What we knew all along

[Ian]

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-10589325/Are-headlights-bright-Nine-10-drivers-say-are.html

[Richard]

I agree completely - bloody lethal.  Wet visors make it worse, and my artificial eye lenses seem to catch it particularly badly.  Cars with the new fangled lights are supposed to have automatic beam lowering devices - like anything they break and don't get fixed, not a problem for the driver.

I can see this heading for rants.

[Itsme]

Hi Ian

I am glad you posted this article as I thought it was my eyes aging that was causing me to be dazzled. On Saturday evening myself and my wife went into Nottingham to a concert which necessitated me driving home in the dark, something I haven't done for a while. We live about 20 miles from the centre of Nottingham on a mixture of main and country roads. All the way home I was saying (she says moaning!) to my wife how bad my eyes were as I was getting dazzled a lot. Some cars have very obviously misadjusted lights but when big 4x4s and massive saloon cars are behind me I can't see because of the glare in my mirrors.

Now it would seem it is a more widespread problem. Just another example of I'm-alright-Jack living from people too lazy to maintain their cars correctly.

Don't get me started on the number of 'showers' I get from badly adjusted windscreen washers or this will become a rant!

Spartacian

[xbally]

Yes I drive a sports car -have done for years now-in the summer and as they are low down I'm often blinded by the ever bright headlights of modern 4 wheelers behind me. And yes it's worse on unlit roads. Also happens when we are out walking the dog when it's dark and yes it's usually SUV types. I do agree that as we age (like our general health) our senses are also adversely affected. My hearing is now very over-sensitive to loud sounds -it almost feels like my ears are bleeding as they used to say. And as a tinnitus sufferer for over 45years I'm really careful to avoid loud sounds.If I go to a concert I always wear ear plugs and if an emergency services vehicle passes me on the street when I'm walking I have to shove my fingers in my ears!

[Ian]

I didn't expect any feedback really but it has quite justifiably turned into a rant. Sorry for misjudging.
"Must try harder".

Another link along similar lines

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/cars/1577054/car-headlights-dazzled-distracted-driving-road-safety-risk-rac

[Richard]

Certainly no need to apologise, its a very, very good point you made.

[MT01Torque]

A Ural combination I once owned came with a rear spotlight operated by a switch on the handlebars.
When I asked the previous owner about it he said he used it to warn drivers behind him that he was being dazzled.
Although with a top speed of less than 60mph I'd say there were a lot of people behind him trying to get past

[CrazyFrog]

Too bloody true. The problem is that even when adjusted correctly, a lot of lights are so powerful that your pupil closes down to the size of a pin, and then when they've past your blind fir a few seconds until your pupil open up again. I've fitted a couple of cree spotlights to the Jawa now which has lessened the problem considerably, but probably dazzle other road users, so not a great solution. What is needed is legislation to limit the brightness of all headlights.