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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think headlights are too dazzling?

192 replies

IdiotsIdiotsEverywhere · 14/11/2018 20:42

I hate driving at night and it seems to be worse when other cars are coming in the opposite direction. Driving on a single carriageway this evening on a 60 MPH road and once a few cars pass together I lose complete sight of the road in front of ME!

I've tried switching between contact lenses and glasses & glasses with anti glare but no difference. It's not even the windscreen as using different cars.

OP posts:
bringbackthestripes · 14/11/2018 21:32

Grace212 thanks for the link to the petition.

AlpacaLypse · 14/11/2018 21:32

YANBU. Last night I drove home from Medium Size Local Town that has a branch of Lidl to my home Small Town that doesn't, about 14 miles, at dusk. On the big straight old Roman Road stretch it was horrible, every Audi seemed to be gleaming straight into my eyes. To be fair, Audis were the first to take up these horrible intense blue lights, but since then a lot of other car brands have followed. I appreciate they're very energy efficient, but they're making me and a number of other drivers feel very stressed about driving after dark.

Apparently the total intensity is within guidelines. However guidelines don't seem to include contrast, or momentary flash as they bounce over a tiny hillock in the road.

Abra1de · 14/11/2018 21:32

I had to pay for very expansive lens coating for this problem.

FruitCider · 14/11/2018 21:33

I drive up and down the M5 to and from work, I've just got home and I still have a spot in my vision where the back of my retina had been burned through head lights that are too bright on the motorway despite being home for 15 minutes! Very dangerous imo.

tinyme77 · 14/11/2018 21:33

I agree with you.

Gileswithachainsaw · 14/11/2018 21:36

Yanbu

It's bad enough when they are heading towards you. But then you lool up and are blinded I'm your rear view mirror too.

Those blue ones do my head in also.

Takes one slightly bumpy road and they almost have the illusion of flashing. Makes it really hard to work out if you need to pull over or keep going

hodgeheg92 · 14/11/2018 21:38

YANBU - I also thought this was only me!

CrispbuttyNo1 · 14/11/2018 21:38

“I had to pay for very expansive lens coating for this problem.”

Me too. Bloody expensive!!

Shirleyphallus · 14/11/2018 21:40

Totally agree.

Much worse with a Range Rover sitting behind you, bit higher up but totally blinding in your mirrors from all directions

JustDanceAddict · 14/11/2018 21:41

Yes, it’s very blinding.

MyCakeFellOnTheGrass · 14/11/2018 21:42

I have orange coloured lenses with anti glare for night driving for this reason.

kungfupannda · 14/11/2018 21:42

I'm finding this too. And I also don't understand how the practice of flashing your full lights at people to thank them came about.
'Thanks so much! Here, let me temporarily blind you!'

AlpacaLypse · 14/11/2018 21:42

Oh and I've signed and shared the petition!

AcrossthePond55 · 14/11/2018 21:42

I've had to train my eyes to look straight ahead and not to look directly at them. It's hard because they seem to draw your eye to look right at them. I just sort of 'flick' my eyes towards them for an instant to gauge their position on the road. I also keep my mirror in night position a lot more.

It's worse when you have a low-slung car and the car is an SUV or pickup truck. They either blind you head on, or reflect right into your eyes in the rear view mirror.

Alexandra2018 · 14/11/2018 21:46

Same! I'm constantly blinded I feel like the other drivers are using their fog lights!

cushioncovers · 14/11/2018 21:46

Yanbu especially if it's a four wheel drive as my cars small and low. It blinds me and as a migraine sufferer it can easily trigger one 😢

Spotsbeforemyeyes · 14/11/2018 21:46

I’ve just ordered new glasses and paid extra for what’s called Safe drive lenses. Hopefully they’ll help.

NapoleonsNose · 14/11/2018 21:48

I thought it was just me too or my eyesight getting crap as I get older. I drive home from work down roads where it veers between middle lines and no middle lines. In daylight, I know there's more than enough space for two cars to pass, but at night, when a car is coming towards me, I find it really hard to judge the width of my car. I aim straight, white knuckles on the wheel, and hope for the best!

LuvSmallDogs · 14/11/2018 21:49

I thought it was just me! I don’t drive, but have been out on nighttime walks with Ddog and been so dazzled by headlights I had to wait for my eyes to readjust as I couldn’t see the pavement.

Onecutefox · 14/11/2018 21:51

Same happened to me when I was driving this evening. Two cars had very strong lights. I had to keep my eyes open wide and it was truly scary.

Sunhill4 · 14/11/2018 21:51

I am so relieved everyone feels the same. I thought it was me as I am getting older. Bit paranoid having just turned 50!!

WelshPooch · 14/11/2018 21:52

I bought anti-glare glasses online from Amazon. They are very good and change the white stariness to a gold circle. They are not prescription and cost under £20 I think.

BlaaBlaaBlaa · 14/11/2018 21:53

Yes! Bloody awful. They trigger my migraines.

Nacreous · 14/11/2018 21:55

I also hate this. They need to be dipped lower or something. I keep my rear view mirror dimmed at night, but I struggle with the lights in the wing mirrors.

Arrivederci · 14/11/2018 21:55

I agree with you op and pp. I think it doesn't help how easy it is to adjust the angle, and so many people seem to have theirs on the highest angle 😣. The amount of time I spent hunched down at traffic lights because I'm dazzled from every mirror