To hate these dazzling bright white headlights

[MargoLivebetter]

The clocks have changed and my post work drive back from the station is across country roads is in the pitch dark. Half an hour of being tortured by dazzling white headlights on I'm guessing the newer cars?! You can tell that they are on some kind of automatic dip too, as it takes ages for them to lower properly, unlike when someone manually dips their main beam.

I really, really, really hate them. I wondered if it is because I'm in my mid 50s and I hate everything and maybe my eyes are less reactive, but my DC in their mid 20s say that they find them blinding too. (And I do have my eyes tested annually and my vision is fine.)

Does anyone have any tips for making them less blinding? Can I get glasses with anti-glare (that actually work) or have some kind of anti-glare filter on my windscreen? Or should I get similar fitted on my own car and somehow the dazzle from my headlights would cancel out their dazzle?

I have astigmatism and I can't drive at night because of them

My Father used to wear yellow-tinted glasses for night driving over 40 years ago.

They are still available.

cheers

Oh no, Jenni Murray :(

Ahhh fuckit. I missed that. Goddammit it.

I also dislike the tendency of vehicles to have their brake lights on when stationary at traffic lights, we used to have things called handbrakes which were applied and that dimmed the brake lights, now it is like everyone just stands on their brake pedal at every stop. It is not so bad on the bicycle because my eye level is above even the third brake light.

Same. I've recently had to give up most night driving because astigmatism makes the already difficult headlight glare much worse, and i no longer feel safe driving in the dark on a dual carriageway or a country road. It has actively limited or changed some of my regular activities as a result; I've had to change to daytime or more local arrangements or ask friends for a lift. It must be affecting many people's lives in this way.

I had the same trouble until I bought anti-glare glasses. They have made night time driving so much more safe for me.

Can I ask which ones please? I'm reluctant to shell out on anything that is going to be rubbish! Thank you.

Yeah i do find them really bright and particularly glaring when theyre coming at you in wet weather and the glare bounces everywhere.
Wearing varifocals and having astigmatism doesnt help either as I cant just get yellow driving glasses without a costly prescription in them and dont fancy flip downs.

But i dont think that those who drive cars with LED/Xenon etc are "idiots" when the majority of modern cars are manufactured with these lights.
I think lights need to be dimmed at source.

@RaggedRocks same here, it looks like a burst firework coming towards me! When it's a line of cars coming towards me it's terrifying!

Not sure if it’s helpful but I have only had an issue with being blinded when I’ve driven a car with old halogen headlights. My cars have LEDs and other LED headlights don’t bother me, I’m guessing because my eyes are already adjusted to the brightness of my own.

I have anti glare on my glasses which makes a massive difference but some are awful

Auto dip doesn't work as fast as the Mark 1 human body. Bloody fed up with intense brilliant white lights. I drive at night a couple of times a week and wonder why I bother dipping my normal headlights for these utter dickheads who can't even be arsed to dip their own lights.

I’ve upgraded my headlight bulbs and cleaned and resealed the headlight fittings to remove the yellowing but it is like driving by candlelight in my 2008 car compared to new cars. I might start wearing a massive head torch!

I am 61 and can’t drive in the dark at all any more. It started becoming a problem mid fifties but now it’s just dangerous.

I have switched auto-dip off in my car because I became convinced it was dipping too late. I am careful to look ahead for signs of oncoming cars and dip quickly but I also worry my headlights must be overly bright even when not in high beam because sometimes people flash me like I have forgotten to dip when I haven’t.

Hi OP,
I bought two pairs for five quid from eBay. They make me look like a gangster! They are embarrassing but very effective!

The lights in newer cars are awful. I really struggle. I get migraines which are triggered by bright lights and am concerned that I’ll get one when I’m driving. The flashing lights on the back of bikes are terrible too. Why do they need to flash?? For people who struggle with migraines or have epilepsy they are an accident waiting to happen.

I no longer drive at night for this reason.

i read some research recently that shows that women have twice the number of rods (type of cells) in the eye than men. Which explains why some of us are having trouble with this.

I agree, When I am driving along I can see the headlights around the corner, and I turn my high beam off before they come round. But I can tell they are relying on the auto-dimming and it simply doesn't react fast enough. I flash my lights constantly at the driver until they wake up and do it themselves!

As for the stupid white lights they are dangerous and should be banned (along with cars being made 2/3 of their current sizes, we do not need the ludicrously sized tanks and our roads are not suitable for them).

Agree.

I wear yellow glasses to helps my daughter drives a lot and is always saying about these bright headlights I agree it’s dangerous so why aren’t the government doing something

I really struggle with this too, especially if it's raining and you have the added reflection of the lights on the water.
I've seen some yellow anti glare lenses that clip on to your normal pair of glasses, quite cheap. Might give them a go.

I need glasses for driving and got an anti-glare coating added to my last pair a year ago or two. It has been a game-changer and I very rarely have a problem with headlight glare now. I know you don't need glasses for your eyesight but is it worth going to an optician and asking if you could have 'plain' lenses with an anti-glare coating?

I don't know how manufacturers have got away with it. Do they not know humans have retinas?
YANBU. I avoid night driving and changed to working from home in my 50's partly due to this issue. They're not even headlights anymore, I've noticed a lot of those big ugly boxy new cars have a full line across the front like a horrible kitchen strip light of yesteryear.