To think night driving is getting more dangerous

[DazzledbyHeadlights]

Since a few years ago - and now that cyclists/pedestrians have more right of way. I agree and think it works well during the day.

However at night? Headlights seem to be more blinding than ever. Spotting a dimly lit cyclist in front of a full dazzling tank of a car is hard.

In addition, many pedestrians seem to have a cavalier ‘my right of way, I’ll step out’ attitude. I was driving along a 40mph stretch this evening and - 3 times - a dark figure suddenly appeared, stepped out onto the road and I needed to break quite abruptly.

You can buy them cheaply on Amazon if you don’t need a prescription.

If you do, you can order prescription lenses which are tinted yellow, for night driving. The yellow reduces glare from approaching headlights. Mine are varifocals and I keep them in the car.

I've been quite ill for the past 3 years so haven't been driving at all, wasnt out much and probably as a passenger wasnt paying attention. In that time we got a new car.

I've just started venturing out again and after 25 years of being a confident driver, I'm now a nervous wreck at night. The headlights from other cars are SO SO noticeably brighter in the 3 years I've been off the road that's everything said above is true. I'm dazzled by other cars, I know my car has the same headlights but they are shit to actually see with on dark roads.

The headlights are too bright. Particularly the new ones with strip across the middle in mainly suvs. I don't need to see it.

And don't get me started on main beam drivers on country roads who just keep them on, it's just dangerous.

I’m learning to drive and dread going out at night. The car I will be driving after my test has a weird windscreen that turns lights into stars anyway, so that plus being blinded will be really scary.

When cars with super bright lights go over a bump in the road it looks like they’re flashing you when they’re not, so I’ve stepped out in front of cars I thought were letting me cross the road. And in the car you just can’t see a person/animal/cyclist right in front of you which is so scary and dangerous. I don’t understand why this hasn’t been picked up as part of testing cars before they go on sale

I thought there was something wrong with my eyes in the last year or so - increased light sensitivity or developing cataracts or something. Headlights are so bright now, and worse on SUVs where the lights are higher up.
I notice it far more on rural main roads at night without street lighting. It’s getting to a point where I don’t really feel safe driving due to the oncoming headlights and high speeds.

Headlights are far too bright these days, can't see a damn thing!! And when the driver flashes these dazzling headlights, I feel like I've had a sodding x-ray!! All I can see are the blood vessels in my eyes 🙄

When cars with super bright lights go over a bump in the road it looks like they’re flashing you when they’re not

Yes I’ve noticed this too. There’s a particularly poorly located speed bump near me, just before a busy junction. I’ve seen people turn right across the path of an oncoming vehicle as they think the other car flashed them to go.

Yes same here

It only seems to be this year for me

That's the stupidest thing I've ever read.

Please don't do that.

I was 'knocked down' on a zebra crossing, on a retail estate so basically a big carpark (max 5mph) by a laughing man, a year ago. Although his van only grazed my leg and hip, I fell and broke my finger and wrist. I had four months in plaster, physio, the lot. I turned down an operation to further straighten the join, which had been 'manipulated' back into position. If you fancy some pain, try that one. I didn't 'step out', I was already on the crossing when he drove at me.

Please do not step out in front of drivers, especially if you don't think they'll stop.

Just read all the way through the RAC article, it’s a bit wordy. This bit is interesting:

Government collision statistics shows that since 2013, there has been an average of 280 collisions a year where dazzling headlights were a contributory factor. Of these, six a year involved someone losing their life. The actual number may be higher if an investigation was unable to determine whether or not a collision was directly or indirectly caused by the glare from another vehicle’s headlights.

Here is the petition, they buried it near the end! Not many people rushing to sign, it seems

So true, have thought this myself. Headlights seem to be more blinding, too many young people on bikes, electric scoters with no lights weaving across the roads, someone up your arse wantinĝ to speed by you in weather conditions that for most of us would remind us to drive more cautiously. Used to quite enjoy driving at night in whatever conditions buy now extra wary and more stressed.

Bright headlights, dim street lights and poorly maintained road markings and cats eyes is just a perfect storm.

People always say about having an astigmatism but it isn’t that. I’ve had one all my life which is uncorrected by my contact lenses. Driving at night has become noticeable worse in the last few years. My astigmatism has not changed.

Perfect answer. I drive one of those mentioned and get sick of the arrogant cunts who either assume I'm about 80 or just stupid and must be a saddo because I don't want a wankmobile.

They pull out in front of me, drive dangerously around me, and generally think they own the roads.

Cars get people from a to b. I don't give a fuck about your twatty '23 plate' tank. Just makes me assume you have no individuality.

Oh and my car cost the price of one of those tyres and has been going strong for 23 years 😄.

Ah, that feels better.

If you know your headlights are very bright and dazzling other drivers, and that's why they're flashing you, thinking you have full beam on, why would you make that worse by flashing them back?!
Fair enough you didn't put the lights or bulbs in but you're deliberately making the situation worse by flashing back.

Another who thought it was just me.

RAC desperately need the help of somebody who understands PR in order to get that petition seen in front of more people, thankfully to the person who posted the actual link, I scrolled up and down that article and read the whole thing twice and gave up trying to find the link!

@Carnewb

So I just drive along allowing people to think I've got main beam on? I don't think so! Some people flash once, then flash again! It's dazzling for me aswell when people do that.

The more they realise bright led's are not main beam, the better.

Oh and every fifth car seems to have their fog lights on too. Although it's so many cars I'm now thinking is it just the design of their lights. One car this eve had 3 sets of lights on. Blinding. 😱

I really really wanted yellow tinted glasses to help with this. Pleased some of you find them helpful but they don't make it any better for me.

I'm a confident driver, but I've started to avoid driving at night now (around towns at least) The headlights are just too bright! We're asking for a lot from our eyes, to adapt so quickly from dazzling brightness to dark objects/pedestrians every couple of seconds. I'll be glad when the lighter nights are here!

Yes, yellow tinted glasses really help, and also in the bright sunshine. Got them on Amazon.

Maybe buy a car that's less of a nusiance/danger to all other road users next time?

If multiple people are flashing you, then you are the problem.

And therefore might actually knock you down and kill you. Please take care, it doesn't matter that you were right if you don't live to tell the tale

Manufacturers are the problem. They are the ones that should be held accountable. Government should legislate and keep up with tech.

I had trouble with one of those this week. The cyclist was riding on the pavement on my side of the road and the helmet light was shining right into my eyes.

This evening I had trouble with a pedestrian who was walking towards me on a narrow road. There were a couple of cars parked on my side of the road so I was going to have to drive on the right to get past them. There were no other cars on the road but I could see the pedestrian coming, so stopped and waited to let him pass before moving over onto the right. He then stood right opposite one of the cars and waited for me. I tried to gesticulate for him to continue walking but he didn't, so I inched past very slowly past the parked car on my left while he stood on the bank on the right hand side of the road, pressing himself into the hedge.

All could have been avoided if he had been on the other side of the road where there is perfectly good pavement!

More generally, yes many cars these days have headlights that are far too bright. I have anti-glare coating on my glasses which helps, but even so I have problems with oncoming traffic.

i hate the led headlights go right through me-i also dont understand people dressed in black at night walking along roads-do they think we're superman or something i can barely see them