses; it was better if I wore my glasses but I hated driving in glasses as they were really thick and distorted my vision at the edges.

Then I had LASIK, which left me with halos and utterly shit night vision for about three months. I didn't drive at all at night then, as I literally could not see the road if another car came towards me with headlights on.

Now my night vision is brilliant and I have no problems.

You should be commended for admitting you can't see at night - and you should absolutely stand your ground and not drive at night if it makes you uncomfortable about your safety. I wish more people were as sensible as you sound.

[PercyFilth]

I don't have blue eyes, and only need specs for reading. I must just be a wuss. :(

[QueenOfAllBiscuitsandMuffins]

I have brown eyes and hate driving at night, find distances/speed really difficult to judge.

[NettoHoHoHoSuperstar]

I've had my (first ever) car for three weeks now and still haven't dared drive it in the dark.
I want to get completely used to it during the day first, and as it's been Christmas/New Year I've not taken it out much at all.

[deltashad2]

We have three cars, two of them have really crap headlights. They are both incredibly scary to drive at night, I never look into oncoming cars headlights, the secret also is 'don't panic'. Just look ahead, when the car passes the road will come back to life. I have to say though we recently bought a Mercedes and its lights are magic. I can see perfectly. You could try buying better quality brighter bulbs from Halfords, they are a bit more expensive but make a lot of difference, also, without sounding like a ass, if you wash your headlamps regularly this also helps.

[Serenitysutton]

Oh you poor thing, I know how shaky that sort of thing makes people. Fwiw if it's today visability is awful in these storms - I feel sick for cutting someone up this evening- someone who I genuinely hadn't seen. I also have blue eyes. I struggle with lane changes in the dark- often headlights from the far lane look as though they are in the lane next to me iykwim?

[Doowrah]

Blue-eyed and also hate driving at night in very much the same way as OP...once had to stop off by the road throw up get back in car and carry on. I feel like i am driving in a tunnel...horrendous you have my sympathy OP.

[mellowdramatic]

I'm not too bad at driving at night but find the new blue-ish HID lights on other cars really dazzle. I really think they should be banned or modified to make safer - they're dangerous 6