more mature drivers giving up night driving?

Between the council turning road lights off and head lights on other cars which are blinding, they are making it very hard for the older generation to go out in the evening. I bought a pair of night time driving glasses, but still struggle sometimes and I'm a spring chicken in my 60s HA HA....I WISH...HAPPY CHRISTMAS

Also taking Macushield, which contains several different carotenoids to support eye health. And avoided Macushield Gold as I already take multivitamin.
I normally wear varifocals but have had single vision distance glasses made with antiglare coating. It has all the difference to my night driving.
I had a couple of unpleasant experiences last year where I really felt that I couldn’t properly see where I was going on a dark and wet night. I had to pull off the road and wait for a while before I could continue. But now I’m driving confidently again, even in the wet.
But lack of road markings is a real problem. And I am struggling to see in town with the new energy saving street lights. It really is hard to see people, especially if they are wearing dark clothes, which of course most of us are in the winter. Even when I am walking, the lighting is poor.

I was driving back from my sons a few weeks ago after looking after the grandchildren and was totally blinded by the oncoming lights. I’d planned to avoid driving when it was busy but ended up driving in rush hour. I got to a large road island just before my village and completely lost my bearings; along with the glare from the lights the road markings had completely worn away. I resolved after that to not drive at night again on those roads.

I’m 67 and have good eyesight and find the LED headlights blinding . But I will carry on driving as long as I can , both in the day and night, on familiar and unfamiliar roads , on motorways and country lanes . Limiting where and when you drive means you lose confidence in driving . I have several friends my age who won’t drive at night or on motorways, their husbands drive . The worrying thing is if something happens to their dh , they’re snookered .

Given up night driving now, except where there is street lighting. I simply can't see.

I had been anxious with my husbands driving suggested many times at 84 he wasn't as careful as he ought to be,. He thought i was making a fuss. After all he had been a lorry driver 40 odd years ! That was until the day he insisted overtaking a lorry. The police removed his licence using age as the reason.
I was then the sole driver but lockdown came, he became ill so the car wasn't used for some time. When I did go off to the shops I had clearly lost my confidence. I gave up driving at that point. I was 82. I have to say its taken my independenceaway. . I have friends nearing 90 still driving, but not at night.

I have always loved driving and still do, and dread the day I can’t do it anymore. The thought of losing independence is beyond awful.
I’m lucky that I don’t have cataracts, but obviously find the bright lights difficult the same as everyone else, including my sons in their twenties.

My optician recommended wearing sun glasses, even in the winter sunshine to prevent cataracts forming.

We only have 5 buses a day here (none on Sunday) between 8-4 to the nearest market town, so would need to use taxis at night if I could no longer drive.

My younger husband (63) developed cataracts in both eyes and was subsequently struggling more at night with flaring. He had been a spectacle wearer since the age of 4 and had both lenses replaced privately. It transformed his sight to perfect for the first time in his life.

Greyduster

I don’t drive at night unless I absolutely have to. My car is very low to the ground and the glare of headlights from larger cars and SUVs hits me straight in the eyes and blinds me.

This is what stopped me driving in the dark several years ago. I couldn’t stand being dazzled by headlights anymore, living rurally most of our lanes are single track with passing places and it became too stressful.

keepingquiet

Etoile2701

keepingquiet

Can't people get buses anymore? I think I must live in another country because I love going out at night, whether it is driving locally or using buses and trains to get to town or the nearest city.
I get very frustrated with some friends who won't go out after dark and some of them don't even have cars?

I don't get it at all. I refuse to become a prisoner in my own home!

I like being at home. What is wrong with choosing not to go out after dark and not owning a car?

Nothing if that's your choice but people do seem to be complaining on this thread.

I have been quite shocked reading how poor public transport is in some places.

Public transport? What’s that?! We have 3 buses a day, none on Sundays or after 3pm.
I’m certainly not a prisoner in my own home keepingquiet, I just feel unsafe driving in the dark and don’t wish to have an accident 🤷🏼‍♀️

We’re 10 miles from a train station too! Not everyone has access to public transport like you!

