Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Are headlights getting even brighter or is it me?!

214 replies

Riskyrice · 14/11/2021 17:51

Dear god, the season of night driving is always bad, but it seems headlights are getting even worse? Driving home just now was like being attacked by hundreds of torches right in the eye! I've still got white spots.

I do wear glasses and have mild astigmatism, but it's getting to the point where it feels borderline unsafe to drive at night. Is there anything I can do to reduce the dazzling?

OP posts:
liveforsummer · 14/11/2021 20:39

I try to avoid driving after dark now, and as my children are no longer teenagers wanting the taxi service of Mum and Dad I now mostly can do that.

Impossible in Scotland sadly, by next month it will be dark when I leave hoke and dark when I leave work

Asdf12345 · 14/11/2021 20:45

I find it problematic also. Things that help include trying to get the inside and outside of the windscreen as clean as possible, and sticking front fogs on which helps maintain some idea where the left side of the road is when being dazzled at the expense of contributing to the problem for other people.

Don’t try ‘night driving glasses’ they are a completely debunked load of tripe that are no different to wearing sun glasses.

DaisyNGO · 14/11/2021 20:47

@anon12345678901

They are. My car headlights are so bright, people do often flash me. I have to flash back to show I'm not using my full beams, which I'm pretty sure blinds them even more.
OMG

Why would you make it worse?

Can't you change the bulbs?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Driving & parking General health
anon12345678901 · 14/11/2021 20:53

I spoke to Audi and they said they were the standard bulbs conforming to the required brightness. I'm not taking my car to anyone other than the dealer. And I flash them to let them know to stop flashing me, if they flashed once that's fine, but a few times, no I'll then flash to let them know my main beams are not on and to stop flashing my car.

RestingStitchFace · 14/11/2021 20:57

I hear you, Op. I have astigmatism too and driving at night is awful because of the flare. I get so tired SO quickly. I think astigmatism definitely makes it harder. But the LED lights some cars now are also brighter than the standard car light, I think....

DaisyNGO · 14/11/2021 20:58

@anon12345678901

I spoke to Audi and they said they were the standard bulbs conforming to the required brightness. I'm not taking my car to anyone other than the dealer. And I flash them to let them know to stop flashing me, if they flashed once that's fine, but a few times, no I'll then flash to let them know my main beams are not on and to stop flashing my car.
This is an excellent demonstration of the problems caused by these things.
Ricetwisty · 14/11/2021 21:01

@anon12345678901

They are. My car headlights are so bright, people do often flash me. I have to flash back to show I'm not using my full beams, which I'm pretty sure blinds them even more.
Yes it probably does. Brilliant, plenty of people flash me because my lights are causing a danger by dazzling them, so I flash them (which makes it worse) because audi said it was fine. The truth is either that only audi are conforming to required brightness (others it can be hard to see, but not to the extent of flashing them), or the audi garage I have spoken to is wrong. Hmm. It could be the positioning of them rather than the brightness, sort them out though ffs before you cause an accident.
Branster · 14/11/2021 21:02

@Simonjt

They are brighter, but the main issue is that many motorists choose not to adjust their lights properly, why someone would attempt to lighy up air rather than the road in front of them is bizarre.
Exactly that: people don't realise it can be done or don't care to do it, change the angle to light up the road not the air in front of the car. It's very irritating. And dangerous.

I agree to posters above about cyclists too.

I keep hoping that most police car drivers are facing this problem and maybe one day they will take a stand and start a campaign to educate people.

HannibalHayeski · 14/11/2021 21:06

I keep hoping that most police car drivers are facing this problem and maybe one day they will take a stand and start a campaign to educate people.

It'll happen around the time they actually bother to tell people off for just sitting in the middle lane on the motorway...

StealthPolarBear · 14/11/2021 21:09

I'm so ao reassured to read this. Was stafting to think it was me.

DaisyNGO · 14/11/2021 21:09

Branster "Exactly that: people don't realise it can be done or don't care to do it, change the angle to light up the road not the air in front of the car. It's very irritating. And dangerous."

One poster has already mentioned not being taught but I was taught, maybe it depends on the instructor.

Most people drive like they don't give a crap, which i find weird, but I also can't believe cars have screens where you can read your Twitter feed etc.

