Night driving glasses

[LVSteve]

A big part of the problem is headlight’s.

Halogen is most prevalent but terrible. Xenon and LED are the best but more expensive.

23% of 2024 vehicles were rated at marginal for their headlights.

If you are referring to the tests carried out by Consumer Reports, then IIRC everything except that 23% was rated poor. I have an issue with their expectations, they want to have their cake and eat it. They want a low beam light that will spot a pedestrian at a considerable distance while NOT creating glare for oncoming drivers. You cannot do it under the current USDoT rules on lighting.


The European manufacturers have cracked it with matrix LED lights that can throw different amounts of light in different directions and vary what each headlight is doing. Audi have a system where cameras on your rear view mirror detect oncoming cars and instruct the headlights to reduce light in that direction. That is specifically verboten by the USDoT regulations. Indeed, those regs still require a certain amount of upward 'throw' to illuminate reflective overhead signs. Not exactly Plan A when trying to minimize glare with HID and LED illumination.

When HID lights first came out, the Euro regs were changed to require automatic headlight leveling on HID equipped vehicles. The USDoT actually opposed importation of cars so equipped for a while. I tell you, that organization wouldn't know a good headlight if it fell on them.

I was horrified to discover when I arrived in the US in 1997 that they were still fitting transverse filament, sealed beam lights to new cars. I think we gave that up in the UK about 1986. I fitted a pair of euro spec Cibie Z beam headlights to my '96 Firebird and was asked by passengers where I got the high output bulbs. Thing was the bulbs were the same rating as the sealed beams, but the light was put to far better use.

 

[oldbrownhat]

Anyone here wear the yellow or orange-ish night driving glasses?
Ideally I’d like a pair is glass lenses clip ones but I don’t know if they even exist. ...

I got these from Amazon, originally as shooting glasses. Haven't really tried them for night driving, but they're clip-ons. Available in several shades; I use the darker version as sunglasses over my prescription glasses. The lenses on mine were quite large and I've trimmed mine down with a Dremel. I see they offer a smaller lens one now.

[ame]https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HJMD9K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1[/ame]

 

[375hh1973]

Never drive faster than you can see

 

[zeke]

Gave up most night driving awhile back. Doesn't bother me walking, unless on busy road.

 

[LVSteve]

Never drive faster than you can see

It's more like can you see a distance ahead that matches the stopping distance of your vehicle given the extant road conditions. On low beams with no street lighting, that's about 45 mph if the car has good lights, and slower in a truck or SUV because they don't stop worth a damn, at least by my standards.

Then there are the large animals that have a dark coat that sucks light into a black hole. Just ask anyone who has nailed a cow, or especially horses when in a car because most of their bulk is above your natural eyeline.

 

[VictorLouis]

Then there are the large animals that have a dark coat that sucks light into a black hole. Just ask anyone who has nailed a cow, or especially horses when in a car because most of their bulk is above your natural eyeline.

OMG, yes! I experienced that on a dirt road at night traveling on reservation land. Luckily, I was doing perhaps 25mph due to the road surface condition. Bossy, and a few companions, just ambled right out in front of me! Scary, LOL.

Recently, I saw the same thing with our wild burros here in the north end of the city. Luckily, the neighborhood was well lit, and the group clearly had 'road sense' to stay over on the shoulder.

I forgot to add that I have taken to using the sun-visor at night, to mitigate the brightness of the tall overhead streetlamps. Give that a try if you are in the city traffic.

 

[Olly556]

I have worn and continue to wear sunglass at night frequently.

Ive also used those yellow shooting glasses and they were allright, but I lost them years ago.

Rain, lights, glare its horrible. I try to just watch the yellow line on the side of the road. Also, super cleaning your windshield and dry buffing to reduce streaking really helps.

Or get a beast of a truck and make your lights brighter than theirs...

 

[46er]

I use yellow (blue blockers) clip-ons for night driving. The glare is still there but not as distracting. I can still distinguish blades of grass, just slightly different color. I avoid country roads with a lot of bends at night!

 

[Greyman50]

Have about quit driving at night unless in some emergency which I do not have. My eyes Md is putting off the procedure to “ fix” the halo around other lights that mess up night driving. Going to tell her I want it next spring when I see her, and she is good looking too!

