Blinded by the light

Agreed - I had to stop driving at night because of the bright lights. Then I had an eye check up. They said that our eyes react more slowly as we age.
They recommended a special coating on the glasses. It has helped quite a bit, though I still find driving in the dark a challenge when it is raining.

I honestly think these new lights should be banned - they are awful.

Probably xenon headlights, usually standard on quality cars. I followed my SinL to a restaurant and she complained that I’d been on main beam, but I hadn’t and my lights were set correctly. Her car was lower than mine, so the way my lights hit her interior mirror was to blame. I agree they can be problematic, but they’re better for that vehicle’s driver, giving a much better, brighter and longer reaching light.

Yes, it is awful. they should be regulated.

I think too few people adjust the angle of their lights according to the load in the car. This means they often tip up too much when loaded.
It really annoys me as it's so simple these days.

“I agree they can be problematic, but they’re better for that vehicle’s driver, giving a much better, brighter and longer reaching light.”
Or as my dad used to say, “ I’m alright Jack, pull the ladder up!”
It ok you can see better but f##k everyone else.
I’m not a driver and it’s this sort of attitude that put me off ever being one!

LED lights are so difficult to cope with when driving - they might help the driver who has them, but they almost blind me. I did notice an increasing number of them at one time, but not so much now - I wondered if they had perhaps been the cause of accidents as they are so dazzling.

LED are even brighter than Xenon apparently. Over 1100 models have Xenons now, including Ford, Kia, Suzuki, Dacia and Mercedes.
Anyone can be dazzled by an oncoming vehicle and it’s better to focus on (look left at) the edge of the road, rather than into the lights for those few moments. Not phrased well, but drivers will understand what’s meant.

I don’t drive at night now, can’t stand the bright beams. It is also a good excuse to leave early if you are at a long meeting!

I have some very pale orange overglasses that I wear when night driving - they do help.

While waiting for my cataract op this was so bad that I gave up night driving. It's better now though, but I agree about modern lights .

So agree they need regulating I don't see any need for those super bright lights they put me off going out driving in the evenings

Have always thought all headlights (car, van, hgv, etc.) should be a standard height from the road?

I read on another link that you can buy special glasses for night driving and I was going to get some as there was a very good argument for them, but as often happens I got distracted and forgot all about it until reading this thread. Worth some research though. Busy now but will look into again later.

For anyone thinking of buying night driving glasses that you wear over your normal specs, try the cheap ones first. I spent over£70 on a pair and found they were no better than the £12.99 pair from that well known online shop.

It’s been a problem / known about for some time.

www.onewomanowner.com/usedcars/avoid-blinded-led-headlights/

I don't like driving in the dark and only would do it if necessary. I too have driving glasses with a special coating when driving at night, it does help stop the glare of lights.

Same here in this country. Those LED lights are a danger on the road for many oncoming drivers. I have glaucoma so any glare is a difficult situation, even for those few seconds till the car passes.

What I try to do is avert my eyes and look downward at the edge of the road to make sure I’m not going around a curve. Whew!

In other words - they’re just nasty.
USA Gundy

I have been complaining about this issue for quite a long time. The horrible bright, almost blue LED headlights are banned in quite a few states in America. I have a pair of yellow clip on glasses which do help somewhat but not always. They are a real hazard to other drivers. At least I will be driving in the light now, at least for a few months.

pashkaro

Have always thought all headlights (car, van, hgv, etc.) should be a standard height from the road?

You can adjust your lights to tilt up or down according to your load.
Obviously if you are heavy at the back (as you might well be fully laden) you need to tilt them down.

Obviously no use if you are the one being blinded!

A lot of cars nowadays automatically apply full beam when light level is low eg night time. The system can be switched off and lights applied manually. Think tgere is a survey being done in tge LED headlights due to the dazzle effect. What I find a nuisance is the lights worn on head by cyclists. They are right at eye level to car drivers and to me are dangerous.

It is worth checking with an optician if you have a problem with cataracts - the waiting list for surgery is several months long, so if you have got cataracts, it's worth getting on the list asap. And yes - headlights can still be dazzling - but cataract surgery is nonetheless really helpful for this - and you might no longer need glasses! Or only for reading.

My dad's advice has helped me with this. He told me simply, "Don't look at them! Look straight ahead or very slightly to 'left of centre'."
On a similar note, has anyone else noticed how tiny indicator lights are? The ones with a colourless cover and an orange bulb are bad enough but, lately, the tiny little indicators are sandwiched between rear lights, brake lights and reversing lights so they are really difficult to see. That's always supposing the driver in front bothers to indicate at all. And as for behaviour at roundabouts.... What do driving instructors teach learner drivers these days? It's dog eat dog out there! 😖