To object to being blinded by car headlights

[CrazyOldBagLady]

Is it just me or does everyone else have the problem that many modern cars with LED/xenon headlights, although being great for the driver whose road is well lit, blind any other driver that has to stare at them whether oncoming or beaming straight into the rearview mirror? This is a major safety issue for me at the moment, especially in the dark winter evenings.

Disclaimer: I may have been daft enough to buy a two seater that sits close to the ground, meaning that I'm at the right hight to be staring directly into everyone's headlamps.

[PrimalLass]

It is a problem. But the dipped setting on our CMax is so bad that we are going to have to do something, and better bulbs is the only option really. I hate driving it in the dark as I can't see which way the roads turns more than a few m ahead (back roads, missing lines).

[ladeedad]

I posted about this last year and learnt about tipping my rear view mirror down on MN :)

Fucking london buses are now being fitted with these bright white xenon lights. Why????? Yellow is fine!!

[ladeedad]

And I have been known to pull over when the car behind me has dicklights on and shout at them. It's usually a BMW, Audi, 4x4 or mini.

[Selks]

I hate this too. It's definitely becoming more of an issue.

[BitOutOfPractice]

When I was a kid, there was an ad campaign that said: DON'T DAZZLE. DIP YOUR HEADLIGHTS!

I also find this to be a big problem. Especially on 4x4s which seem to be at a perfect height to dazzle me in my car. I think it's so dangerous.

I wonder if the AA/RAC are on the case with this?

[minkymuskyslyoldstoaty]

see that gives me the bloody rage when those automatic dipped ones don't dip until the last minute.

can those of you with them (ie those with a modern car unlike me ) change the setting to manual then?

if so please do it would help alot

[Bunbaker]

I live in a rural area with many narrow unlit roads. Fortunately the majority of drivers are considerate and dip their headlights. The main problem is that it is hilly, so sometimes it looks like the headlights are on full when they aren't because the car is going up hill and the lights are shining upwards.

[RedButtonhole]

BitOut they should bring that ad campaign back.

I live in a village in the middle of a 40 mile stretch of main road between two towns. Ir's a main road but very bendy and is infamous for collisions. Drivers (especially lorry drivers who use the road in abundance) don't bother to dip headlights when coming round bends or travelling behind people, I have often cone close to ending up in a smash because it's just too hard to judge the bends when you're blinded and can't see them.

[TaliZorahVasNormandy]

This is exactly why I hate driving at night. I live in a small village, so lots of country roads and blind turns. It scares me, because I get blinded by the lights to the point I have to right down.

[TaliZorahVasNormandy]

*slow

[Cornettoninja]

I reckon it's those xenon things that are the culprits.

I travel on buses for my journey home so it's pitch black by the time I'm waiting at the bus stop. You have to keep an eye out for the bus and wave like a loon to get it to stop so are constantly looking into the oncoming traffic.

I'm sure it's affected my eyesight the last couple of years. My night vision is terrible and I struggle to read anything illuminated. Optician gave me a face when I mentioned it though

[MrsSnail]

This has been one of my most frequent gripes in recent weeks, too much of it brings on headaches which wreck the rest of my evening so I'm seriously fed up with it. I was beginning to think there was something wrong with my eyes, thanks for showing me its not just me!

[cricketpitch]

Thank you OP for raising this. I have a low-ish old hatchback and sometimes driving in country lanes am dazzled by oncoming vehicles and as PP have said idiots driving right behind me.

It terrifies me

[dirkdiggler1]

Most modern cars have the low down 'driving lights' - these could be brighter if there is a need for more lighting as they are low and point at the ground

No, they're fog lights and use of them when visability isn't reduced is an offence and subject to a fixed penalty. Millions of numpties driving around with them swiched on. Driving lights are also known as spot lights and are an auxillary set of high beam lights that are only legal when they can be soley operated by the high beam switch.

[wheresthelight]

I whole heartedly agree!! having been ignored by dp yesterday when I said I didn't want to leave Manchester late as I didn't want to drive home in the dark and fog he got carried away at an exhibit with the kids and we drove home over perilous windy roads in the pitch black and thick fog. I could barely see 2 feet in front of me but those bloody xenon headlights were blinding andare infinitely worse by the fog!!

[SlightlyNerdyPianist]

Another one here who is glad to hear it's not just me struggling with this. I'm very light sensitive and these lights are a nightmare for me.
As an aside, what on earth makes these drivers think these lights make their journey safer for them when nobody else on the road can see properly because they're being fucking blinded? Is it that much of a logical stretch to realise that if other road users can't see, then it's not a terribly safe environment to drive in for anybody, including for the twat with the dazzling lights?

[pineapplecrush]

I thought it was me and noticed it this year. A couple of times I've pulled in to the side of the road where I could do so safely to get the car pass me. It's just awful and I don't like driving at night much. I thought my eyesight was going downhill. Really dangerous and inconsiderate.

[agoodbook]

I have always hated driving at night, it is just worse now. Its the reflection in the wing mirrors that gets me. Don't know if it helps, but I was taught many years ago to use the middle white lines /catseyes to centralise the car when driving but when headlights come towards you to slightly look to the white lines on the edge of the road and just check back to the cats eyes - it alters the angle of your eye a bit and helps- maybe people do that anyway ?

[SlightlyNerdyPianist]

Incidentally, I got some new prescription specs last week to help with glare for reading, and they have a slight blue-grey tint to them. I wore them accidentally whilst driving home in the dark and they helped massively. They're not dark enough to be actual shades, but they take the edge of the dazzle. Worth looking at for anyone else

[dirkdiggler1]

So slightly considering that many of these cars will have standard factory fitted lights with self leveling that are completely road legal - what exactly do you propose the 'twats' should do about it?

[PetulaGordino]

There's a difference between people going around with full beam (they need driving education), and people who are in cars with dazzling dipped lights. I don't think the latter can necessarily know that they are dazzling others, unless they find themselves frequently flashed at by oncoming traffic and put two and two together. It's impossible to tell someone in the car behind you that their dipped lights are dazzling you without stopping and getting out, and few people are going to do that.

[TurtledoveTamer]

I have the anti glare coating on my glasses and yet still find that when I'm driving at night the headlights make lines going right up the windscreen and all over the place. I was crawling along at 20 the other night as there was a road closed so lots of traffic on the back lanes and every time a car came the other way I couldn't see a bloody thing.

[ghostyslovesheep]

My car has driving lights - they are automatic and I don't have the ability to turn them off ...totally different from my fog lights

I think all modern cars have them

[lampygirl]

Try properly cleaning the windscreen if you are getting glare on it. I glass cleanered the inside and it was a revolation.

I do most of my driving at night and so picked out a car with xenons and auto dimming mirrors. I could never go back to halogen headlights. never had people flash at me or anything so my headlight levelling computer must be OK. People who leave full beam on (halogen or xenon) give me rage though as that is something they control.

[ghostyslovesheep]

Dirk they are daytime running lights and have been a legal requirement since 2011 - EU regulations

www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/safety/daytime-running-lights.html