 

[jeffrefrig]

My wife doesn't drink and is 8 years younger than me. I guess that was the 2nd choice for a good woman, next to being rich.

 

[Rotorhead1026]

If you're 50 plus and have trouble with glare at night, get checked for cataracts.

 

[VaTom]

I am 71. In the last three years I have had two macular holes (retina) repaired and afterwards cataract surgery on both eyes. Same problem with glare. Worse since cataract surgery as they put in a clear artifical lens to replace the cloudy natural one. For extra $$$ they have tinted ones but don’t know if they help. May want to ask your eye doctor. Sunlight also is very bothersome now. Wear polarized sunglasses even on cloudy days.
I drive as little as possible at night. Good luck moving forward.��

 

[Marshwheeling]

Cataract surgery brought back most of my missing night vision, but six months later, glare is beginning to be a problem again. Yellow lenses have never helped, just cut down on available light. The worst for me is driving in the country in full dark. Moonlight or reflected light from clouds make it much easier, but I often have trouble seeing the road. I am not quite ready to give up night driving altogether, but that time is coming.

 

[Walkin Horse]

Never drive faster than you can see

I’m starting to have that problem on my motorcycle in the daytime. I don’t ride at night. I found an eye moisturizer helps some.

 

[LVSteve]

I forgot to add that I have taken to using the sun-visor at night, to mitigate the brightness of the tall overhead streetlamps. Give that a try if you are in the city traffic.

I have used sunvisors to block out streetlights since I first learned to drive. In fact, I drive with them down 24/7. I'm not doing air traffic control while driving, so why would I want to look at the sky?

I definitely have what the eye docs call 'reduced accommodation'. My ability to see objects in the presence of strong point sources of light in the same view, like streetlights, is not what I would like it to be. Remove the streetlights with the visor, and I'm good.

Having had eye issues as long as I can remember, I am a bit more diligent about spotting changes in my vision than most of the population. This was brought home to me one night when my buddy was with me as we trundled through a village when a car pulled out of a side road making me brake. The guy then took off somewhat (realizing what he'd done), so did an impression of a cop calling out a plate number of a vehicle he was about to pursue.

My buddy laughed, then asked, "You can read that plate?"
I replied, "Yes, no problem."
There was a pause, then my buddy said, "I couldn't."
Me: "Really...and you ride high power motorcycles."
Buddy, heaving a sigh, "Yeah, I was just thinking about that. I think I need to get my eyes checked."

 

[mtgianni]

I’m starting to have that problem on my motorcycle in the daytime. I don’t ride at night. I found an eye moisturizer helps some.

Rules for motorcyclists
1] Don't ride when drinking
2] Don't ride at night
3] don't let rule 1 interfere with rule 2

 

[Golddollar]

If you're 50 plus and have trouble with glare at night, get checked for cataracts.

Absolutely. I used to encounter huge haloes from oncoming headlights when driving at night. I had cataract surgery on both eyes and that reduced the glare down to practically nothing.

 

[jeffrefrig]

I have always been curious about something. Is it true that a certain plant is a pretty good natural cure for a lot of bad things? I honestly don’t think it is good for anything. Seems like they keep trying to push the CBD on us. It’s useless,IMO.

 

[Jack Flash]

My night vision actually improved after cataract / lens replacement surgery. So I can drive at night, I just chose not to.

When we go out to eat, we do like Seinfeld's parents and go for the early bird special. I'm not much on going to bars anymore. As for shopping centers, grocery stores, etc., I have plenty of time during the day.

Crime is up in my once super safe rural area. I don't want to be the old guy walking through a dark parking lot who looks like an easy mark.

 

[Wdbutcher97]

I got these from Amazon, originally as shooting glasses. Haven't really tried them for night driving, but they're clip-ons. Available in several shades; I use the darker version as sunglasses over my prescription glasses. The lenses on mine were quite large and I've trimmed mine down with a Dremel. I see they offer a smaller lens one now.

Metal Clip On Flip Up Polycarbonate Yellow Enhanced Driving Sunglass Lenses, Aviator, 56mm Wide X 47mm High, 134mm Wide with Bridge: Eye Protection Equipment Accessories: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Yes, these help tame the brightness of the LED lights. I used them before I had cataract surgery. I still have issues with the halos and brightness, but that's probably from a different eye issue. I'll be buying some new yellow tinted clip-on glasses if I don't find my old ones.