Dazzled

[chromatin64]

There have been a few posts I've come across where the prospect of being 'dazzled' by brake lights or fog lights has been mentioned.

Now, I've never been dazzled by these in daylight, twilight or at night. Full beam yes, but brake and fog lights no.

Am I abnormal?

[Psychlist]

chromatin64 said:

Am I abnormal?

Quite possibly.
A lot of times it's just the reflection off of a wet road surface that dazzles me with these lights on in clear weather but lately it's the reflection off of the ICE and SNOW

[RT106]

It's not so much dazzle, just the simple fact that too much light in your field of view hinders your ability to see into the darker areas.

And that's the same reason that people who use front fog-lamps and justify it on the grounds of 'better visibility' are morons; more light near the car (where you don't need to look) affects your ability to see in the distance (where you do need to look).

[p1esk]

RT106 said:

It's not so much dazzle, just the simple fact that too much light in your field of view hinders your ability to see into the darker areas.

And that's the same reason that people who use front fog-lamps and justify it on the grounds of 'better visibility' are morons; more light near the car (where you don't need to look) affects your ability to see in the distance (where you do need to look).

I'm not sure that those using their front foglights are disadvantaged, but I don't believe they derive any benefit either. The ones who do suffer are those coming the other way, due to the added glare they have to contend with.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Distant]

I don't understand what the problem with being dazzled is. Surely the simplest solution is to cover your eyes with your hands until the lights have gone, thereby reducing your time exposed to dazzle.

[iamed]

Different people have eyes of differing sensitivity, so what you experience personally may differ to that of other people.

I have 20/10 vision and can see in lower light levels where a lot of other people struggle/need a torch. Yay for me, but I do find foglights quite dazzling. Of course I can put up with it, but I certainly look at foglights as 'look out, I'm a twunt'-lights.

I don't understand why some drivers would choose to break the law and make things more difficult for others.

Edited by iamed on Wednesday 13th January 11:09

[p1esk]

iamed said:

Different people have eyes of differing sensitivity, so what you experience personally may differ to that of other people.

I have 20/10 vision and can see in lower light levels where a lot of other people struggle/need a torch. Yay for me, but I do find foglights quite dazzling. Of course I can put up with it, but I certainly look at foglights as 'look out, I'm a twunt'-lights.

I don't understand why some drivers would choose to break the law and make things more difficult for others.

Edited by iamed on Wednesday 13th January 11:09

When it comes to foglights, most drivers probably don't know what the law says, and they are not interested in the effect their foglights are having on others.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[oj121]

I really really hate people who use fog lights when there is no logical reason to do so. Their purpose is clearly described in their name. They are not called 'perfect visibility lights' or 'it rained for an hour last week lights'. Fog lights means lights for use in fog. Pretty simple if you ask me. Some of you may hate me for it but im due to join 'the force' soon and im looking forward to having the opportunity to 'educate' these people.

[p1esk]

oj121 said:

I really really hate people who use fog lights when there is no logical reason to do so. Their purpose is clearly described in their name. They are not called 'perfect visibility lights' or 'it rained for an hour last week lights'. Fog lights means lights for use in fog. Pretty simple if you ask me. Some of you may hate me for it but im due to join 'the force' soon and im looking forward to having the opportunity to 'educate' these people.

Good man. Nick the lot of 'em; and the ones who drive around in gloomy conditions with no lights at all; and the ones who keep the headlights switched on when parked.

Let me know when you've dealt with them, and I'll nominate a few more customers for you.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[waremark]

p1esk said:

When it comes to foglights, most drivers probably don't know what the law says,

Only when it comes to foglights?

[p1esk]

waremark said:

p1esk said:

When it comes to foglights, most drivers probably don't know what the law says,

Only when it comes to foglights?

No, of course not, but somebody did mention foglights and the law. There is now so much law (with its intricate detail, too) that no normal person can be expected to be aware of all of it, let alone understand it and maintain compliance.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[p1esk]

waremark said:

p1esk said:

When it comes to foglights, most drivers probably don't know what the law says,

Only when it comes to foglights?

