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at last a report on those bright LED lights

(33 Posts)
infoman Tue 28-Oct-25 18:30:44

More ammunition to those who don't want to attend night time events.
Day time events are much better.

Oreo Tue 28-Oct-25 18:34:02

Oh I agree, LED’s are blinding aren’t they? I read that it takes 9 seconds for older people to recover sight after being dazzled when driving but only 1 second for a 16 year old.I know 16 year olds don’t drive but it shows the difference.

MayBee70 Tue 28-Oct-25 18:54:13

I’ve just driven home from my sons and unfortunately had to travel back at rush hour and I’ve resolved not to drive in the dark again, certainly not when the roads are busy. I felt very disorientated going round an island near to my home because of the lights and the lack of road markings. I was actually going to ask if anyone had bought those anti glare lenses that fit over your driving glasses ( even though my driving glasses are supposed to be anti glare).

Babs03 Tue 28-Oct-25 19:02:40

Those lights are like search lights, I remember a public information film on the telly back in the day with the slogan ‘dip don’t dazzle’.
Are these cars unable to dip their headlights??

Magenta8 Tue 28-Oct-25 23:33:13

I hate driving at night. Not only am I dazzled by oncoming cars but also by selfish motorists who have their lights permanently on full beam and drive about two inches from my rear bumper.

MaizieD Wed 29-Oct-25 08:07:01

Babs03

Those lights are like search lights, I remember a public information film on the telly back in the day with the slogan ‘dip don’t dazzle’.
Are these cars unable to dip their headlights??

The problem is that when those dreadfully dazzling headlights are dipped they’re still too bright.

I thought that it was just my aging eyesight that was causing me to find them difficult, but my DD says they are a problem for her, too.

MaizieD Wed 29-Oct-25 08:14:27

A link to one recent article by the BBC

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn971jlpvvro

MayBee70 Wed 29-Oct-25 09:56:40

I’ve just remembered that , when we used to travel round Europe in our Traveller, I’m sure we had to put a yellow film over the headlights when travelling through France. I read last night that another problem is that many cars are much higher, too, so someone in a little car like mine gets the full glare.

GrannyGravy13 Wed 29-Oct-25 10:00:33

When I drive DH’s big 4 X 4 I am above the lights, and whilst they are not particularly pleasant they are not hazardous.

In my low sporty job, I struggled a tad. Last opticians appointment I had special prescription lenses fitted which should (and have) eased the dazzle.

Lathyrus3 Wed 29-Oct-25 10:05:22

I actually changed my car to get one that sat higher, above the lights.

I thought my vision had deteriorated. It turned out I just needed a better car.

Now I guess my lights dazzle other people😳🙁

Granto1 Wed 29-Oct-25 13:42:35

I don't drive but my OH wears them and says they help a little

BeneathTheHowlingStars Wed 29-Oct-25 13:46:34

I hate driving at night. Those awful lights can sometimes give me migraine. I have a pair of yellow tinted clip ons which help a bit. I'm sure there's no need for the lights to be that bright. My car has got 'ordinary' lights and I can see on a pitch black road perfectly well.

Junoesque Wed 29-Oct-25 13:56:49

As an adjunct to this problem of dangerous headlights, I’d love to meet the inventor of flashing lights now in constant use by cyclists. Flashing lights in anyones book is highly dangerous not only for people who suffer from epilepsy but they can trigger a seizure in anyone. This question of bright lights must be re-evaluated asap.

cc Wed 29-Oct-25 14:30:52

I simply don't drive at night any longer, it isn't just the lights, I don't think I can see as well as previously.

AuntieE Wed 29-Oct-25 14:45:07

MayBee70

I’ve just driven home from my sons and unfortunately had to travel back at rush hour and I’ve resolved not to drive in the dark again, certainly not when the roads are busy. I felt very disorientated going round an island near to my home because of the lights and the lack of road markings. I was actually going to ask if anyone had bought those anti glare lenses that fit over your driving glasses ( even though my driving glasses are supposed to be anti glare).

Try yellow sun or fog glasses.

I find they help.

Grandmama Wed 29-Oct-25 15:02:28

I'm dazzled as a pedestrian at night. Some headlights are so bright I can't see the pavement and am frightened of not seeing trip hazards such as recycling bin lids on the pavement - quite common round here.

orly Wed 29-Oct-25 15:23:31

Babs03

Those lights are like search lights, I remember a public information film on the telly back in the day with the slogan ‘dip don’t dazzle’.
Are these cars unable to dip their headlights??

The irony is that I find that the new lights are great for seeing cars approaching from miles away but useless for lighting up the road in front of you when you're behind them in your own car. I find the same true of LED torches/ LEDs are useless but then they do say that progress is usually improvement!

albertina Wed 29-Oct-25 15:41:42

Thank heavens someone is going to do something about those wretched blinding headlights. I rarely drive at night because of them.

grumppa Wed 29-Oct-25 16:41:47

And they are even worse when the offending car goes over a sleeping policeman, of which there are more than real ones in my borough.

Mollygo Wed 29-Oct-25 17:15:51

I have a pair of tinted glasses that fit over my normal ones.
If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t go to the gym or to Choir in the evening anymore.

Growing0ldDisgracefully Wed 29-Oct-25 19:01:58

I find them dazzling and it's worse when it's raining and light is affected by rain on the windscreen (yes, I do use the wipers!).
I have a pair of yellow lens glasses which do cut down the glare a lot.

I use the nearside kerb or road paint to navigate when oncoming lights are too bright, this prevents the oncoming light shining directly into the back of the eye and is still sufficient to drive by. A little tip I was given when learning to ride a motorbike, as the visors on helmets should not be tinted and thereby let every bit of bright light in!

Mojack26 Wed 29-Oct-25 19:13:01

These led's arejust awful

infoman Thu 30-Oct-25 03:14:05

Nothing is going to change about LED lights in the near future.

So what we can all do with immediate effect,
is try not to go out driving in the dark nights of the winter months.

grandMattie Thu 30-Oct-25 04:25:31

What about the “searchlight” brake lights? I find these lethal too, especially if the driver keeps their foot on the pedal while, say, waiting for the traffic lights to change.

MayBee70 Thu 05-Feb-26 19:04:10

I’d just ordered some new distance glasses for driving. I had an eye check and didn’t actually need new ones but Boots recommended some glasses called drive safe made by Zeiss ( Leiss?) Individual which are supposed to reduce the glare from LED lights. They’re rather expensive but it will be worth it if it means I can drive at night again. I’m not planning on driving at night if I can avoid it but don’t want to get caught out again if I end up returning home later than planned.