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.

If you mean average as in having average vision, then no. 20/20 vision means normal vision acuity. It means that you can see things clearly at 20 feet away. A pp mentioned that needing glasses might be a contributing factor to led lights being too bright. That’s why I mentioned 20/20 vision.

I really can't understand why they are still around. I'm blinded for a good few seconds which is all it takes for a disaster when driving. They should have been banned a long time ago.

Make SUVs the exception (separate driving test, higher medical requirements, large tax say £5k a year) and the problem will be much less.

So that’s what it is? When I’m walking home in the dark sometimes, I end up having my hand almost constantly in front of my face to stop myself being dazzled.

@User19876536484 just read it. That's worrying

Yep, it looks like they've got the lights on permanent main beam and not dipped, I've flashed loads of oncoming cars thinking their lights are on main and not dipped, it's really annoying.

how will eduation stop led lights blinding drivers?

I’ve spent three days in bed with a migraine set off because I was behind a car with bright brake lights.
your not the only one op

my other half laughed when I told him what did it.

The blue ones freak me out a bit, they don't seem to emit any radiant light & look more like tiny holes in the fabric of spacetime. To me, anyway.

I get why LED is better - but god I do miss orange street lights!

Yanbu. I find the suv Teslas are the worst. I’m sure there’s other new suvs that are as bad too though.

I hate them as well . It nearly putme off driving in the dark which is ridiculous at yhis time of year .

I detest those fuckers too. Even more so if paired next to red lights as well, and ones that flash give me a massive migraine

I feel you - I'm not very tall either and have my seat on max height so my head is nearly touching the car roof!
Headlights directly in line of vision.

@whynotwhatknot education in things like dipping when you see the light and not waiting to see the car, dipping before a sharp LH bend just in case, dipping when you're driving behind someone, adjusting the beam height when the car is heavily laden - just off the top of my head. All things I was taught many years ago. Not a complete solution but a help.

still doesn't stop led lights blinding you even when dipped

I often walk round the block in the evening where there is a patch with no street lights. I do carry my torch so I can be seen, but so many drivers don't dip their headlights so I'm fully blinded for about 5 minutes.
I'm looking to get a VERY bright LED torch so I can shine it back at them so they dip!

Yes it really does 😔

But I thought LED lights were super low energy? They could also be powered at least partially by solar if they got their act together.

If they were fitted closer to the ground on the big vehicles, would it not help? Some are distracting and chuffing irritating, but don't actually blind me. It's the ones at my eye level that blind me. Why do bigger vehicles need lights 3 feet off the ground? And I loathe with a passion those horrid led indicators that "slude from left to right" rather than flash on and off, and those stupid cars with lights that go across the width of the boot and bonnet. Distracting, blinding everyone else and yes, we all DO think you're a tosser.

Pulled up to collect DD last night and person then pulled up behind me also collecting child, just sat there for 5 mins waiting with bright headlights glaring. I had to tilt my rear view mirror down as it's so unpleasant. It's also really dangerous when driving. Guess all I can do is stop driving around in an old low down car & join everyone else 🤷‍♀️

That’s annoying.

I agree the overly bright lights should be banned. Dangerous imo for other road users.

And Ive noticed on motorway roadworks they have stupid bright lamps shining into drivers eyes. These are blinding and painfully bright. How is that a safety feature?

I agree OP. On our rural roads I am absolutely blinded, especially when there is a much bigger vehicle behind. Sometimes they don't have their full beams on and I can see the shadow of my own car on the road in front of me which is madness. I (in a little relatively new mini which has bright enough but not painful lights) can see just fine on roads with no lampposts, so these really bright lights are not needed.

They’ve just discussed this on bbc breakfast. People changing their jobs etc to stop driving at night- even a taxi driver stopping work at night. The gov said they are looking into it and publishing a response in the summer.