NeverDropYourMoonCup · 14/11/2021 21:11

@Gindrinker43

As an emergency driver we are taught to apply the handbrake when in stationary traffic to prevent dazzling the driver behind. Good advice for everyone
We were rearended by somebody because they thought the brake lights going off meant it was time to move again - onto a roundabout that was absolutely full of stationary vehicles.
kowari · 14/11/2021 21:12

Halfords website under 'bulbs' and they have ads saying 'upgrade to a brighter headlight' and 'upgrade to a whiter headlight' ffs. What kind of selfish people are actually choosing these bulbs?

DirtyDancing · 14/11/2021 21:13

Yes! omg literally thought just earlier in the week- is it me or has everyone got their full beam on?!

IreneSmith · 14/11/2021 21:13

[quote Simonjt]@BertieBotts Headlights need adjusting frequently, if you usually drive alone and have adjusted them correctly, you would need to adjust them if you had four passengers, or even a heavy load in the vehicle.

If you aren’t adjusting them you are likely guilty of dazzling other road users.[/quote]
My SUV doesnt have adjustable headlights. Volvo XC60 LED Headlights.

At least not without physically opening the bonnet, and realigning the headlight fittings.

HannibalHayeski · 14/11/2021 21:22

Er, yes it is

Ignorance in not a good look...

DaisyNGO · 14/11/2021 21:23

I don't understand some of the responses to brake lights being described here.

Never your brake light going off was literally interpreted by someone as "go"?

thetombliboo · 14/11/2021 21:24

I was driving the other night on a country national speed limit road. I was going down hill as a car was coming towards me uphill
My main beam was off. The other car started flashing and beeping at me. I have a newish car and I can only assume I was blinding them. They swerved at me when we passed which affected me for the rest of the drive as I had my 3 DC in 😞
I flashed back to show I didn't have them onbut no change.

Rummikub · 14/11/2021 21:24

@HannibalHayeski

I keep hoping that most police car drivers are facing this problem and maybe one day they will take a stand and start a campaign to educate people.

It'll happen around the time they actually bother to tell people off for just sitting in the middle lane on the motorway...

I once witnessed a police car instruct a middle lane hogger move to the left on the motorway. I cheered!
DaisyNGO · 14/11/2021 21:26

@thetombliboo

I was driving the other night on a country national speed limit road. I was going down hill as a car was coming towards me uphill My main beam was off. The other car started flashing and beeping at me. I have a newish car and I can only assume I was blinding them. They swerved at me when we passed which affected me for the rest of the drive as I had my 3 DC in 😞 I flashed back to show I didn't have them onbut no change.
Does this not make you decide to check your lights, are you using them correctly, should they be altered etc?
Ricetwisty · 14/11/2021 21:26

@DaisyNGO

I don't understand some of the responses to brake lights being described here.

Never your brake light going off was literally interpreted by someone as "go"?

I read it that the person thought they had removed their foot from the brake to start moving forwards, rather than considering they were applying the handbrake, as evidenced by the car erm...not moving!
Ricetwisty · 14/11/2021 21:28

@thetombliboo

I was driving the other night on a country national speed limit road. I was going down hill as a car was coming towards me uphill My main beam was off. The other car started flashing and beeping at me. I have a newish car and I can only assume I was blinding them. They swerved at me when we passed which affected me for the rest of the drive as I had my 3 DC in 😞 I flashed back to show I didn't have them onbut no change.
Check your lights! Although generally a lot of cars have brighter lights now, if someone is flashing and your dazzling them to the point they are swerving, it sounds like it's excessively so.
DaisyNGO · 14/11/2021 21:28

Rice yes, so did I.

But that is a very strange thing to do.

coachmylife · 14/11/2021 21:28

Brighter! Look at this insane ad for Mercedes super bright headlights

digitalsynopsis.com/advertising/mercedes-benz-intelligent-light-system-more-visibility/

Ricetwisty · 14/11/2021 21:29

@DaisyNGO

Rice yes, so did I.

But that is a very strange thing to do.

It doesn't surprise me much unfortunately, the standard of driving seems pretty low at the moment, not sure why!
Swipe left for the next trending thread