Blinded by the lights - night time driving

[Desperado40]

Is it me or has something happened recently - whenever I drive at night, I am literally blinded by the lights coming from the other drivers cars. I can't figure out if this is because:
A) some newer car models have brighter lights
B) drivers forget to switch the full beam when passing
C) both
Anyone else noticed this?

They are very strict on lights in France.

I can't understand why this hasn't been noticed, it's so dangerous we have so many high suv with blinding lights.

I hate driving at night for this very reason. Car headlights are definitely brighter these days.

I've stopped driving at night because of this, I don't feel safe 🙁 I have an astigmatism, but my corrected vision with contacts is 20 20. Wearing my glasses makes it worse. I have some of those yellow tinted glasses in the glove compartment, I might see if that helps, I'm not sure I noticed that much of a difference when I bought them. I drive a hatchback, and every other bloody car is way higher than mine. Definitely needs to be some sort of regulation.

I have regular checkups and new glasses very couple of years. My current pair are a few months old. It's not an eyesight issue.

LED lights and more SUVs so the lights are at eye level if you're not in one. Hate driving at night.

Still worth getting an eyesight check just in case if this becomes a problem. OP is going to get tinted contacts

I use anti glare night driving glasses for this reason

Definitely A although I'm sure age has something to do with it as well. I'm 50 and have found it harder to drive at night for several years now. I have astigmatism and might give those yellow tinted glasses a go. In the winter I hate my drive back from work.

Yes!

And when a car is right up my arse with bright lights so my car is lit up like Blackpool illuminations. I sometimes have to turn my rear view mirror so the light isn't reflecting!

Also lorries with the cabs all lit up!

A and also have a theory about newer cars being bigger and higher up, so the lights beam through your window instead of on your bumper/headlight area.

Have you started any new medication recently? Sertraline done this to me.

Yes A, driving about in my little fiesta among hundreds of SUVs makes it almost impossible to see. I had to stop the other day until a ridiculous SUV type truck had gone past because I literally couldn't see anything. You would think there would be some kind of restriction on how bright they can be.

I do have astigmatism but isn't it corrected by glasses?

Lights are a lot brighter now but I would recommend getting your eyes tested. I was starting to feel really angry and stressed driving at night because I was finding it so hard to see properly. Turns out I had significant astigmatism that wasn’t being corrected by my glasses. Got my new ones at the weekend. The headlights are still too bright but I don’t feel the need to stop every time a car comes in the opposite direction anymore!

The government just need to regulate it, there’s no need for them to be so bright!

It is a problem. Lights are getting brighter. I have astigmatism which makes it worse because you get a lot of flare from the lights. I tend to avoid driving more than 10-15 mins in the dark if I can help it because it's exhausting...

@Gincan they should be able to make your astigmatism a lot better with glasses - see my post above

They will be ‘dipped’, when they are not on full beam. I don’t think it’s usual for them to be adjustable beyond that?

If they are stuck on full beam you need to get them mended.

We have a new car and have noticed how much brighter the lights are - which is great for us driving of course, but I have astigmatism and really suffer from others' bright lights so I'm going to come down firmly on the side of A.

There's a particular 'bit' on my journey home where it goes from street lights to dual carriageway to country road and it's unbearable.

Most cars have a way to adjust the lights according to how heavy the load in the car is. For older cars it is usually a little wheel, usually beside the steering wheel column; for more modern cars it is more likely to be electronic and may be automatic.

This would be a very successful campaign I think! Couldn’t agree more. I wear glasses to drive (with anti glare coating) but in my little hatchback am constantly dazzled, especially if the car is coming over a hill towards me.

Me too! There’s a country road I drive often at night and I have to come pretty much to a stop because I can’t see where I’m going.

OP - I now have Manfred Mann as an ear worm thanks to your title 😹

I find it almost impossible to drive in the dark, and sadly my job requires me to drive at around 6am which is usually very dark in autumn and winter.

I can’t judge how close cars are to me side by side IYSWIM?

So many roads have no lighting, it’s horrible.

Also struggle these days. Remember inwardly laughing at old' ladies who wouldn't drive in the dark . Now I am one!

I have astigmatism and very short sighted.

They've recently replaced our street lamps and they're so bright it looks like day! I worry for hedeghogs and birds who need the dark

Oh and has anyone noticed recently cars not having rear lights on. I flash them t switch lights on then you realise their headlights are on but nothing at the back. Is it a new car thing?

I really struggle with it. Some lights are absolutely blinding. Even with the drive costing on my glasses, it's still an issue.