My eyesight improved dramatically after having cataracts removed so although I don't do a lot of driving at night I am confident to do so after several years of avoiding it.

A friend has moved to be nearer her daughter. She's bought a house she loves but she's totally dependent on being able to drive. She's had no experience of driving at night on unlit country roads and is finding it very stressful. We're thinking about moving in the near future and access to good public transport will be high on the list although currently we both drive regularly at night.

Tenko

I’m 67 and have good eyesight and find the LED headlights blinding . But I will carry on driving as long as I can , both in the day and night, on familiar and unfamiliar roads , on motorways and country lanes . Limiting where and when you drive means you lose confidence in driving . I have several friends my age who won’t drive at night or on motorways, their husbands drive . The worrying thing is if something happens to their dh , they’re snookered .

I see your point but considering your own and others safety has to come into a decision about night driving. Just carrying on regardless seems foolhardy to me.

It's called personal responsibility. Unfortunately the way things have gone the Government no longer trust us to manage our own health and abilities. If you mentioned to an optician or doctor that you struggle at night there is a chance that they would contact the DVLA and before you know it they'll have your licence off you. I admire people that are aware of their driving limits and avoid situations that may test them. e.g. driving long distances, night driving, heavy traffic. Well done!

I bought anti glare glasses and find them very useful. I think they were on TikTok but I've seen them on Facebook too. They go over the top of your own glasses.

foxie48

The problem with organising day time events is it restricts the same range of people who are free to go. Many of my groups are mixed age, with most still working. I'm continuing to drive at night but I do find the glare from headlights is much worse these day. I wonder if it's possible to buy anti glare glasses. Anyone know?

My optician said they are useless.

Thanks yogitree

Astitchintime I agree with your post. Most accidents occur on roads familiar to road users. Wonder why that is, nothing to do with complacency. As for all the oversized cars with bright lights why not look slightly to the side? It's amazing the brightness diminishes. What about cyclists with head torches/lights. That will really confuse some as only one high bright light!

The problem with dazzle from new bright lights is not limited to older drivers. Many drives of all ages hate them and the government is considering legislation.

4allweknow

Astitchintime I agree with your post. Most accidents occur on roads familiar to road users. Wonder why that is, nothing to do with complacency. As for all the oversized cars with bright lights why not look slightly to the side? It's amazing the brightness diminishes. What about cyclists with head torches/lights. That will really confuse some as only one high bright light!

Excuse me but isn’t it a good idea to look straight ahead when driving ( except when approaching a road island etc). Or am I missing something here…

I turn 62 in January, & I’m already noticing changes in myself when I’m driving. I used to absolutely love it, & used to drive quite willingly, longish distances, motorways were no problem. Now, with increased traffic, everything is more challenging. I’ve a pair of glasses that are supposed to cut out glare from headlights at night, & they do help, but it’s still a nerve wracking experience to drive at night - bad road surfaces don’t help - & I really try to avoid it if I can, very unlike how I used a be.

If you do have problems with bright lights make sure you have a up to date eye test, cataracts and macular degeneration can be treated if you catch it early.

The pupils on old eyes react more slowly to light so it’s going to affect all of us, when I get dazzled driving I look down at the kerb and concentrate on that

MayBee70

Maccushield Gold has a lot of other vitamins added that aren’t really necessary for improved vision ( they’re also quite expensive). In the Michael Mosley programme it said the important thing was the meso zeathanthin (sp) which is in Maccushield and Macusave.

Thank you, that’s very helpful

David49

If you do have problems with bright lights make sure you have a up to date eye test, cataracts and macular degeneration can be treated if you catch it early.

The pupils on old eyes react more slowly to light so it’s going to affect all of us, when I get dazzled driving I look down at the kerb and concentrate on that

I find that having an even slightly damp windscreen makes it much worse, too, so I keep my wipers on as much as possible.It’s all very well all of us finding ways to mitigate the problem but, at the end of the day we shouldn’t have to be doing so when people’s safety is at stake. My son and his wife both cycle to work and I really worry about drivers not seeing them.

www.healthspan.co.uk/retinex-max-containing-lutein/

This is the one I take.
Lutein and Zeaxanthin.