To ask how the hell to drive in the dark and rain?

[hanketypankety]

So yesterday I got caught driving home in a huge rainstorm. It was dark and I was driving along a main road but in an area surrounded by fields and no street lights. I'm embarrassed to say that I panicked and was crying in the car because I genuinely could not see a thing. To make it worse, lots of cars were either riding up my arse or overtaking me very fast. I eventually came up to an estate and pulled over to quietly have a stern word with myself to pull it together. But I guess I was just a bit overwhelmed that the majority of the traffic continued to be able to drive at the speed limit of 60 quite happily. I honestly could not see the road markings and that road often floods so no idea if and when I would hit a huge puddle and either skid off or flood my car. Any tips? Please be kind as I was genuinely frightened

You slow down and ignore everyone else.

Lots of people don’t like driving in the rain, you will always get drivers who hang on to the tail lights of the car in front- they aren’t looking at road markings.
Have you had a recent eye test?

Do you wear glasses? Wondering genuinely if you might need an up to date eye test.

Also check to make sure your wipers are not wearing out and your lights etc all work.

Other than that, try not to worry about it.

This happens to me sometimes and I couldn't care less if other people are going faster than me. If I can't see, I can't see and I'll go at a speed that is safe.

Chin up x

Could you possibly need glasses? Are your headlights working properly? I drive in the rain quite a bit, I definitely don’t enjoy it but I can always see in front of me so far as the headlights reach (so depending on whether they’re dipped or not). I also slow down a lot especially on the motorway as it’s so easy to skid if you have to break suddenly. There are some idiots who will insist on driving too fast (I just ignore them or if possible let them past) but you should be able to see the road and notice if you’re approaching a big puddle/ obstacle so that’s a bit odd.

I’ve recently bought a newer car and my confidence improved massively due to the better lights, anti-fog and sensitive auto wipers. But there are a number of points to think about; get your eyes checked, practise with all the lights, wipers and other controls regularly in day-light so that using them quickly becomes automatic and lastly, feck the bastards acting like lunatics and continue to drive at a sensible speed for the conditions. Remember they can’t see your face and are simply impatient to get home, it’s not personal.

I don’t like it much either and I have to really concentrate with my face practically on the windscreen! Sounds like you are a fairly new driver so might be best if you have a few practice sessions in the dark to help you feel more confident and also go for an eye test just to make sure you don’t need glasses or a new prescription.

glasses and the best all-weather tyres you can afford. Know how to use your full-beams and know to switch them off if someone is coming towards you.

The trick is to follow someone else and focus on their rear lights.

Im a confident drive and I despise driving in the dark, only thing worse is driving in the dark and rain. I have also cried before and had to pull over to calm myself down.
As pp said, I ignore the others over taking me, I concentrate on what I'm doing and go at an appropriate speed, I'm never slow enough to be a danger, but also never really at the limit.
I lived in a country where even back roads were well lit, so B roads here in the pitch black absolutely terrify me.
It's when cars are coming towards you and even with their low beams on I'm blinded.
No real advice, I just sort of take deep breaths and think about being at home.
But you're not alone.

Sounds lethal. You need much more space between you and the car in front when it's wet, and why are you assuming their eye sight is good and they're not going to drive off the road or into a flood? What happens when they turn off the road? Are you going to follow them home?!

OP you need to make sure you (your eyes and reactions) are working properly, and your car is working properly (tyres, lights, brakes). Drive more slowly to give yourself time to see things and react.

That was @TheNoonBell.

Thank you all. I wear glasses and had a recent eye test. All lights on the car are working as they should be. The rain was just so heavy and constant that it made it impossible to see very far. As a pp said, the lights on other cars were dazzling me and causing more spray. I tried to focus on the car in front to help guide me but they were driving too fast and I soon lost them!

I do leave a good distance to the car in front but the rear lights are a good guide to follow and if they turn I just potter along slower than I would otherwise.

You don't. You slow down and I have been known to pull in and park during a vvvvv heavy rain storm.

I felt exactly the same driving home last night too. One car driving on the other side of the road drove so fast through a massive puddle/area of small flooding that my whole car was submerged with a high volume of water just as I was about to turn a corner on the road and I could not see out of the front or back windows. Freaked me right out.

I feel your pain OP, I had a similar experience yesterday driving on an A road where they don’t have street lights - the rain was so bad, and it was so dark that I couldn’t see much of the road at all. No real advice other than to go at a speed you feel comfortable with, let people overtake you where possible - other drivers can be dicks, try not to let them pressure you into driving faster where it’s not safe

As "tricks" go, that's a poor one.

If possible allow extra time for your journey....or simply accept that you will be running late. This takes away a lot of the pressure!
Get your eyesight checked.
Flip the sun visor down.. this eliminates a lot of the excess glare from oncoming lights.
Deflect your eyes slightly to the left of centre of your lane to reduce glare...so you are not looking directly into their lights....
Drive at a speed that is safe for you.. ignore the tailriders.. they are arseholes.
And although its hard, practice makes perfect..
You will be fine...

Wtf? Stay off the roads, you are dangerous! And certainly stop giving out advice like this.

Things are made more difficult with the number of SUVs on the road - if you’re in a standard car, more oncoming lights are closer to your eye level. (As well as the SUVs being too large for lanes.)

I was in a very similar situation the other night and felt really uncomfortable too - my eyes are fine and was in a car with more than adequate lighting/safety features. You did the right thing - you recognised you didn’t feel safe driving and stopped, don’t beat yourself up!

You sounds like a dangerous driver to be honest, even if you don't intend to be. Could you book some night lessons?

Don't be bullied by people tailgating or overtaking you, just go slow and steady. It's find to pull over if you need to.

Slow down, if you wear glasses make sure you have a pair that are anti glare. You also need to track your eyes to the ground following the left hand side to avoid being dazzled by the apparently legal ridiculously bright lights (I don't mean people who haven't dipped, those people deserve a special place in hell, so dangerous)

It's shi tbh .and I have been driving for a long time.maybe an eye test to check all OK. If you haven't been driving long maybe a couple of lessons just to go through it.like most things experience helps.next time you will feel a bit better and the time after that and so on.people just desperate to get home and will push against what they should do

Rather than following lights - bad move because there might be a curve/chicane - I tend to follow the cat's eyes on the left when I’m blinded by oncoming lights.