I can't drive at night

[Ilovechintz]

Just got home from seeing a friend, journey took much longer as I had to keep slowing down because oncoming lights of traffic were blinding me.

Last year I have not liked driving at night, this evening was first time in a few months and it seemed so much worse. Anyone else feel like this?

I was on the A303 and A358 which I found hardest, then on the M5 which was ok.

Get your eyes tested; there's all sorts of stuff it could be so best get them out of the way: cataracts, diabetes, glaucoma.

Yep, I buy 99p yellow safety glasses from screwfix or B&Q, I wear contact lenses anyway, so these just go on when it gets dark - you can get prescription ones, but rubbish with losing glasses so just wear contacts all the time and whatever sunglasses/tinted glasses I need x

@cleowasmycat Thank you Im definitely going to try some, Im 45 and had my eyes tested last year and she said they were good.

I really don't want to have to not drive at night, seems so impractical.

They have undoubtedly get brighter. It's a nightmare and an accident waiting to happen

I really struggle. I only need glasses for when I do a lot of computer work and I had my second pair with a tint on for nighttime driving but they don’t help.

These are £1.53 a pair online - godsend!

I think they’re brighter too as they’re LEDs aren’t they?
And yes SUVs are worse due to their height. They should be angled further down imo.

Painfully bright.

I can’t drive at night with contact lenses. I have to have my glasses as they cover the astigmatism better. I find looking at the curb to stay aligned on the road helps until the lights pass.

Get an SUV so you are above the lights and make sure your windscreen is tinted to the maximum allowable. I've recently had a curtesy car that had a yellow film on wing mirrors and rear it's was amazing.

@PragmaticWench Thats what im concerned about, just completely losing the ability. Im a confident driver, driven in India, Dubai and in central London, but at one point I was seriously considering stopping at a Travel lodge and going home tomorrow morning.

I struggle too

I find oncoming headlights just turn into bright starbursts and dazzle me

I have to kind of squint which is horrendously tiring and scary so I limit my night driving as much as possible

I had to get glasses to correct my astigmatism for night driving a few years ago. No more starbursts and driving is at night is not a problem anymore.

I don't live near you but if it's any consolation it's the same in Northern Ireland. Bonkers and very dangerous

On another thread a poster suggested looking down to the left
I tried it when I saw oncoming traffic and it did help.

SUVs should have dimmer lights perhaps. Or ban the sale of super bright lights.

Oh god yes! Those massive cars with their super bright headlights shining right into my eyes. Especially bad when it's pouring with rain.

I hadn't thought about the yellow glasses- I will investigate!

I understand that Chinz

It really passes me off

I had this exact conversation with my friend earlier when we were driving home. My Dad says newer cars have LED lights, that's why they're so much brighter. I need to see if you can get prescription glasses for driving at night.

Apparently that’s the difference, but no clue how accurate it is because I only see the bottom one 😂

Astigmatism does usually come with being short or long sighted though, so even if you got them checked last year you might want to get them done again if it’s new.

@Blackeyesbluetears I really don't blame her, its the going from single lane to double all the time and the fast speed, which obviously I get as its a dual carriageway. They are doing a lot of works on it so maybe that will help.

Yup - flare is worse with astigmatism. I don't drive at night if I can possibly help it. Sounds pathetic but I can't see well enough so not driving is eminently sensible.

I am perfectly capable of town, country, motorway, fast, slow any kind of driving as long as it's daylight.

The cheap ones are like very unfashionable sunglases that just wrap around your regular specs. I paid about £7. But I also have astigmatism and a cataract (getting it done soon woohoo!) I do feel it's the cataract as it was found about 4yrs ago and night driving only became difficult 5yrs ago-ish. Ugly glasses but hey! It's dark out who can see them?

@UnattendedPotato Yes exactly who cares what they look like! I think get my eyes tested again just in case and get some tinted glasses.

There are a few conditions that cause this. Cataracts. Astigmatism. Keratonconus. Dry eyes. I have all of them and really struggle with night driving.
Plus stupidly bright LED headlights on SUVs. They need to be outlawed. So many people are struggling with them.

They really do need to be outlawed! Think they started appearing within the last 5 years.

Yes. I have an astigmatism and wear varifocals. I don't feel safe driving at night anymore.
Not helped by some cars having blinding headlights and cyclists with strobing lights, they need banning.