Blinded by the lights - night time driving

When I got my new car with xenon lights (whatever they are!). I got loads of flashes from other cars who must have thought I had full beam on when I definitely didn't - after a while it stopped as I assume the initial brightness got less.

I drove a lot at night in the countryside and the lights are amazing for me as the driver but obviously over right for other drivers.

Factory fitted LED headlights are self adjusting and have to be by law to suit the load of the vehicle. No adjustment.

Retrofit is another matter however, most retrofit LED lights are likely to be illegal if non-levelling.

My latest car has VW IQ light, you can drive with full beam on constantly and the headlights are split into segments which go out to stop the incoming driver from being blinded whilst maintaing full visibility. I've had no issues of folk flashing me yet and I do a lot of night time driving. So I'm hoping it works...

"Yeah, that comment was regarding brightness though. I may have misunderstood though."

If headlights are adjusted too high they will appear bright.

Yeah, that comment was regarding brightness though. I may have misunderstood though.

I changed to a 20 plate car from an 08 last year. Old one had a wheel. New one doesn't have anything. It's just set.

I think the design of many cars doesn't help. SUV for sure and the bluddy monster truck wanna be pickup trucks which seem unfathomably popular in an urban area. But some of the smaller cars also have lights sat high up .. one of the minis does and they're awful. Plus going over speed bumps or hills, it's like being flashed.

Though I have to confess, I had accidentally put my fog lights in in new car without realising. New cars are great for doing things for you, but it does make us less aware I think, or at least we make assumptions.

Not sure how old you are, but I've been noticing more glare at night and have been struggling a bit. Apparently I'm developing cataracts, so that cheered me up no end. I'm 52 ☹️

Not just us, then! My OH can manage driving at night but I can't do it any more. Will try the yellow glasses though.

We got a new car in 2021 and noticed that we were getting flashed at night, as if the full beam was on. Checked the headlight settings and they were set too high, so turned them down and we stopped being flashed at. I wonder if new cars have their headlights set at too high a level?

I really struggle with it. Some lights are absolutely blinding. Even with the drive costing on my glasses, it's still an issue.

Oh and has anyone noticed recently cars not having rear lights on. I flash them t switch lights on then you realise their headlights are on but nothing at the back. Is it a new car thing?

Also struggle these days. Remember inwardly laughing at old' ladies who wouldn't drive in the dark . Now I am one!

I have astigmatism and very short sighted.

They've recently replaced our street lamps and they're so bright it looks like day! I worry for hedeghogs and birds who need the dark

I find it almost impossible to drive in the dark, and sadly my job requires me to drive at around 6am which is usually very dark in autumn and winter.

I can’t judge how close cars are to me side by side IYSWIM?

So many roads have no lighting, it’s horrible.

OP - I now have Manfred Mann as an ear worm thanks to your title 😹

Me too! There’s a country road I drive often at night and I have to come pretty much to a stop because I can’t see where I’m going.

This would be a very successful campaign I think! Couldn’t agree more. I wear glasses to drive (with anti glare coating) but in my little hatchback am constantly dazzled, especially if the car is coming over a hill towards me.

Most cars have a way to adjust the lights according to how heavy the load in the car is. For older cars it is usually a little wheel, usually beside the steering wheel column; for more modern cars it is more likely to be electronic and may be automatic.

We have a new car and have noticed how much brighter the lights are - which is great for us driving of course, but I have astigmatism and really suffer from others' bright lights so I'm going to come down firmly on the side of A.

There's a particular 'bit' on my journey home where it goes from street lights to dual carriageway to country road and it's unbearable.

They will be ‘dipped’, when they are not on full beam. I don’t think it’s usual for them to be adjustable beyond that?

If they are stuck on full beam you need to get them mended.

@Gincan they should be able to make your astigmatism a lot better with glasses - see my post above

It is a problem. Lights are getting brighter. I have astigmatism which makes it worse because you get a lot of flare from the lights. I tend to avoid driving more than 10-15 mins in the dark if I can help it because it's exhausting...

Lights are a lot brighter now but I would recommend getting your eyes tested. I was starting to feel really angry and stressed driving at night because I was finding it so hard to see properly. Turns out I had significant astigmatism that wasn’t being corrected by my glasses. Got my new ones at the weekend. The headlights are still too bright but I don’t feel the need to stop every time a car comes in the opposite direction anymore!

The government just need to regulate it, there’s no need for them to be so bright!

Yes A, driving about in my little fiesta among hundreds of SUVs makes it almost impossible to see. I had to stop the other day until a ridiculous SUV type truck had gone past because I literally couldn't see anything. You would think there would be some kind of restriction on how bright they can be.

I do have astigmatism but isn't it corrected by glasses?

Have you started any new medication recently? Sertraline done this to me.

A and also have a theory about newer cars being bigger and higher up, so the lights beam through your window instead of on your bumper/headlight area.

Yes!

And when a car is right up my arse with bright lights so my car is lit up like Blackpool illuminations. I sometimes have to turn my rear view mirror so the light isn't reflecting!

Also lorries with the cabs all lit up!

Definitely A although I'm sure age has something to do with it as well. I'm 50 and have found it harder to drive at night for several years now. I have astigmatism and might give those yellow tinted glasses a go. In the winter I hate my drive back from work.