No, of course not, but somebody did mention foglights and the law. There is now so much law (with its intricate detail, too) that no normal person can be expected to be aware of all of it, let alone understand it and maintain compliance.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[Citizen09]

oj121 said:

Some of you may hate me for it but im due to join 'the force' soon and im looking forward to having the opportunity to 'educate' these people.

Good luck with having time to do that!

On a serious note, minor process is something I try to do when I get chance, but being non-Traffic I don't get the time as often as I would like.

[Citizen09]

And yes, in answer to the OP, I often find fog lights and brake lights are "dazzling."

Edited by Citizen09 on Tuesday 19th January 11:08

[AMST09]

Rear fog lights are an annoyance....when it is slightly foggy people put them on when it really isn't necessary and just nnoys me in my vision
The front fogs I do use at night on occasion on country roads, due to the fact that I can't see directly infront of my car so I turn them on to see potholes etc
And don't say anything about my headlights as everyone who has the same car as me says the same thing and does the same

[pollawyn]

Fog lights should be used in fog, and anybody who has used them in real fog knows that they are rendered useless if headlights are on at the same time, for the uninitiated the lights are reflected back at you by the water particles in the fog and you are dazzled, fog lights are placed low down to minimize this effect. So why do car manufacturers allow head and foglights to be on at the same time, simply to sell another option and why would anybody want an option they would so rarely use.

[Paul_M3]

Rear fog lights are a real pain.

I've got to be honest though and say front fog lights don't bother me in the slightest. I don't think I've ever had a car come towards me where the foglights were more 'dazzling' than the headlights.

In fact, in low-ish light conditions where front lights are more to 'alert other road users' rather than light the road up I'd rather people had sidelights and foglights on than their headlights. (Especially with the more modern HID headlight equipped vehicles.)

I sometimes wonder if some people get dazzled by foglights purely because they 'expect to'. They see a car with foglights on coming towards them. They think 'look at that idiot with his fogs on', and that's exactly what they do....LOOK at the lights of the oncoming car for a short period of time.

(And before anyone asks, no I don't ever use my front foglights. Not even in fog generally, as they just don't seem to be any use.)

[julianm]

Dazzle ......
Well I`ve recently been trialling a pair of yellow tinted lenses for night driving. Would like to try a pair of Rayban kalichrome ones but don`t have £200 to spare. On my A road journeys I`ve found the intrusion from poorly adjusted dip beam is much less distracting. The problem of HID lamps on a bumpy surface `flashing` me is also reduced, as is the effect of the occasional wker with his `blue` 50000000K bulbs.
I`ve read a lot of the no, no, no on the lens tints, but at present I think I`ll stick with it for a bit longer.
Perhaps the French had it right in the `50`s with the compulsory yellow lamps?

[deviant]

p1esk said:

When it comes to foglights, most drivers probably don't know what the law says, and they are not interested in the effect their foglights are having on others.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

I'm willing to bet that most drivers don't even know they have their foglights switched on and never though to investigate the light on their dash and how to turn it off.

julianm said:

Perhaps the French had it right in the `50`s with the compulsory yellow lamps?

BINGO!! This is what really annoys me with the foglights on modern cars; they are white so a next to useless when conditions call for their use. Even with just sidelights and fogs the the fog just reflects the white light back after penetrating only a few meters (ooer!) and only serves to make the fog around you glow.

Yellow lights are much more effective, I am told its something to do with a different light wave length and some science stuff.

[RobM77]

To answer the OP, people's sensitivity to light varies.

I'm at the sensitive end of the spectrum If I've walked home from the station down the lanes then when I get home I have to shut my eyes and cover them with my hands before I turn the light on, and only after about 30 seconds can I remove my hands and start to open my eyes gingerly. My girlfriend's just the same. When I'm sat behind someone in a queue of cars if they've got their brake lights on I have to shield my eyes or look away, and oncoming foglights or mis-aligned headlights really dazzle me too. It's quite a real problem, and I wish other drivers would have more sympathy; the handbrake is easy to apply, and foglights are easy to use correctly!