Driving at night

[RogerS]

It's an easy op. I got mine done and eyes corrected with the right lens so no more contacts !

 

[HappyHacker]

This explains it quite well
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... nding.html

I also have problem with the modern LED indicators incorporated into a lighting cluster, when the car in front is braking it is very difficult to see that they are also signalling, they may look good but are very ineffective.

Last year I followed a car along a twisting A road at night. Every time a car came in the other direction the brakes were slammed on and the car slowed to about 10mph before accelerating up to about 40mph. The first time gave me a surprise and I dropped back even further, obviously someone very badly affected by what I thought were normal headlamps.

 

[MarkDennehy]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Revex-Night-Vision-Driving-Glasses/dp/B001UJGYVE
Worth a punt?

I've used something very similar for about a decade now, for the exact same reason. Makes an enormous difference, to the point where I don't feel safe driving at night now without them (I mean, I can do it, it just isn't pleasant). And when you spend a decade driving around with ten thousand rounds stacked beside the petrol tank, you do tend to get confused by the idea of defensive driving because the idea that there's any other way of driving seems suicidal

 

[RogerS]

This explains it quite well
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... nding.html

.....

Yet again the (Conservative or Labour) Government coming up with the bleedin' obvious. Like Bath implementing their 20 mph speed limits only to see accident rates go up. Just as the Dept of Transport report into other areas showed. Don't these numpties actually DO any research before coming up with inane schemes?

How long before they wake up to the increase in car accidents because of all those daft in-car touch screens ?

 

[kevinlightfoot]

A very informative article thanks for highlighting it.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I wonder that coloured bulbs are legal - they very rarely show the colour a coloured lens does.
I also wonder how many people wear varifocals at night. My mother was a dreadful driver (even more so in the dark) and one day she realised what she was doing inadvertently - as she got older the oncoming lights dazzled her more so she squinted, tipping her head back slightly so her glasses went out of focus making things worse.

 

[Tasky]

My car also has a headlight beam adjuster to lower them a bit - I'm guessing not all "modern" cars have this? they should.

Not all cars need them - My 2003 car has an arm mechanism on the nearside wheel that detects the offset of a laden car and adjusts the headlight levels accordingly.
However, you should not need to change the level adjuster unless your car is carrying a load... and I guarantee most of these cars are not.

Nothing to do with age, either, as it's only certain brands and models this happens with. But it's not the level adjuster either, it's the actual aim on the headlight unit, usually altered manually with a screwdriver or the built-in aim adjustments. This should be something checked at MoT.
Friend of mine runs a garage - Any customer's car whose headlights are so bright as to obscure the front numberplate, he puts them in for a check on his MoT lens. Guaranteed every one he pulls will have bad aim... and again, it's always the same brands/models. Audis and BMWs automatically get checked!

 

[lurker]

Regarding self levelling (automatic) adjusters.

Last year, I bought a 4 year old Honda CRV and very early on I noticed I might be dazzling the car in front cos I could see my lights in his cab. I wonder how many other people would notice or care?

I resolved to get the beams lowered PDQ.
At the same time I had a mate as a passenger (who has hearing like a bat) and he said he could hear a slight squeak coming from the rear.
So........off to the dealers: I told the mechanic about the squeak and he immediately said he had a damn good idea what it was. Then I mentioned the beam height think it was an unrelated issue; and he said "well that confirms my thoughts over the squeak".
I thought he was taking the p. until he explained:
The self level sensor arm was a know fail on that car and there was a recall out on it: because the level sensor was not working properly, there were wrong messages going to the beam adjuster.
A new part (all fitted free under the recall) fixed both problems.

 

[Tasky]

Last year, I bought a 4 year old Honda CRV and very early on I noticed I might be dazzling the car in front cos I could see my lights in his cab. I wonder how many other people would notice or care?

The wife has a 2003 CR-V - They (and SUVs in general, especially second-hand) are a right sod for bad headlights.
I noticed and I cared!

 

[nev]

Surprised nobody has mentioned dirty and scratched windscreens. If you have an older car, on closer inspection it'll look like someones been at the screen with a scouring pad which diffuses(?) the light, same goes for the lovely layer of fug on the inside from all the heavy breathing, **** and condensation from all those trips with the wet dog.

and +1 for the eyesight failing. The mrs constantly complained about dazzling lights and one day left her (tv) glasses on and voila! less dazzle.

 

[Nelsun]

Always HTH Nev! My windscreen is at its very worst in the dark when you have to even look at the wipers. There's enough fine wee chips in it to be annoying. Couple that with the previous owner most likely having put some of that rain repellent goop on it may moons ago and you're in for a fun ride. Said goop (whatever it was) smears across the screen with each swipe only to then fade back to being transparent a few seconds later. I've tried a few things to get it off with no luck so far and have just lived with it. I've heard full-fat coke may do the trick but I've yet to try it.

 

[novocaine]

autoglym window polish and some arm power should shift stuff like rainx.

 

[transatlantic]

One of my pet peeves is people switching off full beam too late.

 

[Lons]

You can buy a Rain-x deep cleaning window kit which will remove it fairly easily however apart from the cleaning gel and clay bar there is also a bottle of rain-x in the kit. I haven't seen the cleaning gel seperately.
The clay bars are very easy to get and on my A4 a few years ago I used a clay bar with some with white vinegar which took it off very easily. It's a good system for cleaning all your windows anyway though you need to carefully wash and rinse them first or they might scratch. If using vinegar make sure it says off the paint and plastic and wash off asap.

Clay bars are an excellent tool and plenty of youtube videos for anyone who hasn't tried them. As an OTT car enthusiast I am very careful what I use on my cars, I still put rain-x on the side and rear windows, just not the windscreen.

As an aside, there are companies who can remove all or most of the windscreen scratches.

Bob

edit: http://www.halfords.com/motoring/car-cl ... shield-kit

 

[RogerS]

I find a hammer and centre-pop punch followed by a windscreen replacement claim usually works.

(jesting)

 

[Harbo]

I followed a car last night for a few miles on a long straight derestricted road. Every time a car came towards him/her the car slowed down to 20mph!
I kept well back and the cars heading towards us were not particularly dazzling.


Rod

 

[Tasky]

Got dazzled twice this morning, from cars driving around with high beam on at 9:30am broad daylight!

 

[lurker]

Got dazzled twice this morning, from cars driving around with high beam on at 9:30am broad daylight!

Unfortunately the country is full of folks with inflated sense of entitlement matched with a zero sense of responsibility.

 

[Tasky]

Unfortunately the country is full of folks with inflated sense of entitlement matched with a zero sense of responsibility.

Really?
I hadn't noticed... couldn't see them through the glare of their headlights, I imagine!!

 

[Geoff_S]

I find a hammer and centre-pop punch followed by a windscreen replacement claim usually works.

(jesting)

When it was first introduced there was no/minimal excess for a claim and it was rare to have to declare it on requested quotes.

Today the excess can be £150+ and there are some insurance companies that want it declared on quotes.