Driving At Night

[bluenose1940]

As the years have passed me by (rather quickly it now seems!) I am less and less keen on driving at night in the dark, particularly on miserable wet, low visibility nights and, although not always possible, I do tend to try to avoid the situation where I can.

I am wondering if many of our LOC members feel the same as I do and if so, do you make use of night driving glasses and if so, are there any particular makes that you would recommend?

What about prescription night driving glasses, do any of you use these?

I look forward to hearing any of your comments.

[Exdee]

I am quite the opposite. I prefer driving at night (if it's dry). Don't like driving in the rain (day or night) because it just makes me think of the time I will have to spend to clean it the next weekend.

I have poor eye sight anyway so wear spectacles and am very comfortable with late night driving. However I don't like driving with contact lenses on especially at night.

You should see an optician. I think you will find that you have poor eyesight.

[bluenose1940]

I am quite the opposite. I prefer driving at night (if it's dry). Don't like driving in the rain (day or night) because it just makes me think of the time I will have to spend to clean it the next weekend.

I have poor eye sight anyway so wear spectacles and am very comfortable with late night driving. However I don't like driving with contact lenses on especially at night.

You should see an optician. I think you will find that you have poor eyesight.

I have worn specs virtually all my life, at least since I was about 8 years old and had the measles which I gather was the cause of my sight problems. When I was working I used to wear contact lenses most of the time. I still wear them now but only for when I play snooker.

I am happier with late night driving, less cars about which of course results in less dazzle. Driving in the dark and wet during the 'commuter hours' is what I dislike most though

[Exdee]

Driving in the dark and wet during the 'commuter hours' is what I dislike most though

Ahh I see what you mean now. I was referring to quiet off peak hours myself. I absolutely hate driving to and from work. Day or night, wet or dry, this journey can never be interesting. It's probably due to the fact I cover 8 miles in an hour and 15 minutes but that's London for you.

[Steve]

I don'lt like driving with specs at night, the glare is awful sometimes.

[PEPE]

Hi Bluenose1940, I know exactly what you are talking about. I'll be 72 this Christmas eve!. Although I don't think I've got a 100% solution to night driving, here's what I've done:

SPECSAVERS, Horsham, provide me with the everyday varifocals. I therefore approached them about three months ago to see whether they could make my night driving easier. They recommended vairfocal lenses, with anti-glare coating and yellow lenses. I have to say the improvement is quite noticeable. My new glasses certainly cut down the glare and make night driving more restful, or better still, less stressful. The most noticeable improvement, however, is not at night, but rather, in foggy situations where everything looks uniformly grey. The yellow lenses pick out things with sharpness and improve one's confidence whilst riving. I certainly feel more confident with my new night-time glasses but the outlay is about £180. Not cheap, but in my book, well worth it. PEPE.

[bluenose1940]

Hi Bluenose1940, I know exactly what you are talking about. I'll be 72 this Christmas eve!. Although I don't think I've got a 100% solution to night driving, here's what I've done:

SPECSAVERS, Horsham, provide me with the everyday varifocals. I therefore approached them about three months ago to see whether they could make my night driving easier. They recommended vairfocal lenses, with anti-glare coating and yellow lenses. I have to say the improvement is quite noticeable. My new glasses certainly cut down the glare and make night driving more restful, or better still, less stressful. The most noticeable improvement, however, is not at night, but rather, in foggy situations where everything looks uniformly grey. The yellow lenses pick out things with sharpness and improve one's confidence whilst riving. I certainly feel more confident with my new night-time glasses but the outlay is about £180. Not cheap, but in my book, well worth it. PEPE.

Hiya PEPE, thank you for your input to my query. I too use Specsavers and so will have a word with them to see what can be done as regards prescription lenses. I will also have a word with my usual lens and frame provider who incidentally, provide my lenses and frames at less than half the Specsaver cost (they also supply many opticians with their frames and lenses) and so I might get a good deal there!

I have also spotted that yellow lenses are available as clip-ons to be worn over your normal everyday specs, similar I suppose to clip-on sunglasses. These appear to be relatively inexpensive so I might do a 'test-run' with these first.

I see that you are of my era, I have been told that just after being born, I was tucked up in a nice warm blanket in a cardboard box at the bottom of the cellar steps whilst the bombs were dropping all around us!! Do you have a similar story?

Have yourself a really good Christmas PEPE, best wishes too for a Happy and Healthy 2013 too.

And finally, welcome to the 72 Club, Happy Birthday for Monday. Hope you get seperate prezzies!!!!

[PEPE]

Thank you very much indeed, bluenose1940, for your Christmas greetings and for wishing me a happy birthday this coming Monday. Would I be correct in thinking that at 72 you and I are the Methuselahs of this Club? Although we are of the same age I never experienced WW2 in the flesh. I was born in Colombia, but came to this country in 1969, married a Scottish lassie and am still here! The rest is history . . .

My Lexus story is an interesting one. Have a look at the car that I bought from a former RAF officer I met in my local. Here is the link: http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=267284 What do you think?

Going back to the night driving glasses, after doing some research on the Internet I opted for the full Monty, i.e., proper prescription specs with anti-glare coating, etc.. I also chose some designer frames so as not to ruin my fading matinee-idol looks. I am sure, however, that in the absence of vanity I could have bought cheaper ones.

I do hope you have not been affected by the recent rainfall in your neck of the woods. Happy Christmas and Happy Motoring, PEPE