Anyone else blinded by these new headlights when driving?

[Totallybannanas]

Am I the only one struggling with how bright car headlights have become? I’ve been avoiding driving at night for a while now because of it, but I don’t remember them being this intense in the past. Every car I pass feels like it’s on full beams, and I end up feeling completely blinded. I know my astigmatism makes it worse, but I recently had an eye test and wear corrective glasses. Tonight, I had to make a journey I couldn’t avoid, and I found myself driving at 40mph in a 60mph zone because the car behind me was tailgating and their lights were so dazzling. I eventually pulled over to let them pass. Does anyone else deal with this?

I don’t drive at night much now I got some of the anti glares glasses they help abit but not 100%

I am coming to hate driving at night now. I'm a carer working rurally so I have no choice but to be out late and driving on narrow lanes. The lights are so blinding. I think they are pretty dangerous actually as it affects your vision of what is directly ahead of you so much. If there was a pedestrian or something in the road in your lane you would be hard pressed to see it due to the oncoming lights.
I've started driving really slowly when there is anything coming in the opposite direction even if there is tons of room for them to pass me.

I've tried putting clip on filters on my glasses which help a little but not enough.

That's what I'd assumed too, but interestingly we recently bought a new car, the first car we've owned that has unavoidably has Wanker Lights. First time I drove it at night I was flashed multiple times which made me feel awful that I had switched sides and was now one of the Blinding Wankers. On getting home I immediately checked the adjustment, assuming it was incorrect, but no, it was absolutely on the correct setting according to the manufacturer.

I've now adjusted them to the towing setting (so they are directed downwards). Still plenty bright enough for me, but I'm not getting flashed as much so that's something.

So it's not necessarily that they have not been adjusted correctly - I think the problem lays firmly at the manufacturers' doors.

I thought this was just my age (54) and deteriorating eye sight, so it's of some scant comfort that it's a more universal concern.

I work in optometry and it’s the number one complaint that people have when they come to clinic.

Yes. Some lights are absolutely dazzling. I find the taller vehicles like big jeeps the worse. The lights are just shining straight into my face.

I've bought some weird yellow glasses that go over my normal glasses. An Internet purchase. They do actually help a bit even though I look like an idiot wearing sunglasses at night.

I have to do a 2 hour drive at night in a few days. I'm not looking forward to it at all because of the LEDs.

I'm so glad I've seen this thread as thought it was just me! I assumed my eye sight was starting to deteriorate (I recently turned 40)

@Bushmillsbabe its not always that the driver hasn’t adjusted their lights, in my SUV I can’t manually adjust where the light beam shines, the car automatically adjusts the beam for each driver. I assume it does it on weight and seat position but not 100% sure.

Surprised you think you're the only one, given there's been multiple Government petitions, it is the subject of a review and it has been a topic of contention for a long time. But no you're not the only one.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3rlrz7rgw0o

Agree.

I also have astigmatism. Mines severe.

I have a pair of cheap glasses with yellow tinted lenses for night driving.

It helps a lot!

These new bright LED car headlights have been the subject of many threads on Mumsnet, many features on consumer-led radio and TV shows such as Jeremy Vine, and newspaper articles. So Yanbu, there's hundreds of thousands if not millions of people who want something done about them, you're not alone!

See this as an example.

Yanbu. I dread driving at night because of them. I think the RAC have flagged it up and there was a discussion in parliament or the Lords.

I've been in a modern car and they do light up the street amazingly well. However, I have a bee in my bonnet about it as our council have turned the streetlights down so pedestrians (me) can't see to walk safely. I'd like to know how many new car drivers responded to the consultation saying they'd happily have the streetlights turned down. Doesn't affect them does it.

I was going to start a thread about it! It is so dangerous when you can’t even tell if the car is on the correct side of the road as it’s coming towards you. There is a really narrow route near me which is not really wide enough for two large cars to pass, my car is small so I know I have enough room on my side but have to pray the oncoming cars aren’t overlapping!

Same here OP its awful

And as a pedestrian walking locally, cant see a thing because street lighting is so poor, it only lights up hte road, not the pavements, most of the pavements are in deep black shadow so you dont know if you're treading in shit or about to break your ankle on broken paving

soup I've stumbled twice over a kerb near me. It's making me so angry that our safety is compromised.
Some poor sod at the council is getting an email from me about it soon. They should bring back the orange lights so we can see, and they don't disturb the night wildlife either.

I had to do a long drive in the dark recently and I was terrified! And driving never normally bothers me but I took a couple of wrong turns and was so on edge, they must cause accidents.

I've kept meaning to start a thread about this. I hate them! Far too dazzling, and dangerous imo. I'm amazed they're allowed.

I have astigmatism in both eyes, and those new headlights practically blind me. I've taken to flicking my interior mirror into night mode when it's dark so it looks out from the boot of my car instead. It makes it just that little bit more bearable rather than having lights blinding me from both front and behind.

A non perspective cheap pair of yellow lense glasses helps a lot. Doesn't solve the problem but it's the only thing that has made a difference for me.

I struggle with this as well 😩

Unfortunately, at the moment, it's dark when I am going to work and dark when I am coming home and it's awful.

I hate them too. If I absolutely have to drive in the dark I wear prescription sunglasses which helps a tiny bit, but I still would rather not drive in the dark.

I had no idea my astigmatism made this worse! But i totally agree

Anyone have a link to the petition please?

If they come up behind you, angle the lights back to them using your mirror(s). They usually back right off.