To think that bright LED car headlights need banning?

[BurntBroccoli]

Drive home this evening at rush hour and the overly bright LEDs seem even worse than ever! The red brake lights are awful too.

I cleaned my windscreen both inside and out but it's not made much difference. I've had my eyesight checked in preparation for the dark nights and new glasses with anti- glare coating on but I'm still blinded! Even tried looking to the side but the lights dare still blindingly bright. Any slight hill they are there right in your field of vision.

I really don't think I can drive much longer and I'm really worried as I live rurally.

I find them horrible too. Especially with those massive 4x4 type Chelsea tractors, as they're set high and get me right in the face (I'm in a Polo). I hate that they're not angled down to the left a bit. It's really horrible and dangerous as I'm blinded regularly. They're okay, but I'm not.

The RAC did a survey a couple of years back and people agreed with you.

they're awful! I hate driving at night.

They're appalling. God knows why they were permitted in the first place.

It's a hard one - they're sometimes too bright from the wrong angle, but a godsend on dark country lanes at night!

I agree. There was a petition, but it closed early because of the election petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/653793

I agree.
I have yellow lens night driving glasses, which help.

Yea it's awful. Even as a pedestrian they are dazzling coming towards you.

I can see perfectly fine on rural roads with my normal lights in my normal sized car (except when there's a massive 4x4 with LEDs coming the opposite way or they are up my arse).

Yes they are dreadful. I am also rural and have to slow totally.

Agreed. I realised while driving home from work that a lot of headlights are now so bright they obscure the light from the indicator. Several times tonight, I genuinely couldn’t tell if someone was indicating until I was a few feet away.

I agree with you and find them dangerous for others on the road.

Where I live every road is a dark country lane at night and normal lights or full beam is absolutely fine.

Most modern cars turn the headlight off on the side that is indicating.

A consultation is currently underway, runs until early next year: https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/rac-news/rac-welcomes-government-decision-to-commission-study-into-headlight-glare/

They should be banned imo, so dangerous!

Oh that's a shame. I wonder if they will resurrect it or perhaps someone will submit a new one.
I'd forgotten just how bad it is 😔.

I've just swapped a car with Xenon to non- Xenon headlights and its dreadful at night. So much safer.

I think the issue is not the brightness but the levelling of them that dazzles.

i agree, they should be banned!

I thought it was just me.......even had my eyes tested.

Funnily enough I was thinking about this earlier. Some of them are really dazzling and dangerous. It was only just after 4pm so not totally dark but I found some just too bright.

But that's what your beam is for!

YANBU - Im considering reducing my night driving as a result. I dont have an issue until the cars with these come at me, or behind me, and the number of them on the road are increasing

Isn’t it just the DRL? I’ve never seen a headlamp go out.

I agree. Headlamps are so needlessly bright these days, something really needs to be done about it.

I agree. I don’t do much driving at night and usually just in the town when I do, still they’re too bright. Last year, I had to drive down an unlit A-road to reach a late night chemist in another town. I was blinded several times by the headlights of the cars coming the other way. Didn’t feel safe at all.

That sounds like a useful feature but tonight showed me that not all modern cars do that! 😩

Ah thanks for that - will take a look.

There needs to be a retrospective refitting or reglazing to yellow of these lights and strict checks for MOTs.

Exactly. It's an arms race!

If your own headlights are not as powerful as the oncoming car, you get blinded. If yours are as powerful you don't.